Hello All...
New to saltwater but have had many freshwater tanks. I have (3) 40g Eclipse and (2) 6g Hex Eclipse scattered in my house. I have a 29g Oceanic Biocube that I just put water in yesterday. It's fairly basic except I took out the bioballs and put in dead (commercial) coral until the tank is up and running. I plan on putting LR once I have cycled the tank. I know I could do it from the outset and that the LR will shorten the Ammonia / nitrate cycle but this is my first SW so I want to see and observe the cycle. I have 1" to 1-1/2" sand (dead). I also have 3 softball size corals (purchased dead from LFS) in the sand for PH buffering. I put in the 'made-for-it' Oceanic protien skimmer (yeah..I know a pump one is better) in the filter well. So...filled the tank 5pm yesterday. Mixed up salt/water externally (1/2 cup per gallon Instant Ocean brand) and added it. Heater is bringing the temp up (this morning it was 71*). I added the requisite chemicals for the initial water treatment. Local water has both chlorine and chlorimane (sp?) but very little other bad stuff. I had chlorine treatment on hand but will have to pick up some dechlorinator (sp) that treats both types. I know from my FW tanks that I will have to run the water for 7-11 days to get the water chemistry in range (or longer for a saltwater..right?). I have a basic saltwater test kit. A dedicated PH kit. A hydrometer (the plastic type) for salinity. I also have a LCD external temp gauge with alarm. Tanks has suspended silt this morning after 12 hours of filtering. I also added some floss on top of the bioball well to catch any sand. The suspended silt has thinned out slightly..but not very much. I blame it on the 50* water...once it comes up to temp it should clean up easier. Good thing I mixed the salt in some warmer water first.
I have some 'newb' questions that I will post in one of the proper threads.
Thanks for reading my post...Anyone local?
Jay
New to saltwater but have had many freshwater tanks. I have (3) 40g Eclipse and (2) 6g Hex Eclipse scattered in my house. I have a 29g Oceanic Biocube that I just put water in yesterday. It's fairly basic except I took out the bioballs and put in dead (commercial) coral until the tank is up and running. I plan on putting LR once I have cycled the tank. I know I could do it from the outset and that the LR will shorten the Ammonia / nitrate cycle but this is my first SW so I want to see and observe the cycle. I have 1" to 1-1/2" sand (dead). I also have 3 softball size corals (purchased dead from LFS) in the sand for PH buffering. I put in the 'made-for-it' Oceanic protien skimmer (yeah..I know a pump one is better) in the filter well. So...filled the tank 5pm yesterday. Mixed up salt/water externally (1/2 cup per gallon Instant Ocean brand) and added it. Heater is bringing the temp up (this morning it was 71*). I added the requisite chemicals for the initial water treatment. Local water has both chlorine and chlorimane (sp?) but very little other bad stuff. I had chlorine treatment on hand but will have to pick up some dechlorinator (sp) that treats both types. I know from my FW tanks that I will have to run the water for 7-11 days to get the water chemistry in range (or longer for a saltwater..right?). I have a basic saltwater test kit. A dedicated PH kit. A hydrometer (the plastic type) for salinity. I also have a LCD external temp gauge with alarm. Tanks has suspended silt this morning after 12 hours of filtering. I also added some floss on top of the bioball well to catch any sand. The suspended silt has thinned out slightly..but not very much. I blame it on the 50* water...once it comes up to temp it should clean up easier. Good thing I mixed the salt in some warmer water first.
I have some 'newb' questions that I will post in one of the proper threads.
Thanks for reading my post...Anyone local?
Jay