Changing 75 gallon over to Reef:Questions

Kalkwasser.

Sorry it took so long, but here's an answer to your question, about Kalkwasser lowering Phosphates. Here's one of the places I read about it: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php#15 Scroll down to the index, and click on Kalkwasser, and phosphates(I don't remember what it said, exactly, but it's something like "what else does kalkwasser do in aquariums: Lower phosphates." If you look around, you'll find tons of other references to the phenomenon. Thanks, for looking!:)
 
Sorry, for the confusion.

I just re-read your post, about kalk., and phosphates. You, probably, know more on the subject, than I. I had misremembered the post, and had thought you needed the link.:shakehead: Next time, I'll read back, first.:grinyes:
 
I ordered my live rock through Petco.com, since drs. foster and smith were out. I should get it in, tomorrow! With the holiday weekend, and all, it's been sort of confusing. Petco.com's employee's didn't work Saturday or Sunday, and for a lot of people, Monday was a holiday, too. I called customer service, and was told I'd, most likely, receive it Wednesday. Hopefully, it will get here, early, tomorrow. :wall: I love dealing with outsourced customer service people, who don't know our holidays or customs, and don't seem to like me very much. :irked: Anyway, I "should" get my 90lbs. of fiji live rock, tomorrow. My tanks all set, except for some temperature fluctuations, and topping off to maintain salinity, I'm all set. :grinyes::headbang2::dance::thumbsup:!!! Now, if I can just not screw it all up too badly...:nilly: Wish me luck!
 
Got My Live Rock, Yea!

I received my live rock, via ups, today. I was a little dissapointed. It came in 3 big, solid pieces, and 2 small pieces. I ended up going to my lfs, and paying $7 a pound for some better pieces. I, also, took a hammer, and chisel to the big pieces. I'm a little happier, now. I'll tell you, though, the lfs rock was a much higher quality, than the Petco.com rock. On the Lfs rock, I've already found bristleworms, copepods, a small brittle starfish, and it has purple corraline algae on it. :popcorn: The Petco.com rock was, seemingly, devoid of life, and seemed like a rip-off. That's what i get for trying to save a few bucks. I spent $400 on 5 pieces of rock, that I'm not happy with, and $115 on 5, smaller pieces of rock, that I'm thrilled with. My suggestion? Buy from your LFS. You can see what your buying, you get it, now, mine had lots more life on, and in it, and you support local businesses, keeping the hobby alive. I, also, figured out how to get my protein skimmers to work. They were overflowing the skimmate cup, and I didn't know why. A google search turned up, actual, odyssea directions, which were very helpful. Plus, I learned a few things, besides that from the search. You need to take the cap off of the air inlet tube, when you first set up the skimmer, you can attach a air pump, to increase efficiency, and some other diy stuff. I'm going to attempt to take pictures, and upload them, tomorrow.
 
I feel stupid.

So, I got the second half of my petco.com shipment, yesterday. That was a big surprise! I thought I'd gotten the complete shipment, the first day. No, no, no. I got another box, mostly full, of smaller rock. Yea!!! Plus, (wait for it!) I found a zoanthid on the second shipment! It's a really pretty, bi-colored, flourescent green. I reset my lights to ten hours a day, instead of eight(I read somewhere that leaving the lights on, while live rock cured, and the tank cycled would help the corraline algae grow.). I put an air pump on my skimmers, and I'm getting bubbles, but a lot of noise, and no foam. I've heard it takes a couple of days to break in. Unfortunately, I broke the ceramic impeller shaft, trying to get the skimmer working, initially. It still spins, but is noisy as all heck, and isn't running like the other skimmer. I'll need to buy a new impeller or powerhead, I think. Anyone know where to get odyssea parts or parts that will also work(like with the corralife legs for the lights) as a stand in? :help: Also, what do I need to do to keep this zoanthid alive? Should i feed it, change the temperature(78F to 79F)? Any helpful hints or suggestions? :confused: I keep the salinity at 1.025, according to my hydrometer. It lasted the night, but I'm not sure it will survive the cycle. It's near the top of the tank, on a big piece of live rock. I'm running chemi-pure, carbon, and phospure(?), in the canister filter, the two protein skimmers, an Emporer 400, with two bags of bio-noodles in each(I'd use live rock rubble, but there wasn't much in the boxes. Maybe two or three small pieces.), 6 T5HO 48" bulbs, 3 actinic, and 3 1200K bulbs hanging on chains, reef crystals, 1-2mm aragonite, 104lbs. of fiji live rock, 75 gallon tank, glass lids, 300watt(?) visi-therm heater, 10% weekly water changes, with well water(I haven't done my first water change, yet. Monday.) 5 stage jebo canister filter, 2 odyssea 75 gallon rated protein skimmers(no skimmate, yet), with a whisper 20 air pump attached, and, for now, no possibility of a sump or refugium. The sump is not possible for the forseeable future, and a refugium would have to wait for a while, but even then would only be a hang on the back. Any suggestions? Sorry, to anyone at petco, for the negative comment. The paper in the first box didn't explain very well, and I only read it cursorily. Totally satisfied with my purchase. It's lacking corraline algae, but the zoanthid was a cool surprise. I'll try to get pictures, but my dad has been using his camera to photo his rentals. Thanks, any help is appreciated.:tropicalfish: :dive2::dive::goldfish:
 
your tank hasnt cycled yet (I didnt' read the entire thread) so that zoa might have a hard time making it through the cycle. They are resilient so if any coral can its probably them.
ALso, if you are gettinga sump you may consider an algea turf scrubber to take out the crap that you are going to ave in your water with no RO system attached.
 
Pictures!!!

It would be a refugium, not a sump. Hopefully, it will survive, but I checked my Nitrate levels, and they are within acceptable levels.(According to the dip, and test instructions for saltwater) Everything was within acceptable levels. Any suggestions, based on my set-up, to increase the likelyhood it will survive? Here are some pictures of the Zoa, live rock, and protein skimmers. Sorry if it's a little cloudy. I had just re-stacked my live rock, and stirred the bottom, a little.

IMG_4021.JPG IMG_4022.JPG IMG_4025.JPG IMG_4027.JPG IMG_4028.JPG IMG_4033.JPG
 
looks like a ncie setup.
There are things you could do to increase thier chances, but honestly I'd let nature take its course. if you let the cycle run its full course without additives you increase the likleyhood of a solid established tank down the road. IMO it's not worth risking for 5 bucks worth of zoas, and who knows they may pull through just fine. They are stout little buggers. I like the color on the zoa in the rocks there.
 
When you say you increased your lights from 8 hours a day to 10 hours, are you talking about your total light cycle or just the daylight bulbs? If it's 10 hours of daylight, that is too long and going to grow much more than coralline algae... It likely won't be long before some nuissance algaes takes off with 10 hours of daylight.

Feeding the zoa isn't necessary.

In looking at the pic that shows your skimmers... Are they set up properly? There should be far more bubbles and something that at least ressembles a head of foam, even if you're not getting actual skimmate yet. I see you broke the ceramic shaft... That's generally a replaceable part, although not always the easiest thing to find. In all honesty, with the shaft broken (on both pumps? or are the two skimmers supplied by just one pump?), it's not even worth running the pump. It's quite possible that whatever's left of the ceramic shaft is becoming more damaged by trying to run it, which could end up causing damage to the impeller and/or the motor body itself. I'd shut it down until you can find a replacement part or a different pump to use.
 
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