Started Mini Bow 2.5 Pico Reef!

[severum mama]

Hmmm... maybe not. Well, it is a really small tank and I used the NLS large fish formula pellet to get the job done. It looks pretty nasty in there, and I was sure that it smelled like NH3... it didn't smell normal, that's for sure. I plan to test it later on today, so I'll probably post some results later.

 

[severum mama]

OK, I just tested, and now I'm kicking myself for not testing for the past 12 days.

Ammonia= 0
Nitrite= 0
pH= 7.8 (looks like I will have to scrap the hood and order a small Coralife light strip to facilitate gas exchange.)
Nitrate= 20-25 (colors are hard to read)
SG= 1.024

Now I don't know whether I have cycled or not. It seems awfully soon to have completed a cycle... but there is clearly decomposing pellet food sitting on the sand in my tank. Any opinions are welcomed- after all, I know my stuff about FW, but I am a noob when it comes to SW.

 

[Reefscape]

from them water test results, you are nearing the end of the cycle, your nitrates should drop down to about 10, then do a large ( 50% ) water change to replenish the trace elements...anything that is decomposing in the tank, you may aswell remove, as it has served its purpose...

Niko

 

[severum mama]

Niko, you really think I am nearly cycled in 3 weeks? I am surprised at that since I had to start frokm scratch, but I admit that I have never done a fishless cycle before (always started FW tanks with old filter media), and to top it all off I have never done a SW tank before. There is some white fuzzy stuff all around the pellet food, I assume that is what it looks like when fish food is decomposing. One more question- why would my nitrates drop when the cycle completes? I was under the impression that wouldn't happen- is it that different from FW?

Thank you for the advice!

 

[Germanman]

the nitrates drop because the bacteria can control it, saltwater need lower nitrates than freshwater, so the drop is desirable.

 

[severum mama]

I realize that nitrate should be as low as possible, but thought that it was controlled only through water changes rather than bio filtration. Cool.

 

[severum mama]

Ok, after my tank cycled, I did a 65% water change and added 3 little frags! I added the frags last night, and they look like they are doing well so far. I got some star polyps, a couple of blue mushrooms, and some zoos.

Without further ado, here are the pics!

I hope I didn't overdo it with the new additions, but they are really small so I thought it would be ok. Here's a full tank shot to sort of put the frags in perspective. I also removed one of the pieces of LR. It just seemed like the 'scape was way too tall.

I also tested the water again tonight.
pH= 7.8 (I'm now seriously considering either upgrading the light, or modding the hood somehow to allow more gas exchange.)
Ammonia= 0
Nitrite= 0
Nitrate= 10
SG= 1.024
temp= 79

As always, I welcome any comments, suggestions, etc. I plan to do a water change either tonight or tomorrow, and from then on out probably twice a week... will this be enough or should I change more frequently? Also, how long should I wait to add more frags? I don't want to rush things. And one more question, when should I start considering a clean-up crew, and what should I consider?

 

[BIGgourami]

i don't thinnk that you over did it.
i'm not sure what the lighing is in that tank but you may want to upgrade to keep them corals to the fullest.
also if you're going to do sexy shrimp in ther get like 3-4 (i know it's alot but they march aorund the tank together and it looks so cool)

 

[Germanman]

looking good! and i agree on the sexy shrimp..they should actually always be kept in groups.

 

[severum mama]

The lighting is a 10 watt Coralife 50/50 screw-in compact flourescent bulb. The tank is only 2.5 gallons, so that gives me 4 wpg. At this point I am probably looking to upgrade, but not out of this paycheck, lol. I am looking at the 9 inch Coralife 2x9 watt fixture, but it doesn't work with the Coralife mounting legs like I was hoping, so I either need to find a way to hang it over the tank, or find a way to build some kind of mount for it. I am open to any and all suggestions, as always, on how I can make that work.

And yes, I am considering sexy shrimp because they are tiny and just so dang COOL... I think a cleaner shrimp may be kinda cramped in there. You really think I could do 3-4 sexy shrimp? How many snails can I keep? I don't have any yet, in case you are wondering.