The System Cycle
I started the tank moving water in the sump on 10/25/06
With new Southdown sand and Fiji live rock that had been
dry for 11 months.
Two weeks later I had stable Temps, PH, Ammonia
and no nitrates or nitrites showing.
On 11/12/06 I attached
the show tank and all associated plumbing and began
circulating full water between tanks. I moved the rock
that had been in the sump into the show tank and placed
another 30 lbs of rock that had been in garbage cans for
10 months from my old 110 reef.
Still no cycle start
On 11/18/06 I placed a full sized shrimp in the sump
and turned off the skimmer
In 11/23/06 removed
shrimp after shaking it well
and releasing many bits into water stream
restarted Skimmer
11/25/06
Brown Diatoms appear on sand where shrimp was
77.9
Ammonia 0
PH Low
No3 2.5
No2 0.2
Skimmer removing Tea colored fluids
Brown Diatoms lay siege to the show tank rock and sand
Everything is rust brown
12/2/06
Sal 1.025
Ammonia 0
No3 0
No2 0
PH 8.5
12/5/06
Added 3 Nassarus Snails
1.7 Lbs Live Rock from LFS coralline covered
Crushed 1/3 of Rock and dusted tank and sump
Diatoms are under control in the show tank but the SUMP is
now a beautiful shade of rust brown
notice only the refugium area is infested
and not the other chambers
The show tank is no longer brown and
is showing
dots of purple in small spots on the rock
12/11/06
Today I saw a really giant pod of some sort
in a corner of the show tank and another in the sump.
LIFE BEGINS !!!
