shaggydoo541
New Member
No its definitely not necessary. Your tank will cycle w/o the damsel just fine.
18g Setup with many questions
- Thread starter scbauer
- Start date
It depends on what the store is selling as base rock. Base rock for a marine aquarium should simply be LR that didn't get much light so it's not covered in coraline and sponges and stuff. However I've been in lots of shots that sell texas holey rock as baserock, and that just isn't right. It's not porus enough for the bacteria culturures to thrive in, so it will never be true LR. For a nano the amount of rock is fairly small, and I'd just say pay for real LR. Buying 20lbs at $4 a pound isn't that bad, when you're used to setting up large aquariums and needing
150-200lbs at the same price.
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150-200lbs at the same price.
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We've kind of got ranges of LR here. Starting at $3.50lb for what I consider base rock, to $15lb, for some of the better tonga branch type, or shelf pieces.
When I set my tanks up orig I bought a bunch of the cheapest stuff I could find, then as reefers in my area quit the hobby, or moved I've bought stuff from them that had much better shapes and colors.
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When I set my tanks up orig I bought a bunch of the cheapest stuff I could find, then as reefers in my area quit the hobby, or moved I've bought stuff from them that had much better shapes and colors.
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Yep. That's probably coraline starting to form.
I really like salifert tests, but they're pricy. I bought the basic reef test kit from fastest, and use that, and I've never had a problem with it. The salifert tests are easy to use, very little, "wait 20mins" stuff, and give more accurate results. However like I said, they're more expensive.
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I really like salifert tests, but they're pricy. I bought the basic reef test kit from fastest, and use that, and I've never had a problem with it. The salifert tests are easy to use, very little, "wait 20mins" stuff, and give more accurate results. However like I said, they're more expensive.
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mikeguerrero
Active Member
I did the investment on Salifert and have really enjoyed accurate readings... Since I have two tanks it really gives me reason to treat both tanks with something that is very reliable...
Mike
Mike
You may not want to put a plexi lid on it. If you cut your evaporation down too much your tank may overheat, depending on your lights. I'm not sure which tank you're messing with, the 18g, or the 10g, or both, or what you decided on for lights for either of them...Man this thread got confusing. ;-)
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Now that I can post, Here is what my tank is doing ... Green grass like algee on the sides, also you can see some debree on top of the sand at the bottom. The debree is from the maturing LR im assuming, but wasnt 100% sure. Also is it okay to use a syphon to do a water change/ clean the debree off of the bottom?? let me know what you all think, and also i will post pictures of the final product this weekend with my new hood!!
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Anonymous
Guest
Can't tell for sure with the pics, but it could simply be a diatom bloom and that is a common part of cycling - nothing to really worry about. Your description of "green grass" is not diatoms though, either way maybe reduce the photoperiod and give it time to run its course. Do clean off the glass, syphon the sand and clean your sponge though.
Looks normal to me.
Just use the magnet cleaner to wipe off the glass. You can siphon the brown off the sandbed if it's bothering you, but just reducing your photoperiod will likely get rid of it.
I don't cycle my tanks with the lights on at all, then when I turn it on it's not a full photoperiod, and I stock them very slowly, so I haven't had a diatom bloom.
But lots of people consider it a normal part of a tank cycle. The brown looks like it might be the start of one.
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Just use the magnet cleaner to wipe off the glass. You can siphon the brown off the sandbed if it's bothering you, but just reducing your photoperiod will likely get rid of it.
I don't cycle my tanks with the lights on at all, then when I turn it on it's not a full photoperiod, and I stock them very slowly, so I haven't had a diatom bloom.
But lots of people consider it a normal part of a tank cycle. The brown looks like it might be the start of one.
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