TESTING
My cured Kaelini Live Rock and Tonga Branch Live Rock came from Dr. Mac & Sons Corals in Maryland. I figure the rocks were out of water for about 18 - 20 hours. Not bad.
I arranged the live rock in the tank and left the lights on for two hours the first day, then I added an hour of light every day thereafter until the full twelve hour photoperiod was reached.
I tested for the presence of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates every day...the first day: nothing, the second and third days: no ammonia, no nitrites, a trace of nitrates.
The tank cycled pretty fast, but I waited, just to be sure, before putting any living creatures into it. Nine days after initial setup, I put the polyp rock, mushroom rock and one scarlet reef crab into the tank.
Then, 3 days later, I added the royal gramma and the yellowtail blue damsel, along with two 5 pound live rocks from the 15 gallon tank. (Unbeknownst to me, one of the rocks was home to an ugly, 3 inch bristleworm!)
|
Waiting is the hardest part...
|
|