Tested the tank for the first time:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5 ppm
Phosphates 0.5
I'm happy to not see any ammonia or nitrite. This is promising.
The reading for phosphate should be fairly accurate since there is no nuisance algae growing, but with phosphate that high it sure will be soon!!
I'm not impressed that the rock is leaching so much phosphate. I'm actually surprised because the rock is very clean of algae, has been cooking for about 6 weeks, and it has been 2 years since the rock was initially cured (I think).
Time to order a few pounds of GFO!
I found a crab that someone is coming to pick up for his sump today. I would have put him in my sump, but my sump is small and the crab would have been sucked up by the pump or something! Oh, I also found an old plastic button and some really heavy plastic fishing line. Both embedded in the rock and covered with coralline.
I removed those too.
I can't seem to find 1" slip unions or 3/4" bulkheads in the entire city. I have tried everywhere, so I will have to order. I can't plumb my sump in until they arrive.