When should I???

Hello just a thought--My Tank is about 3 mo old. I have been building my reef and have about 180lbs of live rock in place. I need about 50lbs to 100lbs more to complete my aqua scape plan. every time i add more rock, even after curing-I get a small diatom bloom for about a month then it goes away. Yes I use ro/di water. I will eventually add corals, but here is the question. Should I finish the reef first and let everything stabilize. Or can I add as I go with the Rock?--I am in no hurry and everyone is healthy. Note: my Calcium is low (320). I dont want to start dosing cal and mag etc until I am ready to add corals.

 

Is the source you're buying the LR from always the same? Are you getting any Ammonia or Nitrite readings when you add more rock? It sounds like you're having a small cycle each time you add more rock. In which case, you don't want to have any corals until you've purchased all of your rock.

 

yES i ALWAYS BUY AT THE SAME PLACE AND CURE IT MYSELF--I ALWAYS TEST FOR AMMONIA AND NITRITE BEFORE INTRODUCING IT TO THE DT. I AM NOT THAT WORRIED AS IT ALWAYS GOES AWAY. I HAVE GOOD CORALINE GROWING ALSO. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WOULD BE HEALTHIER TO FINISH THE REEF FIRST, OR IF IT MATTERED.

 

If you're curing it outside the tank until Ammonia and Nitrite goes away, it doesn't really matter

 

Hello, first and foremost let me commend you on being patient. Too many aquarists lack this virtue. It is always the best way to go with reef keeping. Any time you add live rock or sand you will experience a diatom bloom and sometimes (depending on the curing) a slight algae growth (usually green) and nothing a good clean up crew can't handle. When adding rock, add live bacteria at double the marine dose to help in the transition. I believe in letting the tank "season" after all rock and sand are in and you are done adding. Maybe 3-4 weeks. This will reap rewards down the line. If you add only 20-30 lbs. at a time this will minimize the acclimation of the rock on the biological filter (along with the addition of more live bacteria).
Now, as for the Calc and Mag, I would bring them to at least ocean levels (Calc = 380-450 and Mag = 1280-1380). The reason I say this is because you want the good algae, Coraline, to flourish and diminish the unwanted algae on the rock. Hope this has helped.

 

Thanks unclejed--That is what I thought.....My patience also is forced due to the money flow, however I have had very good results thus far and it has actually taught me the value of patience!! I will finish the reef--keep curing the rock, and bring those levels up. Much appreciated.

 

My pleasure.