Converting a FW tank into a SW

[Sid]

If you're planning to discard the MMLR later you're making a mistake. Do it now. Later it'll be a headache, in doing so you'll stress out your livestock and it generally will be messy.

Honestly i wished you could have been a little more patient. google 'crushed coral sand bed vs Live sand.'

A Crushed coral substrate is the biggest (and costliest) mistake i ever made.

Do you realize you've just lost 9kg of live sand because you mixed it with the crushed coral?

[ajinkyadgaikwad]

@Sid...I had purchased the crushed coral(3kg) only for the canister filter, as suggested by dragon, and the rest is in the tank...that is not more than 1kg max..

Live Rock is outta stock now so will wait for it before adding any livestock...

[ajinkyadgaikwad]

I currently am aiming at a FOWLR setup, but will eventually add anemones to it...I have been wondering what kind of lighting i should purchase in accordance with my future plan....I would rather buy and install stuff now, than make any modification later...Also, plz suggest the best lighting option if i decide to make a reef (except metal halide) ...

[arpanchal]

IMO If you want to add anemone in the tank & dont want to use MH then go for HIPL lights along with actinic...they have colour temperature 10000 K...Very compact but expensive & rarely available in the market...you require minimum four for your tank...

Regards,
Ajay

[ajinkyadgaikwad]

@arpanchal... Wouldn't two T5's of 6500K each alongwith 2 Actinics be enough to keep anemones...?

PH level of the water is 8.0...

Added a tomato clown to the tank today, the chap seems to love hiding under the LR...

Also installed a 9W UV filter in the tank...

[ajinkyadgaikwad]

Got a Nitrite test kit today...got a reading of 0.5-1.0
Need suggestions as to how i can bring that down faster...

Installed a 5000 l/hr wavemaker...

Will install 2 actinics tomorrow...

[ajinkyadgaikwad]

Any suggestions to help bring the nitrite level down...?
Today the PH has gone down to 7.7...
Did a 15-20% water change...

[ajinkyadgaikwad]

Installed 2 20000K Actinic blue lights....
Started treating the water with Nitr-o-nil as per Dragon's suggestion..nitrite seems to have gone down a wee bit...
8KG more LR added to the tank...so now the tank has 10KG natural LR and 10kg MMLR...
Introduced 2 pistol shrimps, 1 3spot damsel and one blue yellow tail damsel...

[Mephitis]

Hi Ajinkya,

Could we get to see a few snaps of your FOWLR setup? Thanks!

Regards,
Rohan.

[ajinkyadgaikwad]

@Mephitis Will update the pics asap...My 2nd camera's kaput...!

PS..The Nitrite level has gone down now, post the Nitr-o-nil....
The 3 spot damsel died due to the live rock ammonia-nitrite surge...
But the tank parameters have more or less stabilised now...