How to deploy and maintain salt water for your reef tank?

 

If you wonder how to deploy and maintain saltwater of your new start reef, then you have come to the right spot. Noopsyche will guide you to understand how to deploy and maintain your saltwater . Once you do it well, you will get clear and healthy saltwater .

1. First of all, it is not recommended to use tap water as the water source. The ingredients in tap water are not controllable. Unless the water quality in some areas is very good and nutrients will not be a problem, it is strongly recommended to use water produced by RO machines. Now the price of a household RO is about one. Hundred dollars is worth it to prevent the fish tank from being damaged by heavy metals and other pollutants.

2. Then Buy sea salt, like expensive KZ sea salt, cheap red sea salt, red cross sea salt, TM sea salt are all very good, if you still think that the expensive domestic blue treasures can also be used, these sea salt classifications such as fish salt, LPS Salt, SPS salt, whatever type of sea salt your coral aquarium is prepared to use.

3. After buying sea salt, add it to the water to melt and mix. Roughly estimate 100g of sea salt in a gallon of water, then throw a flow pump into it and stir it, and then measure it with a salinity meter. If the salinity is high, add water, and if the salinity is low, add salt. Generally, the specific gravity is 1.023-1.026, and the salinity is 33- 35ppt will do.
There are also many kinds of salinity meters, buoyancy type, Baume meter, optical type, electronic type. It is recommended to use optical type, but remember to calibrate it with pure water regularly.

4、Alright, after the seawater is put in,now your corals can put into already? No, you haven't touched the core thing in seawater, which is the live rock.

Live rocks are lightweight,and it's porous calcium carbonate rocks mainly composed of dead corals. They are generally collected from coral reef areas, with a large number of flora and various small creatures including copepods and isopods. Insects, tube worms, algae and many other creatures.

Because live rock has a large number of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, live rock has a very strong nutrient treatment capacity. In a complete N cycle, the heterotrophic flora in the live rock converts N-containing organic matter into ammonia, nitrosating bacteria convert ammonia into nitrite, and nitrifying bacteria convert nitrite into nitrate, which is anaerobic. Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate into nitrogen out of the system, thereby maintaining the lean nutrient level of the system. And in ecology, we know that the higher the biodiversity, the stronger the resistance and stability. The rich biodiversity brought by the live rocks in the fish tank can also help your coral tank system to improve the stability.

So live rocks are very important in coral tanks. You have to determine how much live rock you need. Usually calculated based on the amount of water in the main tank, about 1 gallon of water requires 1 pound of live rock. You can tell the merchant to ask for staghorn stones. Such stones are less flaky, good for landscape and generally of better quality. 

5、Cultivate the saltwater

(1). Disinfection
Whether it is a new tank or an old tank, the water needs to be disinfected. The new tank has one more step than the old tank, which is to leave it vacant for 7 days after the assembly is completed to remove the smell of glass glue in the tank, and then soak 1-2 tanks in water. After hours, drain the water in the tank and keep washing it with clean water until the potassium permanganate is completely washed away.
(2). Soak the tank with water
Use the water in the tank to take away the smell of glass glue and the smell in the new aquarium. It can also be used to test the water to see if the tank will leak after 24 hours of full soaking. Generally fill the tank full of water and soak for 24 hours.
(3). Aeration in the cylinder
A new tank of water entered and the water started to grow. On the first day of water cultivation, only need to turn on the oxygen pump and give oxygen 24 hours a day. Watching the water in the tank churning, the oxygen pump is turned on to the maximum.
(4). Temperature and filter open
After the water has been aerated for a day, the heating rod and filter system can be turned on. Remember that the water temperature should be adjusted to the best temperature for fish farming. It depends on the needs of raising fish.
(5). Addition of nitrifying bacteria
The temperature of the water has risen. At this time, the water in the tank is a bit turbid, so nitrifying bacteria can be added. The oxygen pump should not be interrupted to ensure sufficient oxygen for the use of nitrifying bacteria and improve the survival rate.
(6). Join the tank Experimental fish
We need to observe whether the water quality can raise fish and test the concentration of ammonia in the tank, so we need to release the fish in the tank.
(7). The tank is suitable for coral reef and fish successfully
The water slowly becomes turbid, and then slowly clears from the turbidity. This process takes about 7-10 days, during which the fish will die but dont worry about that. Change one-fifth of the water for 3 days to add new water in, and add nitrifying bacteria when changing the water. It takes 1 month for the entire nitrifying bacteria to stabilize until the water becomes clear, but after about 10 days, the water becomes clear, and you can put your favorite fish and coral reef.When buying fish, pay attention to starting with simple, weakly aggressive fish. Artificial clowns are the best choice.

 

6. Put creatures
Well, you have a good start and have a well-functioning system, and you can start buying the creatures you like.
When buying corals and other invertebrates such as clams, tube worms, etc., be sure to ask and understand clearly the needs of the corals for light, water flow, and water quality. When choosing corals, choose individuals that can be relatively healthy in the store. , After buying SPS, you should use a quarantine potion like RX to prevent parasites from entering your fish tank.
When buying fish, pay attention to starting with simple, weakly aggressive fish. Artificial clowns are the best choice.

If you are mainly raising corals, the number of fish must not be too many, otherwise it will not be able to maintain low nutrient levels. And try not to throw a lot in at once, buy slowly, remember what I said, be patient. Pay attention to the types of fish. Don’t buy plaice fish that eat corals. It’s best not to buy fish that eat shrimps like grouper. You may need fake sheep shrimp to remove small feather algae and mint shrimp. Garbage Kwai.

By doing this, you can already have an enviable coral tank! There is no doubt that any friend who comes to your home, the sea aquarium will become the focus.

 Noopsyche k7 v3 led coral reef light