Ro/Di water was taking forever, but it's filled. Let the cycling commence.
Anyone know of an easy to test and read calcium test?
I'm using a SeaChem Reef Status Calcium test kit. And it seems very accurate, but I was hoping for a simpler method. But meh, better safe then sorry.
Seachem - Reef Status: Calcium
I'm loving the substrate! Even after stirring it up extremely well after I rinsed the crap out of it. You can see in the above photo, it's still partially visible in there.
With this next photo it's only been about 20 min, and it's clearing up so fast!
Just now priming the skimmer, and boy is it sensitive. You can't turn the knob very far forward or backward, but its so super sensitive. You really only need to move it maybe 1mm at a time. But I'm just trying to get the bubbles going and wait for a few days for it to start frothing.
The filtration is consisted of the water flowing through the vent into the skimmer chamber, then through the left side that has 2 big carbon bags & some ceramic tubes in another bag, then it goes through another chamber with a floss pad in a plastic holder that you can take apart & put fresh in. Then finally out through the pump section, back into the tank. The right of the skimmer chamber takes water from the skimmer section through a section that holds the heater with a sponge to capture debris, & then through another pump section back into the tank. I was kind of thrown off by this thinking it wouldn't filter as well, but as you can see in 20 min this thing is turning the water over quite well. I keep stirring up the substrate to try and get as much of it flattened out and even across the bottom.
I will be taking photos of them on my first water change. I didn't think to do it yesterday as I was in such a hurry to get it going. But finally turned the lights, Skimmer, & the pumps today.