Newb looking for advise/input

Good reef quality RO/DI units have better filters, usually higher production rate RO membranes and of course have the DI.
You can use it for drinking water too, I have done this for 15 years myself by bypassing the DI section.

It is always much cheaper to buy a reef quality system and adapt it for drinking water than to buy the drinking water system and upgrade it to a reef system.

A couple good choices can be found here in the CSPDI and MaxCap. Both can easily have a tee, ball valve and check valve added for a few $$ and be used for drinking water. I have used a version of the MaxCap for about 7 years now and its fantastic. Better yet I paid about $389 for my first MaxCap so the sale price is a tremendous savings.
SpectraPure Customer Appreciation SALE! 20% - 50% off

They build all their units one at a time to order so you can call them and request changes or additions like the DI bypass or a full blown drinking water kit.

 

Thanks. I think I've really convinced myself to invest in a good system for my home, and the fish.

I just read up on the stickied "mistakes I've made" thread and wow, that's a good read. I thought I was doing the right thing getting "live rock". Oh, and I was so excited to see the cute little anemone that came with one of my live rocks.... I believe it's proper name is the "majano"? I thought I got a freebie!

Should I remove that rock and give it the bleach/scrub treatment?

 

If there is only one mojano on the rock, inject it with boiling water from a syringe and it should die. If that does not work you can also use distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, Joes Juice, AiptasiaX and severl other methods. I'd try the hot water first and inject it right in the mouth.

 

I'll try that. I just need to find a way to buy 1 syringe instead of 100.

Now I'm curious. I plan on getting some raw shrimp tomorrow to help things along.. but isn't a little odd that I haven't got a hint of ammonia, nitrate, or nitrites after a whole month? Would I have been better off with bare rock and non-live sand?

 

I think I would take a water sample to a LFS and have them check it. If you show nothing even with fish and a CUC I suspect your test kits.

 

I did do that last week. They told me to drop by with water samples any time... and I figured they had some fancy test gear. Well they used the exact same API kit I bought... and got the exact same results.

There's no way I 'missed' the cycle if there are no nitrates present... correct?

 

Well I dropped in 3 raw shrimp wrapped up in some cheese cloth. I'll bring the damsels back to the store this weekend if I can catch them. How well do snails endure through a cycle?

 

So after a few days with the shrimp... I'm finally seeing some ammonia. 1ppm only so far. Now here's the thing. I'm leaving for a 3 days for thanksgiving. Do I take the 3 raw shrimp out now? Or let it go while I'm gone?

(I also tested Nitrites tonight and there are none)

Anyone?

 

I have always added fish after my first algae bloom. I thought after that cycle had started already. I am no pro though so dont take my word. My best word of advice is after tank cycles get those damsels back to the LPS. I had to tear my tank apart to get a couple out that were nibbling on my softies.

 

Well I'm back from a few days away, and my tank is now reading low levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. I'm guessing that puts me somewhere in the middle of the cycle? I took the shrimp out last night.