[KappaKen]

Well Today Made Day 73 And I Am Happy To Announce that on May 3rd 2013 at 1:45 pm That my tank has the following Parameters

Gravity-1.026
NitrAtes-00000000000
NitrItes-000000000000
Amonia-ooooooooooo
Phosphate-000000000
PH -8.4
Calcium 450
KH 12
Temp-78
WELL BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO BUY MYSELF A GIFT I PURCHASED OF PIECE OF LIVE ROCK ...IT IS RED Small Piece Only 2 pounds and the owner rewarded me with a Domino Damsel( Which I've named Spot ) anyway back to my red rock it is stunning will the Coraline Algae Move to the other rocks with out me scrapping it? How do I push the red to becoming my predominant color for my live rocks? (Red is my favorite color Hence for the name Kappa me being apart of Kappa Alpha Psi Inc MSU Go Bull Dogs) any way I want to start to decorate now so I'm guessing heres my list of questions

How Do I Get The RED to SPREAD?
Can I start putting in my Corals(they are sold in bulk 1 Kenya Tree 3 Mushrooms 1 Pulsing for got the rest of its name) ?
AND NO I AM NOT TRYING TO OVER LOAD MY BIO SYSTEM SPOT WILL BE THE ONLY FISH FOR A FEW WEEKS TO A MONTH!!! UNLESS I FIND A GIRL SPOT LOL

 

[Scriles]

No dont add your corals. Keep your rock and damsel in your tank for a week or two and monitor you fish and water parameters. You've added a bio load to your tank. You may still get mini cycles due to die off from the live rock and waste from the damsel. Dont rush. If you add to fast your tank will crash. You need to add things slowly. The hardier the better for the beginning.

 

[KappaKen]

No dont add your corals. Keep your rock and damsel in your tank for a week or two and monitor you fish and water parameters. You've added a bio load to your tank. You may still get mini cycles due to die off from the live rock and waste from the damsel. Dont rush. If you add to fast your tank will crash. You need to add things slowly. The hardier the better for the beginning.

Okay I will wait then ...THNK YOU BY THE WAY YOU HVE BEEN MORE THN AWESOME... SO About the rock it has been in the pet store for about 70 days when I first started my tank I bought my sand and salt I believe that rock is well aged and it was only in a bag for maybe 45 min ?? There will still be a cycle?? And what about the color WILL THE RED SPREAD more concerned about that than adding anything

 

[Scriles]

No not for sure.. but can create a mini cycle. Depends on the bio load your system can handle right now. Coraline algae will happen over time. Now that you have a rock covered in it you've seeded your sytem of it. You'll get all sorts of colors of it. Not sure if there is a way to promote growth in dpecific colors though. Ive heard people scrape off coraline off of rocks and shells into their tanks to promote spread but I personally never have.

 

[Scriles]

Also have you read up on aclimating new additions and the procedures to follow?

 

[CDKT]

Your on your way now. just so you know those Dominoes can be very mean,territorial and will pic on other fish. Depending on the type of fish you plan on having you may want to reconsider the Dominoe. Entirely up to you just a word of warning on them. The red coraline algae you see will start to spread it just takes time. There are several different colors,red,purple,pink,orange,green and a few more. You should post some pics.

 

[KappaKen]

Also have you read up on aclimating new additions and the procedures to follow?

No but I asked the guy he said to put the fish in a bucket and add 1/2 cup of water every 30 min I just read that my damsel won't get along with my clowms so I guess spot will be here for a month I would like to have him stay but this tank is being dedicated to my 2 clowns

 

[KappaKen]

Your on your way now. just so you know those Dominoes can be very mean,territorial and will pic on other fish. Depending on the type of fish you plan on having you may want to reconsider the Dominoe. Entirely up to you just a word of warning on them. The red coraline algae you see will start to spread it just takes time. There are several different colors,red,purple,pink,orange,green and a few more. You should post some pics.

I will an GO FIGURE I just read that damsels and clowns won't get along so spot will be losing his spot lol IM SUPER EXCITED ...is there NY thing I cand do to help it spread???

 

[KappaKen]

Also have you read up on aclimating new additions and the procedures to follow?

Question should I put the filter back together or leave it running some more with out the pads and different things .....if I scrape the rock it will get sucked up by the filter and coat in filtration so should I leave the in parts of the filter out ??

 

[Scriles]

To be honest I wouldn't scrape it off myself... just let it come in time. Again don't rush things. Be patient

Be careful with filtration units. They are prone to building up with detritus and spiking your system. What kind of filtration unit do you have again? and are you running a skimmer?

 

[KappaKen]

To be honest I wouldn't scrape it off myself... just let it come in time. Again don't rush things. Be patient

Be careful with filtration units. They are prone to building up with detritus and spiking your system. What kind of filtration unit do you have again? and are you running a skimmer?

I have an Aqua Clear Filter 70 gallon running on my 30 gallon I was told to clean the unit biweekly and it would work fine I have a sea clone from the reviews I'm better off with out it but anyway I am banning on up grading in June possibly sooner I was given a 75 GallonSalt water set up a few weeks ago that has a Regium Wet and Dry Sump and a better skimmer I don't wanna take it from that set up to add to this one

 

[KappaKen]

To be honest I wouldn't scrape it off myself... just let it come in time. Again don't rush things. Be patient

Be careful with filtration units. They are prone to building up with detritus and spiking your system. What kind of filtration unit do you have again? and are you running a skimmer?

Also is there a rule for rock placement In the middle all the way to the back one side ?

 

[Scriles]

I don't have an external filter anymore because I have a sump, but when I did I ran my filter without foam or cartridges. Just used it for water movement. Sumps are great but Refugiums are arguably not. Do you have an RO/DI filter yet? That should be your first purchase.. Its a must have.

 

[CDKT]

It will spread on its own. They actually sell coraline algae in a bottle you can add to your tank but I've never tried it. My tanks 4 months and my live rock is covered. Even my hermits have it on there shells. Just give it time. Good luck with everything.

 

[Scriles]

Also is there a rule for rock placement In the middle all the way to the back one side ?

Just preference, Some fish do like caves and others rock placement where they can dart in and out but its pretty much preference. Check out the aquascaping thread

 

[KappaKen]

I don't have an external filter anymore because I have a sump, but when I did I ran my filter without foam or cartridges. Just used it for water movement. Sumps are great but Refugiums are arguably not. Do you have an RO/DI filter yet? That should be your first purchase.. Its a must have.

I looked at one and have no place to hook it up I live in a High Rise In DC I have no place to hook the adapter up am I doomed

 

[CarlJ]

Rock can go anywhere you like the look of it.
Coralline will spread best on its own (just keep up with water changes with a good salt mix), but I've heard that scrapings can speed it up, as can making sure it is in a position relative to the circulation such that spores are spread more widely. I've not really tried either.
Congrats on being able to add the first denizens to your realm.

 

[KappaKen]

I don't have an external filter anymore because I have a sump, but when I did I ran my filter without foam or cartridges. Just used it for water movement. Sumps are great but Refugiums are arguably not. Do you have an RO/DI filter yet? That should be your first purchase.. Its a must have.

I'm confused ?
Fory 30 gallon I have no Refugium or Sump ...are you saying to continue to run the filter with out the filter stuff ( I thought that the reason it passed the the filter was to clean it an Oxygenate the waste ...so if I run it with out the filter stuff bio bag charcoal foam and little rock circles how does my tank get clean or will water changes be the only thing I need ?

 

[KappaKen]

Rock can go anywhere you like the look of it.
Coralline will spread best on its own (just keep up with water changes with a good salt mix), but I've heard that scrapings can speed it up, as can making sure it is in a position relative to the circulation such that spores are spread more widely. I've not really tried either.
Congrats on being able to add the first denizens to your realm.

I think I am just going to let it do its thing I did call the store where I obtained the LR and asked them if I could get some of the red algae that was in the tank with the rock is that a good idea

 

[Scriles]

You can use the cartridges with carbon or foam. A lot of people do. Just saying I didn't and don't. Hermit crabs, snails, water changes with adequate flow and a protein skimmer is how I keep my tank clean.