lol the evap rate is much higer. Im not sure what causes the saltwater to evapurate faster then fresh lol. The skimmer probably needs some time to break in. Also after 2 weeks or so check your setting, if you can even adjust it, and see what that setting is. If you have it set weird, then your not going to be pulling much. keep an eye it and let us know how it goes.
Switching to the darkside.
- Thread starter MarlboroMan
- Start date
The protein skimmer is finally skimming now. This morning I dumped out some brown water that was left from skimming. Some foam is building up.
thats good. does it have an adjuster on it?? if so you want to adjust that until you start pulling some thick skimmate. with my dletec the more air I let in, it seems the thicker the skimmate, although i know with some skimmers its the obosite. Just play around with it and find what pulls the best skimmate and leave it there.
Starting to get the protein skimmer, I let air through when I'm at work because it's a bit noisy. By the time I get home, I close the venturi tube and clean the skimmer box.
I saw some small shrimp/bug type thing crawling around on my rock and floor. It was light grey in color and reminded me of flat rolly-pollies.
Also the brown algae seems to have disapeared and replaced by a light green/yellow algae. Hoping this is normal.
Here are some fuzzy pics from my camera phone.
The yellow algae
Full Tank Shot (double sided tank)
I saw some small shrimp/bug type thing crawling around on my rock and floor. It was light grey in color and reminded me of flat rolly-pollies.
Also the brown algae seems to have disapeared and replaced by a light green/yellow algae. Hoping this is normal.
Here are some fuzzy pics from my camera phone.
The yellow algae
Full Tank Shot (double sided tank)
its looking good. it gets a bit hard to keep that evap rate down doesnt it?? lol. I know its not normally recommended but if you use a glass top you can help keep some of that water in, just be sure to watch your temp if you decide to go this route. I think the tank is good and as long as the water says its good, i think you could get a small cleanup crew. Hermits and maybe a snail. Im not a fan of snails to be honest. give it another week and get some cheap coral and see how they do. remember to start out slow.
The brown rollie-pollie lol, is probably a copepod. This is a good sing and that means the water is most likely good. Again get a clean up crew and then a few days later do a small water change and add a cheap coral. Small mushroom or putton polyps work well for first corals. and there usually cheap as well.
The brown rollie-pollie lol, is probably a copepod. This is a good sing and that means the water is most likely good. Again get a clean up crew and then a few days later do a small water change and add a cheap coral. Small mushroom or putton polyps work well for first corals. and there usually cheap as well.
Cool, I'll wait a week to add anything. I really don't like snails either. I'd rather wait and get a shrimp.
i like shrimp too. I plan on moving the two of my peppermint shrimp and the watchman from the 65 gallon over 2 the new 10 gallon nano of mine. thats if i can even get the watchman out lol. Hes a fast little bugger.
Lots of water changes are your friend. I would recommend doing a couple of changes each week of 2 gallons or so. Make sure you use no tap water! Tap water from just about anywhere in the country is gonna get you an algae farm. Turn out the lights during the cycle period. Only cycle until the ammonia is zero. If you let it sit with zero ammonia long enough without adding anything it is not cycling. I would about 50% more rock than you have now. Personally I would have the sand bed about twice that deep as well.
