I'm planning to get rid of it altogether eventually...I think I'm going to order an "AquaSilencer" for this overflow box...overall the system is very quiet except for some gurgling in the overflow box...I need to get rid of the filter sponge anyway so I might as well use something that can make it even quieter
JB's Reef Tank
- Thread starter jb61264
- Start date
reeffreak
Reef pro
Ahhhhhhh...the smell of fresh saltwater.Congratulations and best of luck.
Wow...what a DAY!...both my live rock and my Nova Extreme Pro light were delivered. I actually took the day off in anticipation of them showing up so I'm glad UPS came through :) I have place live rock in my tank...and a few pieces of rubble in the refugium...the rock isn't in it's permanent location...just wanted to get things unpacked, rinsed, and in the tank first. REALLY happy with the live rock that came...it's considered "base" rock but it looks like it could be on the top as display pieces...now the visualization of how I want them to fit together :)
Here's a better shot at the light...you can see the tubes reflecting nicely in the water and if you look closely at the water, you can get an idea of the flow in the tank...nice ripples eh?
Here's a better shot at the light...you can see the tubes reflecting nicely in the water and if you look closely at the water, you can get an idea of the flow in the tank...nice ripples eh?
yote
In Memoriam
Congratulations.Looks like you've got some good rock,and it should start your cycle.You'll love that light too.Plus there aint no better excuse to take a day off than getting new toys to fuel the addiction,except maybe going hunting.
yeah...the "work from home" days may be on the increase for the next few weeks...luckily with my job, I can actually do just about everything I need to from home AND my boss is really really cool about these things (as long as I show her the tank some day in the near future).
I won't be keeping my lights on while the tank is cycling...I've heard this is not recommended...but I will be enjoying how it looks with the lights for a little bit tonight :)
I won't be keeping my lights on while the tank is cycling...I've heard this is not recommended...but I will be enjoying how it looks with the lights for a little bit tonight :)
Used a new "sponge on a stick" (from LFS) to lift off the light film of "dust" from the aragonite (should I have washed this before dumping it from bag to tank?...:-?
Tank has been gradually getting clearer...I'm in no hurry and will let it take care of itself :)
I couldn't be happier with my protein skimmer's performance...it has been frothing like the head on a mug of rootbeer since I started it up (well...qualify that one...since I started up AFTER upsizing my air pump and water pump on it)
The light is SO cool (Nova Extreme Pro)...very bright and mounts very cleaning to the top of the tank...two fans are pretty quiet and definately keeps the bulbs cool.
Want to find out if I should go ahead and add Chaeto now or wait until after my cycle is complete.
Anybody have guesses for how long it will take my tank to cycle?...40 gallons (55 total gallons with sump/refugium)...added 45 lbs of live rock today...when should I start measuring?
Tank has been gradually getting clearer...I'm in no hurry and will let it take care of itself :)
I couldn't be happier with my protein skimmer's performance...it has been frothing like the head on a mug of rootbeer since I started it up (well...qualify that one...since I started up AFTER upsizing my air pump and water pump on it)
The light is SO cool (Nova Extreme Pro)...very bright and mounts very cleaning to the top of the tank...two fans are pretty quiet and definately keeps the bulbs cool.
Want to find out if I should go ahead and add Chaeto now or wait until after my cycle is complete.
Anybody have guesses for how long it will take my tank to cycle?...40 gallons (55 total gallons with sump/refugium)...added 45 lbs of live rock today...when should I start measuring?
Bifferwine
I am a girl
A cycle usually takes one to two weeks to complete. Sometimes more, sometimes less. There's no way to say for sure.
Whether you should have washed the sand depends on what kind of sand you bought. Live sand, no. Plain old dead sand, if you want to. I don't think it makes that much of a difference. Your tank will clear up in a couple days anyways, so I wouldn't worry about it.
I would add the chaeto after your cycle is done.
Whether you should have washed the sand depends on what kind of sand you bought. Live sand, no. Plain old dead sand, if you want to. I don't think it makes that much of a difference. Your tank will clear up in a couple days anyways, so I wouldn't worry about it.
I would add the chaeto after your cycle is done.
reeffreak
Reef pro
Congratulations....I miss my old Nova's.I would add chaeto after the cycle too.
:bowdown: Tampa Bay Live Rock site. :twocents: They sell the best of live rock, loaded with hitchikers, and accordingly they give the best cycling advice to keep the bacteria and hitchikers alive. Check out their advice. Live Rock - Tampa Bay Saltwater Aquacultured Live Rock - The Package Setup
yote
In Memoriam
Took my 55 ,6 full weeks to cycle.But I've also seen em not cycle at all.
I'll guess 4 weeks just to be on the safe side.
I'll guess 4 weeks just to be on the safe side.
Tank has cleared up a bit better today...although it still seems a faint hazy (or maybe that's my eye sockets fried out from staring into the tank for hours on end just watching live rock....LOL) I'm really happy with the quality of the rock I received. I have decided to add more rock and will probably order direct from the Doctors or Tampa Bay (versus using the LFS)...another 30 - 40 lbs will be perfect. This shipment was 45 lbs. Here is the current rock panorama left to right...the pictures don't really do the colors justice...I have all the lights in the tank on...maybe I'm taking the pictures with the wrong light
My skimmer backed off slightly for a while yesterday evening, after its rock and roll debut return...then I added the rock and today there is great foaming activity and its turning greenish/brown.
Mechanically, I think the only thing I need next is to make/buy a silencer for the overflow...it is an awesome box, tons of flow, but it's a little noisy (not intolerable at all) but I can imagine how quiet the entire system will be with one because the Nova Extreme Pro is super silent.
Hoping my water continues to clear up :D
My skimmer backed off slightly for a while yesterday evening, after its rock and roll debut return...then I added the rock and today there is great foaming activity and its turning greenish/brown.
Mechanically, I think the only thing I need next is to make/buy a silencer for the overflow...it is an awesome box, tons of flow, but it's a little noisy (not intolerable at all) but I can imagine how quiet the entire system will be with one because the Nova Extreme Pro is super silent.
Hoping my water continues to clear up :D
reeffreak
Reef pro
It looks like might fine rocks.
Congrats.
Congrats.
I have seen a DIY drain pipe silencer used a lot in stead of the modified Durso stand pipe for corner overflows in reef ready tanks. I do not remember the site. But it was a partial double wall design with holes drilled in the sides of the inner pipe instead of an over the top flow. Perhaps someone else knows what site it is on. It was made with standard PVC pipe and fittings with very little modification.
Overflow DIY silencer at this site.
R. Durso's 180g - Ken Stockman Standpipe
R. Durso's 180g - Ken Stockman Standpipe
The above site shows stockmans orgiginal overflow silencer for DIY builders.
The following site is his home site where he explains the modifications he made to the design before he put it on the commercial market as the aquasilencer. The modified design is nicer looking and easier to clean, but at least here you get what you paying for as they should both work good at acceptable prices. :Cheers:
AquaSilencer
The following site is his home site where he explains the modifications he made to the design before he put it on the commercial market as the aquasilencer. The modified design is nicer looking and easier to clean, but at least here you get what you paying for as they should both work good at acceptable prices. :Cheers:
AquaSilencer
Been taking measurements...tonight here is where we're at:
Ammonia - 5-10mg/l (this is a guesstimate...the colorimetric chart goes up to 5.0 mg/l and my reaction vial is just tad darker than the reading for 5.0 mg/l
Nitrite - 0.3 - 0.5 mg/l (again a guesstimate...the colorimetric chart give color for 0.3 and 0.8 mg/l...mine is right in between these two ranges of measurement)
pH - 7.5 to 7.7 (this measurement I am fairly confident in using the colorimetric chart...plus I brought home a dipstick pH kit from work (biological laboratory...kit is colorpHast - EM Reagents) and both the kit and this measure up nicely.
Specific Gravity - 1.0245
Temperature - 79F
General Hardness - 9 to 10dH
Ammonia - 5-10mg/l (this is a guesstimate...the colorimetric chart goes up to 5.0 mg/l and my reaction vial is just tad darker than the reading for 5.0 mg/l
Nitrite - 0.3 - 0.5 mg/l (again a guesstimate...the colorimetric chart give color for 0.3 and 0.8 mg/l...mine is right in between these two ranges of measurement)
pH - 7.5 to 7.7 (this measurement I am fairly confident in using the colorimetric chart...plus I brought home a dipstick pH kit from work (biological laboratory...kit is colorpHast - EM Reagents) and both the kit and this measure up nicely.
Specific Gravity - 1.0245
Temperature - 79F
General Hardness - 9 to 10dH
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Seems like you are in the midst of a full blown cycle. Yay! Once your tank is done cycling, the pH should go back up.
Do you have a nitrate test? That will be useful in the future.
Do you have a nitrate test? That will be useful in the future.
The kit I bought tonight doesn't have nitrate...I had these stupid "Jungle" dipstick things and I hated the range in coloration...too hard to tell for sure what my levels really were...took em back and got a "Tetratest" that has NH3/NH4, NO2, GH, pH, and you can "deduce CO2" from a table they have matching the GH with pH...but it didn't have nitrate. I'm going to go pick up a separate nitrate test tomorrow.
I have a dilemma coming up though...I have to go away for three days (Sunday evening to Wednesday evening) and I was considering doing a 10% water change Sunday before I head to the airport but then again, maybe I should wait until the entire cycle is finished and then do a water change? I added my live rock on 1/22 at 6pm so its been three days now...I would expect my cycle my be coming near completion when I arrive home Wednesday evening...I will take measurements again on Sunday afternoon before I leave...what typically would nitrites spike out at?
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Wait until your cycle is over before doing a water change. Leaving it alone for three days won't hurt anything.
I plan to just leave my lights off for the days I'm gone as well...I have to admit I've had them on a little bit...its' just too hard to resist :frustrat:
