Rocks from Live Rock N Reef

From what I've learned and read, just let your tank go for a whole month with everything running, min to no lighting to avoid algae. Test every 3 days or so. Once u get high nitrate you know your tank is cycled. Even when it's testing high in nitrate you still need to keep them low too so getting macro algae and keeping things clean. Keep your salt level at 24-25, pH-8.2-8.3, cal-450 and phosphate-0. Phosphate and Nitrate makes algae grow. Best thing to help fight is Phosban reactor, water chnages and macro algae.

I have the API reef master and saltwater test kit. Like 8 tests total and it's been working great. Make sure u follow them to the T.

Hope this helps a little

 

thanks for the reply. have a few questions:

1. no lightning, u mean not even the LED?
2. When the tank is cycled but and nitrate is high? do u just change the water? or is there something you can add to the water?
3. How to clean out the alge if i do get them?

 

I just read on a post that "Never rinse your filter media with regular tap water if it becomes clogged. The chlorine in the tap water will kill your benificial bacteria instantly and you will have to start all over.r", so should i go get a new filter before i put the live rocks tomorrow?

 

Keeping any lighting on during the cycle can increase the intensity and duration of the normally occurring algae blooms. That sand will first turn brown, that is diatoms. Diatoms feed off the silicates released by the new sand, glass, equipment. Lighting will not affect diatoms. Green Hair Algae (GHA) comes next, resulting from nutrient rich water associated with die off and a newly cycled system. GHA does need light and nutrients to grow.

Just do a water change to bring down the nitrates, fairly easy in such a small tank.

Once the tank is cycled you can add a clean up crew (CUC) to assist in eating algae, use a mag-float to clean the glass.

No need to, just do not rinse it again in tap water from here on out. I keep old SW from water changes to rinse my stuff.

 

Got the Rocks today from Live Rocks N Reef and here are some pics:

I bought 25lbs of Primo Deco and 15lbs of Fuji

Well Packed:





I was too excited to put these rocks in the tank, so i forgot to take pics of them laying out on the floor..LOL

Primo Deco:



Fuji Ultra:



Current Layout and i did use all the rocks. I isolated some of the rocks so I can remove them easily.



I will shoot a video when the tank gets clear.

 

Those pics forced me to be buying 25lbs of Primo Deco in a few days after I get my new lion. Very nice rocks.

 

sorry for my poor english, what do u mean by top off? I am thinking to use the RO water from the vending machines.