New Tank Cycle and Raw Shrimp

[cent36]

So I actually have a pump in the tank and with the way it and my return are angled i have a visible flow/circulation with no visible dead spots. That's not to say things can't be improved. Things can only and always get better but i think it's pretty good right now. Here is a pic
[attachment=67007:name][attachment=67007:name]

 

[zombie]

I would add a small pump like a hydor nano or anything you can find for cheap with a small footprint on the right side of the tank about 1/2 down from the top, about 2" from the back, angled 30-45 degrees so that the flow bounces off the back wall. That will help alleviate any low flow areas in the back of the tank and could kickstart your algae bloom.

 

[cent36]

Here is a pic from the side/back
[attachment=67009:name]

And a zoomed in shot
[attachment=67010:name]

That dark spot Is a pump that is blowing up across the back of the tank

 

[zombie]

Oh. That is really well hidden. You should be fine on flow then.

 

[jda123]

The nitrate will leave when an organism breaks it down into nitrogen gas and oxygen. This can happen in many ways. No well set up and mature tank should ever have a nitrate problem - the ones that do have issues mostly because of stripping phosphates which is a requirement for living things to grow and flourish.

Don't sweat pests on live rock. Get live rock, cure it and use it. The first frag or coral that you add will have more than enough nasty stuff on the plug or rock to take over your tank if you don't have a crew to keep it in line. There is no substitute for real live rock and "avoiding pests" is the worst of many bad reasons to use dry or man made rock.