My First Marine: AquaReef 400

[Otherone]

Carbon causes Helle - damn guess all the fishes swimmin in R/O water are doomed. Try excessive dissolved organic carbon not activated carbon 2 completely different things.

I wouldn't use GFO, Chem Pure or Carbon during cycling or even for a few months after. GFO is for PO4, Carbon for toxins emitted by Soft corals and Anemone's also TDS , Chem pure elite is for Nitrate, Po4, and Silicates. This stuff is for my Reef.

 

[Zfishies]

Just pee a lil in your tank BAM instant ammonia start up cycle.

Sent from my LG-P925 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[mqktandy]

Actually It is activated carbon. The carbon pre filter in a RO unit does not release enough carbon particles in the water to do much. But running carbon constantly in a marine system does. As for the use of GFO. If you have a proper reactor then I highly recommend its use from initial startup of your aquarium. This will help reduce the algae blooms that are natural in a new tank in both longevity and severity. With the right PO4 reduction you should see only a few diatoms that should disappear within a few days and maybe a dusting of hair algae for a week or 2. Nothing more. Also running a nitrate reduction media such as biopellets in the appropriate reactor will also help with all of that and more. If you set one up at the beginning by the time it is able to reduce nitrates your tank wont probably have built many up. So it will keep levels around zero as long as you have the appropriate amount of LR etc. My company builds reactors but we dont ship internationally so I cant help you there but this is what we do for nearly every custom tank and setup. Ranging from a few thousand dollars to 40k. This allows for minimal maintenance and the best looking possible tank from the beginning.

 

[kirkf]

Been quite a time since I posted, had a few problems which delayed my setup. Not an entirely bad thing though, saved some money and invested it into 40Kg of some really nice Fiji live rock. Just popped it in yesterday and i thought id post some pictures and see if i can get some help on ID'ing some of the hitchhikers i got.

One is a small shrimp like creature which i found strolling around the front of the tank today



The other got me quite excited, i was just playing around with the last of my rock wondering where i should pop it when i found this clam! Its shell kept on spasming so i popped him straight in the water and it hasnt really made any movement as of yet. Im holding out hope though, but just wondered whether i should even keep him?



Also spotted what im guessing to be an anemone, whist one the top left hand corner of the same rock is unusually pink. Suggestions?



Other than that im just waiting for the tank to cycle now, reading so far are:
SG 1.025
Temp ~25.5 C
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0.5ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Any additional comments are very welcome, but for now here's a few pictures of the tank!

Dont think the camera does justice with regards to depth and the showing of caves etc, shame

 

[SkySouza]

the critter in the first picture is most definitely a mantis shrimp. great species only inhabitant. if it is a "spearer" it will hunt your fish. If it is a "crusher" it can break the glass of your tank (if your tank is even glass) Also be careful that thing will hurt if it gets a hold of you. you can catch it and send it to me if you don't want it. I'll pay for shipping