A Larger Size

[Dinoflorist]

Hi, I just signed up for Reefs.org becasue I was hoping I could get some good advice about a lot of things. Here's the first questions:

I have had a ten gallon tank running since October and it's done fine for the most part. You could call it a nano-reef I guess, but it only has a medium sized green star polyp (doing well) and some decaying xenia (not so well).

Well, the stand that we had for it will support a 20 gallon tank, and we had a lot of stuff that we could use in a 20 gallon tank, so we decided to get a 20 to have more room for fish and to be able to get a protien skimmer. We put in about 7 gallons of tank water from the other ten gallon tank (which is still running) on top of mostly new aragonite sand with a layer of densely populated live sand (copepods, though it seems many died). We have filled the rest of the tank 4/5 full with new saltwater. I left the rest empty cause I want to use more established water when I am ready to put the animals in it. There is also a powerhead and a heater in it, but no filter yet becasue the water level isn't high enough to support one.

Trouble is, the 20 is still very cloudy and it's been over 24 hours. Salinity is right on 1.023. When can I start adding my live rocks and animals from the 10 gallon tank to the 20 gallon tank? Should I wait for the tank to clear and how can I get it to clear faster?

Thanks. I can't have this tank sit on my floor for very much longer. I am in a small place and basically have to live inside my room.

 

[fredso2003]

Welcome to reefs.org......In my opionion without some type of airation or water circulation your water will not clear up so quickly.I would drop another powerhead or air stone in for now and see if that starts to clear it up. then start filtering asap.Try to avoid chemicals that "clear your water" they are most likely snake oils and can do more harm than good.Also I would not be afraid to make up more new salt water instead of adding it from an already established tank, I know you want to add animals soon but in my expierence the tank will still cycle even if you use "old water" be patient and wait it out for at least 12 to 15 days before adding any fish or corals or you might be in for a loss.And I would buy at least 20LBS Of live rock and ad that now.PATIENCE IS THE KEY IN ANY SUCCESFUL REEF! Good Luck! :lol:

 

[Dinoflorist]

Thanks Fred. Are you suggesting using uncured live rock to cycle with? Or cured live rock just to provide more surface area. I do have about 10 pounds of well established live rock in my ten gallon tank that I could put in the 20.

Also, I don't think I need another powerhead (Maxi-jet 600) in the long run, do I? Would putting in the filter itself (penguin and/or whisper) provide the needed circulation.

And on a another note. Is that scarlet begonias at the end of your post?

 

[fredso2003]

Put in the 10lbs you got and put another uncured 10lbs and run your penguin and keep an eye on nitrate and amonia spike do partial water changes 10 to 20% once a week for 2 weeks and you should be ready to go with it.
PS-Yes it is scarlet b's I have saw the Dead 126 times and JGB 43 times, BobWeir 61 times and counting!!Going 3/27/04 to ratdog show!

 

[Anonymous]

When you get your filter running, one word my friend: Purigen. I dropped that little pouch of resin into the "sump" of my Emperor 280, and my water cleared so fast I thought I was dreaming, cause I have the weirdest dreams sometimes... Seriously; Its worth every penny. Its only like $12 or something; it sucks up Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates faster than even the most advanced bio-filter setups.

Boise, huh? I remember getting stuck in the airport there when on my way down to home to Cali after vacationing in WA! I walked around the airport saying, "U-daho, no U-daho!".
Nobody even flinched when I said it to or around them. Sooo creepy.

 

[Dinoflorist]

You seriously did that?

IS purigen that little sack that you can put in your filter? Well, pouch, I mean...of resin. Nevermind I guess I just figured it out.

 

[J.Howard]

Try to get some sort of filter running and let it cycle. You can always add old tank water as a water change once the new one is ready for your stuff.
Fredso2003...Keep The Vibe Alive!!! All those old Head busses and VW's need somthing to do, mind as well park em' on Shakedown...Perhaps I've said too much 8)

 

[Anonymous]

wow, sublime fans or what around here?! Awesome... I still havent heard the Grateful Dead version; You know they call themselves just The Dead now, right? I used to call them that anyway... Now Im right!

Hey, Im ADD; thats my excuse to do anything! :lol:
Those Idahoans were crazy anyway... :wink:

 

[Dinoflorist]

Well I never got a chance to get the purigen, but the day after I put the penguin in, it cleared up beautifully. I was able to get a great 8-pound piece of live rock that is convered in coraline, copepods, and what I think are feather duster worms, but really look like mini scallops. Tested ammonia after 2 days and there was none; so I've been putting in small hermits one at a time. I don't think they can believe there's so much room!

I've never run a protein skimmer before, but I foud a visi-jet PS on clearance for only 12 bucks. Problem is, there's no manual or instructions so I don't know how to set it up. If I can figure it out, man, that's a steal!