Cali Kid Corals

Mike and Ashley's 150g reef tank (our first)

As much as you can. That will lower your nitrates as much as possible. At this point I would start your fuge if you plan on running one. This will get your chaeto going and be ready when you start adding corals and fish.
 
WCKDVPR said:
When the tank is cycled and I do the big water change, what is the typical % of the system volume swapped out or is there a target NO3 that is aimed for?

Thanks!
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WC volume all depends how high your nitrates go and that would depend on the ammonia that you dosed and how much organic die off comes from your rocks.

Ideally nitrates would be as close to zero when you start adding livestock.
 
WCKDVPR said:
I can swap like 50% or more if need be.

Where do you recommend I get some "safe" chaeto?
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You can safely dip chaeto in ro/di for 10 minutes if you want to get rid of most critters. I'm sure there's something out there that would survive though.
 
I swish out my chaeto from the reactor every time I thin it out in plain tap. Pretty clean overall other than for the detritus which I swish the chaeto through a few times.

About to thin out my reactor if you're interested in some chaeto.
 
WCKDVPR said:
Good to know, thanks! I am only using the API test kit for ammonia and nitrite (didn't want to spend a bunch of money on fancy test kits to only use them for the cycle). All the other tests/readings are using Milwaukee, Hanna, or Salifert so I feel much more comfortable with those readings.

I'll keep a really close eye on nitrite (the color purple on the test sample was brighter than 5 ppm on the card, so I am just assuming it is >5 ppm). If it doesn't look better tonight, I start swapping out water until it is under 5 ppm.

Maybe next weekend might be the time to get a pair of clowns into TTM QT? All the reading I am doing and input I have received on anemones has me rethinking it that is a smart addition or not. Definitely want to do some torch/hammer/frogspawn coral in the tank, maybe the clowns would take up residency there?

Best regards!
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Well...IME, I've had Ocellaris hosted by Euphyllia (frogspawn) a couple of times. The first time was ok...not too much damage. The second time, she destroyed the frogspawn.


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Good to know on the clowns/corals, thanks.

Mixing saltwater right now for a water change. I can do up to a straight 60% swap with new saltwater or I can do 60% swap, move the RODI over the the mixing tank, do a quick mix and dump that in for real close to what is effectively a 100% water change. I might miss a bit on the salinity with the quick mix. Would the bacteria mind until I straighten it out?

Just looking at ratios, the only way to get anywhere near zero nitrates is a 100% swap.

Current parameters-
Ammonia: 0.5 ppm (Down from 1.0 in the last 18 hours)
Nitrite: still at least 5 ppm (same)
Nitrate: 20 ppm (Up from 2.5 to 20 in the last 18 hours)
 
Near zero would be ideal, but around 5-10 would be fine...Especially I'd you plan to add chaeto. And if you have a big fuge light, that nitrate get sucked up in no time.


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Your cycle isn't over yet. I wouldn't go through the extra work to try to bring nitrates down at this point. I would just do a 50-60% change just to bring nitrite down a bit and let the cycle continue. Once you've got zero ammonia, and zero nitrite, and super high nitrate then do your big water change. You seem to be well on your way.


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It's alive!

Thanks Eric for the chaeto - my first non-bacteria inhabitant.

Refugium.jpg
 
Me too. I was prepared to buy a H150 or A160 and Robert at Neptune said that was unnecessary and I should get this one. You can adjust the spectrum so if it doesn't seem to grow chaeto reasonably well on the "grow" setting, I can try it at red, bloom, blue, or in between those settings. It is nice in that I can control it with the apex. I have it on full output from 8:30pm to 9am right now.
 
I actually don't have a lot of room for a large light as I mounted my carbon and GFO reactors mostly over the refugium so when I open them, any water runoff goes into the sump.
 
I would suggest you lower the light or baffle the spill over somehow. If not, you may find the fuge will expand into your skimmer or the sock chamber. Ask me how I know!


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