The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread

[sikk50]

That nano is awesome with all that mush! How big is it?

Depending on how bored I get I'll try and post some pics of my 55 later

Originally Posted by sikk50

That nano is awesome with all that mush! How big is it?

Depending on how bored I get I'll try and post some pics of my 55 later

I just looked it up on the awful Tenecor website. It is a twelve gal. hexagon with a "Backpack" skimmer. No filter, really. I do an exchange of half the water with the big tank every month or so. It is underlit with 2x dual 9watt CFs. There are two ocillaris clowns in there. One is just a blur in the pic. The big one is called "Killer". It especially doesn't like rings.

.5 ammonia
5 Nitrates
1 Nitrites
1.022 Salinity

in the cure tank. Got my live sand today. Gonna buy my RO tomarrow. Should I wait till its completly at 0 ammonia before i set up the display tank?

[fissure]

IMO, yes. Let it fully cycle and you'll have less issues in the long run. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0. Also, if you are going to be keeping corals move the salinity to 1.025 I tried corals with the salinity in the low 20's and in the mid 20's. They seem much happier (growth and color) with the higher salinity. Also use a refractometer, or if you are using a swing arm or floating hydrometer get it calibrated from someone that has a refractometer.

Originally Posted by fissure

IMO, yes. Let it fully cycle and you'll have less issues in the long run. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0. Also, if you are going to be keeping corals move the salinity to 1.025 I tried corals with the salinity in the low 20's and in the mid 20's. They seem much happier (growth and color) with the higher salinity. Also use a refractometer, or if you are using a swing arm or floating hydrometer get it calibrated from someone that has a refractometer.

Got it. Just ordered a refractometer today along with a bunch o other stuff from Dr. Foster smith today. The Guy at the LFS calibrated my swing arm hydrometer with his refractometer.

Its hard to look at this empty tank and not want to fill it up. but I figure the more patient I am and take the time to do it right, the better results ill end up with but man its hard...

Thanks for being patient with me and all my questions. Im pretty sure im buggin everybody, but hey more knowledge is a good thing!

michigan Reefers has been a treasure trove of info too.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by darb85

Thanks for being patient with me and all my questions. Im pretty sure im buggin everybody, but hey more knowledge is a good thing!

You're not bugging anyone at all. Not by any means.
Thank YOU for allowing everyone to help. That's what this thread is for.
I'm excited to see how everything goes. Keep us posted and keep the pictures coming!!!

[shilala]

Originally Posted by fissure

IMO, yes. Let it fully cycle and you'll have less issues in the long run. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0. Also, if you are going to be keeping corals move the salinity to 1.025 I tried corals with the salinity in the low 20's and in the mid 20's. They seem much happier (growth and color) with the higher salinity. Also use a refractometer, or if you are using a swing arm or floating hydrometer get it calibrated from someone that has a refractometer.

Hey Steve, when do we get some pics?
I should say thanks for costing me money. Now I have to get a refractometer and I don't even know what one is.
On my way to ebay right now...

[fissure]

Originally Posted by shilala

Hey Steve, when do we get some pics?
I should say thanks for costing me money. Now I have to get a refractometer and I don't even know what one is.
On my way to ebay right now...

Just make sure the refractometer is calibrated also. Some calibrate with RO water (should read 0) or you can calibrate with NaCl solution that is 35%.

Pictures will come in due time. I miss my sps and am switching my 50 back to sps. I guess I should take pics of the way it is now

[shilala]

Originally Posted by fissure

Just make sure the refractometer is calibrated also. Some calibrate with RO water (should read 0) or you can calibrate with NaCl solution that is 35%.

Pictures will come in due time. I miss my sps and am switching my 50 back to sps. I guess I should take pics of the way it is now

I have an RO unit and a tester for the RO water, so that'd be good.
Yes, you should take pics. Now.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by fissure

IMO, yes. Let it fully cycle and you'll have less issues in the long run. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0. Also, if you are going to be keeping corals move the salinity to 1.025 I tried corals with the salinity in the low 20's and in the mid 20's. They seem much happier (growth and color) with the higher salinity. Also use a refractometer, or if you are using a swing arm or floating hydrometer get it calibrated from someone that has a refractometer.

I agree the corals will do much better with the higher salinity.

Flipside on high salinity is the impact to the fish.
Not many know that fish, although they live in salt water, have their system designed to filter out the salt water via their organs and their slime coat, in essence processing final water as non salt water or very limited salt water.
The higher the salinity, the tougher it is for them to combat parasites and diseases.
Also, parasites thrive on higher salinity so pests lik ick, flukes and other nasty ones will be tough to combat (folks - always use a hospital tank and quarantine and you minimize concerns).

I actually experimented on low salinity and while the corals didn't do well, the fish only system that was maintained at 1.12 for 12 months did quite well. In fact, they lived quite care free as they seemed less "stressed" for a better word. I now keep my fish only system pictured in this thread at 1.016-1.019 on average (when I remember to take a reading). Wouldn't do that for a reef system though.