Help - I don't know my lighting spectrum

[Dreamscape]

I just bought and set the tank. T5, 2x250 MH, Lunar LEDs in a 90 gallon glass tank. Did a great deal at Craigslist...then promtly made a solid relationship with my LFS! Bought saltwater from his 1200 gallon tank to start thing with 90lbs of live rock (Tonga Branch and Fiji Mix), Ceramic Bio Media, 110 lbs of Sand.

My problem is I have no idea about my lighting spectrum - which provide UV, which are dusk and dawn, etc. The tank was modified to allow the lights about 7" more space from the surface. NO CHILLER on the system.

I am cycling the tank now...what sort of light spectrum and what time frame for each? The system came with timers...still learning how to use them!

 

[Dreamscape]

I also am curious how long the clarity will take to settle...the system has a protien skimmer in the 1st hold of the Refugium and 2 orbiter 36" powerheads. The tank is still really cloudy - 2 1/2 hours after set up.

 

[KidJ57]

cloudiness may take upwards of a few days to a couple of weeks to settle completely in a new tank. Cycling with carbon can help, but if you don't, then it'll just take time.

 

[Dreamscape]

Thanks, Kid...any idea on lighting schemes and suggestions? The rock was all fully cured, and Bio Media came straight out of a box...

I did cheat and buy LFS DT water from his 1200 gallon DT. Will that be enough to get to started? Also am I mising out on not having any algae in the Refugium? I do want a reef tank!

 

[Ted]

it took me almost three days to get my tank clear after adding sand. As far as the lights the t-5 which are probably blue (atinic) should come on a hour before your mh and stay on a hour after the mh go off. That gives the dusk to dawn thing. The led are moonlights for when all lights are off. I run my t-5s 12 hours the mh 9 (was 10 but am trying to lower tank temp so cut back) Some do 10 t-5 and 8 mh just depends on if you have a algae problem or not and the type of corals you have. If the tank starts to get hot get a couple of clip on fans to blow across the surface of the water that will help.

 

[KidJ57]

You can worry about algae later...right now is the most boring part of all aquarium work: waiting for it to cycle...don't do anything but test once a day if you're bored and anxious/once a week is fine, just be sure to note any changes. To be honest, if there's nothing in the tank, the lights don't even really need to be on at all right now either. When the water is ready (i.e. Ammonia and Nitrite are 0 after spiking, Nitrates spiked and you performed a water change that brought it back down to 0) then you can add your first fish, put your t-5s for 8 hours, your mhs for 6 (or 6 and 4); see how that goes for 3 weeks, the you can see if you want to add a fish or a coral; at that point, depending on what you want to add, then you can start to worry about algae in the refuge, lighting patters, etc., etc., etc.

In the mean time...as Yote likes to say, "Research, research, research" I suggest, starting here
Setting Up Your Tank

Read them all, take notes, then read them again...think something sounds weird, or don't quite understand something, search for a thread on the topic, then read 10 threads with that similar topic. Still have questions? Cool, post another thread, someone will want feel important and help you out :mrgreen:

 

[Dreamscape]

Thanks for the updates...

With my shortcut of using fully cured live rock and Saltwater from an active tank shorten the cycle period? The LFS was sure that the cycle would be 1 week maybe 10 days...

 

[project5k]

i would think that using fully cured LR and already "live" water, that it should help speed up the process, but its still gonna take as long as it takes, just keep measuring the parameters....

 

[dcantucson]

+1 to all. You can't rush the natural process. Patience is the key with this hobby.

 

[KidJ57]

It'll definitely speed it up, and it will also lessen the "spike" of each parameter, but the transportation of live rock and live sand (if it was live sand in the bag, it's not cured and will need to cycle) will cause some hitch hikers to die and decompose in your tank which will cause your ammonia to rise, hopefully only slightly, and then nitrite and then nitrate, blah blah blah....would someone fix this record already :lol:

And while technically everything SHOULD be fine, and you probably COULD put fish in there from the beginning, it's still best to see what's going to happen before you risk any livestock as this is the most unstable time in your tank's life...I think Lifetime is even considering making a Made-for-TV movie out of it; very strong/passionate stuff :sad: :mrgreen:

 

[Dreamscape]

Patientence...its tough...LOL

The sand is not live - just washed and left over from a pro install. I need to upload some pictures...I am not sure about the level in the refugium. The water flow is quite fast.

Also - where should my parameters be for pH and etc? What balance or range is "Ideal"? I am reading so much as quick as I can - but I have to leave time for sleep, work ($$$ to afford more), and the fiancee!

 

[Dreamscape]

Also the cloudiness in the water has already settled out pretty well. I am looking at 65' vis and ready to dive in...LOL

 

[KidJ57]

just watch out for that thermocline, haha

Ummm, parameters should be: Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, & Phosphate at 0; Ph should be 8.4, salinity should be 1.024, temp.'s could be anything from 76 to like 82, as long as it stays consistent

Also, looks like the sand will be your determining factor in how long your tank will cycle.

 

[yote]

With useing fully cured rock and water from an established tank,you probably wont see a cycle.But that dont mean its time to start stocking just yet.You really should give it a couple of weeks to make sure everything stays good.
Kids got it covered on the parameters too,except I'd bump the salinity on up to 1.026.And test PH twice a day.Once just before the lights the lights come on in the morning,then again just before they go off for the night.

 

[Dreamscape]

Thanks again for the advice...

Another question my ASM G-2 Protein Skimmer is not making any sludge. The water is an inch below the collection cup O-ring. The problem with Craigslist - no INSTRUCTIONS. Where do you adjust the flow with the skimmer?:Cheers:

 

[beano]

one thing i do to help keep a pace is when i add a fish or anything like that i mark my calendar when it will be safe to add something else.

helps to limit impulse buys. also gives you something to look forward to, and time to save $ to pay for it.