Setting up new (used) 54g rr corner tank
- Thread starter aiaman
- Start date
jamesdong009
Anthony
Nice start so far Edd and your wiring is still a lot more organized than mine 
OP
OP
aiaman
Non-member
I Did a 25 gallon water change today and trying to get used to how the system operates.
Noticing some spots where brown algae is appearing but it doesn't last long and is gone when my actinics are on.
Ammonia readings are about thew same and Nitrates are too low to register.
Noticing some spots where brown algae is appearing but it doesn't last long and is gone when my actinics are on.
Ammonia readings are about thew same and Nitrates are too low to register.
bearwithfish
Non-member
personally i would not even do water changes until the cycle is over.. sounds like things are moving right along nicely for you!
Reefless me
Knucklehead
The best part is when the nitrates test out at zero after the denitrification starts. Wooooo Hooooo !!
Skeeter7424
More corals than gallons
nicely setup spreadsheet. I did that for the cycle, then stopped cause I was driving myself nuts. I also only test about once a week or week and a half. I keep my eye on my pH, but the controller tells me what that is at all times... <--lazy
cool lookin tank, cant wait to see the buildup!
jordan
cool lookin tank, cant wait to see the buildup!
jordan
OP
OP
aiaman
Non-member
so I was checking my tank today and saw the tube worms that had been growing on my lr from the first day I started this tank. I took photos but they are so small it would be difficult ti see them. I was amazed that they and a few asternia have made it this far.
just goes to show you that life can still exist in that primordial soup we call tank cycling
just goes to show you that life can still exist in that primordial soup we call tank cycling
OP
OP
aiaman
Non-member
well not everything is a success.
I decided to pull the plug on my tank and start again.
I'm not happy with the connections to the drain or pump and working in tight quarters makes it difficult.
I also started the tank with tap water thinking it would cycle and no big deal but it is a big deal. I didn't connect my RO system until this week so top offs are RO and basis is tap water.
My tank has quite a bit of brown algae and I'm not that happy with that either. It's not a swamp but not anything close to what it should have resembled.
My other tank startup was quite different as I used so much more live rock and live sand that it didn't ever cycle. This tank has all dry sand and maybe 1% of lr/sand.
In my other tank I used a cannister filter so everything was a closed system and no issue like I have today.
Not everything goes as planned but I felt it was only right that I put my tail between my legs and start again.
It was a good experience and grateful for all the help along the way.
I decided to pull the plug on my tank and start again.
I'm not happy with the connections to the drain or pump and working in tight quarters makes it difficult.
I also started the tank with tap water thinking it would cycle and no big deal but it is a big deal. I didn't connect my RO system until this week so top offs are RO and basis is tap water.
My tank has quite a bit of brown algae and I'm not that happy with that either. It's not a swamp but not anything close to what it should have resembled.
My other tank startup was quite different as I used so much more live rock and live sand that it didn't ever cycle. This tank has all dry sand and maybe 1% of lr/sand.
In my other tank I used a cannister filter so everything was a closed system and no issue like I have today.
Not everything goes as planned but I felt it was only right that I put my tail between my legs and start again.
It was a good experience and grateful for all the help along the way.
bearwithfish
Non-member
i would do my normal thing and post a wall of text begging you to not give up but.. i can see where you would be frustrated... take you time and try again not a huge deal to start over.. remember when using more dry than live it will take a little longer and you will see all sorts of weird stuff and algae along the way to a fully cycled tank .. its all part of it and will pass in time.. hope it works out for oyu .. in either event when you get ready to let 'er rip again let us know. i can not speak for everyone but i love to see a build in progress and thought you were doing a stellar job on this build..
OP
OP
aiaman
Non-member
oh I haven't given up and it would have to be a huge problem before I give up on anything!
Today, being house bound with the snow I figured today was the day I'd either break my tank or fix it.
So I drained all the water out, cleaned out the algae, removed all the sand.
Then I fixed my connections (fingers crossed) and put all the sand back.
I have already filled 10gallong of new RODI water back in and impatiently waiting for the remaining 40 gallons of RODI.
I have to keep saying RODI since I used TAP last time.
I'm going to let the tank settle out normally before I start up the pump as I don't want to use a filter sock at all.
Anyway, I'll see where this goes after all the water is in.
Today, being house bound with the snow I figured today was the day I'd either break my tank or fix it.
So I drained all the water out, cleaned out the algae, removed all the sand.
Then I fixed my connections (fingers crossed) and put all the sand back.
I have already filled 10gallong of new RODI water back in and impatiently waiting for the remaining 40 gallons of RODI.
I have to keep saying RODI since I used TAP last time.
I'm going to let the tank settle out normally before I start up the pump as I don't want to use a filter sock at all.
Anyway, I'll see where this goes after all the water is in.
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