Slowly starting to set up

[upstoday]

Hey guys, I'm just starting to get things in order to get ready for the addidtion of some live rock. I'm a ways off from it still but want to ask a few quick question real quick.

I just replaced my regular aquarium buld with a Reefsun 50/50, something to start with that's not to expensive right now. Hoping to upgrade the whole light fixture at some point in the future.

What I'm wonderiing right now is about the calcium. I'm gonna go hit the LFS in a bit and get a calc test. What is the level of calcium I should be trying to get to? And is it best to add the calcium to right to the tank or to do it during a water change and add it to the new water going in?

Also if I add the calcium in advance of any LR going into the tank is there that I should expect to see? Build up or growth of any kind?

And of course are there any products out there that any you would reccomend.

I think thats it for now, pls add anything else that you think I should be aware of.

[MikeS]

most try to keep the levels of calcium between 400-450 ppm. Dosage methods and amounts depend on what kind of calcium you are using. I drip kalkwasser as all my makeup water. If you decide to use kalk, it should be dripped into the tank at night or early in the morning.

Others use a two part method, one calcium additive, one alkalinity buffer. If you choose this method, just follow the instructions.

I don't think that you need to get your calcium up before the LR addition, as long as it is 380ppm or higher. Check your magnesium, however, low magnesium can impact calcium levels. Magnesium should be between 1200-1300ppm.

One you add the LR, regular testing will show you how much calcium is being used and give you an idea how much you need to be dosing. Keep an eye on alkalinity also, alkalinity can impact calcium levels and vice-versa.

Mike

[Jimbo]

wait.. you are doing fowlr, right?

if so, calcuim is no big deal, im assuming you ask this as you are hoping for your rock to get covered in coraline algae... it wont happen without MH or PC lighting (pc is prefered), no matter how high your calcium levels are. I would worry about other problemic factors involved in a fo setup before you touch on calcium.

cheers.

[SaltyDawg]

I agree with you jimbo on not worrying about the calcium lvls in a FOWLR tank I have never worried about it, but I do have plenty of Coraleen algae growing on my LR and tank and only have standard 100% actenic and 10k lights on my tank. Although high output lights will make it grow faster, it does grow under standard lights. I have a piece of decorator coral in my tank that is covered in Coraleen algae that grew there on it own.
Wayne

[upstoday]

Ok, I'm getting closer to getting some LR. Got my RO filter set up, and I'm working on getting the phosphates down in the main tanki.

Also setting up my QT tank this weekend coming up.

Ok, for now I'm gonna stick with the 50/50 light. I'm gonna have to figure out how I could DIY a 2 bulb fixture for the hood, or just see about about buying a 2 light strip. I like the bowfront tanks, but think it would be easier to mod things for a regular rectangle shaped tank, but........that will have to be another time.

Water lvl's all check out, gotta get a calc and mag test, hopefully today while the wife ain't looking to test those.

One question though, most of these LR retailers mention some of thier rock is aquacultured, is this or is this not the same as cured?

I figure when I do get some LR I'll place it in the QT tank for a curing period. But wouldn't most of the wildlife that came on the rock die off during off the curing process?

Right now I have a few fish in the tank, 3 damsels, 1 orange clownfish, dragon headed goby and a cleaner shrimp.

I'm planning on netting the damsels out of the tank before I add the LR to it, so I won't have any problems getting them out later.

So what would be the best course of action for adding the LR? Putting it in the QT tank first and maybe losing some of the critters to an ammonia spike or adding it slowly to the main tank which is already cycled?

[gman0526]

Aquacultured rock is either man made rock that was "seeded" with a whole array of organisms that you find in regular "out of the ocean" LR, or is regular LR that was cured and populated with more organisms in tanks.

Remember ammonia is a by-product of organism's wastes, so when you place the LR in your tank more than likely you'll get a mini-cycle going because you're adding livestock to your tank and the whole bio filetr needs to adjust to the new bio load in the tank. now as far as curing the rock you can do so in regular buckets with SW and powerheads, that way your QT is always ready. By curing the LR, which is basically QT for your rock, you get out most of the contaminants in the rock.

[upstoday]

But during the curing process would alot of the organisms on the LR die off, since the QT tank is not already cycled.

Would it be a good idea to buy 5-10 pounds of LR, place it in the QT tank and let cure, and at the same time cycle the QT tank? And than add more LR as I can, which I can than put into the cycled QT tank.

I'm also thinking maybe after I set up QT tank, I could place the damsels in the QT tank to cycle it before I bring them back to the LFS. Or even let them stay in the QT tank, wouldn't ever really have to worry taking them out of there atleast.

I'm guessing it wouldn't be the best idea to add the LR right to the main tank, Hmm I think that is what I will plan on doing, placing the LR in the QT tank for awhile and than adding it to the main tank. And I will be going slow adding the LR to the tank.

Do you think adding the damsels to the QT tank would be a good idea to help it cycle?

[gman0526]

Sounds like a good plan, that way you will speed up the cycling in the QT at the same time. You really are not going to "kill" that much stuff in the curing process you should be more than fine.

How much LR are you planning on adding? Depending on the size of the QT you can place more #'s in there.

P.S. Nice thinking on the damsels good to see that you're concerned about their well being :D. Just wait for the cycle to end in the QT b4 moving them, just do all the move at one time.

[upstoday]

Hmm what if I were to take some of the water from the main tank to help the QT tank going. QT tank is going to a 20Gal tank. I have a small amount of CC that I could use in it. When I go to fill the tank with water would be ok if at the same time I did a small water from the main tank and added that water into the QT tank.

QT tank is going to be 20 gallons, so I don't wanna go to crazy with the LR at first. Main tank is only 46gallons, so I figure I can 10lbs to start it off with and than once I get that cured and in the main tank I can figure out how more I would need and order the rest of it at that point.

[gman0526]

Don't see any problem with that sounds like a plan. :idea:

[gman0526]

BTW what about the "green water"?

[upstoday]

Heh well right now the water is back to normal, but that is more because of the UV light I'm running on the tank right now. I have my RO filter set up and I'm readying a batch of water for the tank now, just getting the salt to finish dissolving.

I'm hoping within a week or so I'll have the phosphates down to 0 in the tank. At which point I'll take off the UV light and see what happens. If the water quality remains good I'll go ahead with the LR plan.

If the green water comes back than I'll have to continue working on that, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed big time that it won't.