biocube 14 for x-mas

[leapinlizards]

Hi all. My boyfriend bought me a biocube 14 for christmas so I could start a small reef tank. Saltwater is all new to me so any advise would be appreciated. I've been playing with the idea of setting one up for some time now, and have even done a little research. I have 2 questions to start off with.
Do I need a protein skimmer and power heads? The tank did not come with either one. He also bought me the sand for the tank. It's Estes' ultra reef marine sand. Is this good to use?
As of right now I have the tank running with saltwater & a heater. If I remember right from my book, I should let it run for 24 hrs & check the salinity & once that is right I can add live rock & then let it cycle. Right?
Ok, so that was 3 question, not 2. lol. I'm sure it will be the first of many!
Thanks in advance, Shanon

[rayme07]

Hi Shanon Welcome to TR and to the hobbie.


Do I need a protein skimmer and power heads?

Yes you will most defiantly need a skimmer and power heads. The skimmer will help you clean out your system and lower your nitrates. With the size of your tank you really don't need one but you have to keep up with your water changes if you know you will be a little lazy with the water changes then I would look into getting one. To me a skimmer is very important and helps keep any tank clean and healthy. Power heads are a must you will defiantly need some flow I would recommend getting a koralia nano from the cultured reef one of TR's sponsors. Here is a link: koralia (http://www.theculturedreef.com/koralia.htm) The koralia power head will keep the water moving and not resting like a pond. With a power head it keeps food and detritus floating in the water column so it can get sucked up by your overflow and clean your tank out also getting food and flow to the corals and fish that need it.



He also bought me the sand for the tank. It's Estes' ultra reef marine sand. Is this good to use?

To be honest I have never used or heard of that type of sand so have no experience with it. But if it comes in a bag and claims its live sand I would not recommend it. To me live sand (LS) in a bag seems impossible because of the fact that it was grabbed from the ocean, put in bags and shipped in cold cargo areas up 30,000 feet or very hot trucks in 100 degree or more weather and the sand to still be alive is impossible. I would recommend using dry aragonite sand instead because it is cheaper and there is no worry's because your sand will be live in a few weeks to a month because of the live rock (LR) seeding it. :)


As of right now I have the tank running with saltwater & a heater. If I remember right from my book, I should let it run for 24 hrs & check the salinity & once that is right I can add live rock & then let it cycle. Right?

That sounds correct. Once your salinity is correct you can add the LR and sand and let is cycle. If in a few days your ammonia has not spiked then I would throw in a pinch of fish food or a raw table shrimp for a couple days to kick start it. Once it goes then I would let it simmer for a month then check your parameters if ok I would go ahead and add a medium pinch of food and watch the parameters if they do not spike then I would wait a couple more weeks and test again if ok then you can go ahead and add part your clean up crew. In the mean time keep on researching and studding that is the best thing you can do in this hobbie and keep asking questions on here and you will have a successful tank.

Here is a couple articles or thread's you can read that are informational:

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/general-marine-discussions/6139-nine-simple-rules-healthier-fish.html

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member-tank-projects/412-amphibious-135-gal-reef.html

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/general-fish-discussion/6095-dicks-nine-simple-rules-buying-fish.html

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member-tank-projects/956-carmies-54-corner.html

The Building of a Reef (tank) (http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic23945-9-1.aspx)

Hope this helps :)

[Amphibious]

Hi all. My boyfriend bought me a biocube 14 for christmas so I could start a small reef tank.

Wow, a boyfriend that really is thoughtful at a young age. He sounds like a keeper.

Welcome to Talking Reef, Shanon. You were fortunate to find this forum and joined before finding the many others. Why? Simply because TR is the best, most Newbie friendly forum on the Internet. Our cast of characters (And some of them are characters :cool: ) range around the world. They are knowledgeable and share their wealth of information freely. You have the freedom to ask any question that crops up as you research this fascinating hobby. The three most important words in the hobby are research, research, research. The most important lesson is, “Nothing happens fast in a marine aquarium except disaster”.

Here is a true oxymoron, “The worst place to get reliable information on the marine aquarium hobby is your local fish store (LFS)". Could it be true that the very place all beginners go to (LFS) with their questions will give them WRONG answers??? Sadly, that is the case in about 90% of the stores out there. You will hear that over and over no matter which forum you belong to. Why? The knowledgeable saltwater person that works in a LFS is rare indeed. Often, even the owner is lacking in this area. Where do you get answers? Right here on TR. We have the knowledge and we love to share. Take Raymond for example (rayme07) ...

Raymond has been our understudy for about a year and a half. When he joined he was a beginner just like you (all of us began at the beginning). He got caught up in the passion and devoted his time to research and the forum. Now, Raymond has become a valuable asset to TR. With his enthusiasm for the hobby and passion for helping others, Raymond gives reliable advise in a wide range of topics. He is right on in most cases and if he strays off center we gently correct him and send him out again. Even his spelling and grammar has improved. :rotfl: By the way, Raymond is 17 so we have to give him some slack. I’d bet his teachers have noticed an improvement in his academic work. There are many great and knowledgeable reefers on TR that spend many hours a day answering questions, helping the Newbie. I point out Raymond because he is one of the best examples of someone that goes, “the extra mile” for us. I’d better stop with the praise lest his head explodes. :rotfl:

Again, welcome Shanon. Oh by the way, we love pictures of tanks and there is a thread for pics of you and that guy of yours. It’s called “Show us you”.

Dick

[CarmieJo]

Hi Shanon and :welcome: to TR!

You don't need to wait 24 hours to check salinity it will not change after an hour. Did you check it before you put the water in the tank or did you add the salt to the water that was already in there? Did you use RO, RO/DI or tap water?

I am not familiar with that sand so I can't give you any advice about it. Does it say if it is aragonite?

I run my Nano Cube 24 without a skimmer but one is on my list of things to buy when I have some extra money. You will have to avoid the temptation to overstock.

I would definitely add a powerhead. I have a Koralia Nano in my nano and I wish I had bought the Koralia 1 instead. I don't like the way the Nano attaches to the magnet holder compared to the the way the bigger Koralia attach and the flow would have not been too much. In a 14 I think you would still be OK with a K1 but maybe someone who is actually running one will respond.

I recommend The Cultured Reef, a TR sponsor, for any product they carry. Their prices can't be beat and Dick, AKA Amphibious, has already posted in your thread and is a valued member of our community. Here is a link to their Koralia (http://www.theculturedreef.com/koralia.htm) pumps.

[V]

welcome kiddo

[leapinlizards]

Wow, a boyfriend that really is thoughtful at a young age. He sounds like a keeper.


Well, he is a keeper, but 40 years of age. I'll be glad to pass on the compliment though!

From this statement I realized that I was a little rude & didn't properly introduce myself...sorry. So, here it goes, a little about myself.
I'm a 34 years old mother of 2. A boy & a girl, 12 & 9. I work in a highly known pet store in my area. As you can tell my expertise is not in saltwater. I'm much more knowledgeable in reptiles, which might explain the screen name for you. I love just about all animals & am always willing to learn. I have a little zoo here in my home & am always joking saying that I'm gonna start charging admission. My zoo contains 3 dogs, 2 cats, 3 birds, 1 chameleon, 4 leos, 1 bearded dragon, 1 water dragon, 1 agama, a few other small lizards & frogs, a small FW tank on the wall & 4 goldfish ponds outside.I think that's everyone. Like I said, I need to start charging admission! My kids, Jim ( my bf ) and my animals are my life. My daughter shares my passion for animal. Jim & my son just put up with them. So that's me in a nut shell.
As I said, I do work in a pet/fish store. We have a very knowledgeable saltwater person there, but he has attitude at times. I don't think he wants anyone to know as much as him, it might make him look bad. Besides, I believe it's always good to hear from a few different sources.
I know that the #1 mistake with beginners is overstocking in such a small tank. I don't think it's the fish that draw me to saltwater as much as the corals, especially the soft corals. I know it will some time before I can get some.
As for right now the tank has been running for 1 1/2 days with nothing but SW in it. I'm hoping to add LR tomorrow. Is that too soon? The temp is at 75. Is there anything else I should be testing before adding LR? I did use tap water, so I'm worried about the hardness.
As for the protein skimmer, I'll look into getting one along with a power head. So, if I understand it correctly without a skimmer I'll have to do a water change weekly? If I have one, how often will I have to do one?
Ok, I've rammbled on long enough. Thanks for all the welcome & advice!

[leapinlizards]

I forgot to mention the sand. All the bag says is colored marine sand, developed for decorative substrate for SW aquariums. You think I should return it & get something diff? It doesn't say anything about aragonite & it's anot a live sand.

[boyesreef]

"In a 14 I think you would still be OK with a K1 but maybe someone who is actually running one will respond."

go with the K1, i have one in my biocube and it works amazingly!

[Amphibious]

Well, he is a keeper, but 40 years of age. I'll be glad to pass on the compliment though!

From this statement I realized that I was a little rude

I hope my comment didn’t make you feel rude. I didn’t mean that at all. Even at 40 your BF is young, I’m 72. You should charge admission to “Leapinlizards Petting Zoo”. That will help you pay for this new obsession.

Personally, I’d take the colored sand back and look for pure Aragonite sand. At this time, the only source I’m aware of is Carib Sea. Your employer should have it or can get it from his supplier. You can add LR right to the tank right after adding the sand. Do not waste money on buying the LS from Carib Sea as explained above. Dry sand rinsed a little will become LS after you put in the LR.

The Koralia #1 pump is very adequate for your size tank.

Dick

[rayme07]

wow Your house sounds like my house. lol I dont have as much as you but I have a lot and I know your feeling it is so great to have a lot of pets to me its very homey. lol :D

I agree with Dick I would take back the colored sand I have heard of it causing problems with the tanks pumps and stuff. Plus it has no benefit to your tank. I too would love to see pics once you get it set up. :D

[bma360]

Welcome LeapingLizards!!!

I would ditch the colored sand. As far as your scheduled water changes, with a smaller tank especially, it is still going to be every week or two, with or without the skimmer. It is all going to depend what you have in your tank, it's bio-load, and what your live rock can handle. Once you ad the sand and LR, your not going to have much actual water in your tank. I have the Koralia and seems to work great, other than a few missing shrimp appendages now and then. Good luck, and if you start a journal, everyone can follow your tank along.

[leapinlizards]

Ok, so I'm returning the sand & getting something else tomorrow. I would do it today but it's about 10 degrees out there & I'd rather stay in. Besides, I return back to work tomorrow from my mini vaca of 5 days. My honey, like ya said, a keeper, did suprise me with a good size piece of LR and some BR yesterday. I think he did a pretty good job of picking out the LR. What a sweety he is! So, the cycling begins. Waiting & more waiting! But that's ok, it gives me time to do research & make a plan. Yes, I'm a planner. I like to know what I want & what I can & can't have especially in a small tank. So, here's my next round of question............
When it comes to corals I read on another post which ones are good for beginners like zoos, leathers & mushrooms among some others. My ? is are they basically the same? Like there are a bunch of mushrooms but diff. color, is this the only diff? Or is there only certain ones that are good for beginners?
Next ?.... As stated before, my tank is only a 14 gal biocube so I know I can't put a whole lot in it. One of the fish that have caught my eye is the neon goby. Would he be ok in a 14 gal? If so then what else would make a good tank mate for him? When I research for such a small tank most of what comes up is gobys. I don't want all gobys. Besides don't most gobys like to hide in the caves a lot? I don't want to add too much LR so it leaves room for the fish so 1 cave dweller, I think, would be enough. I'm hoping to fit atleast 3 fish so I know I have to pick carefully. Is 3 asking too much?
Oh, yeah, I'm also hoping to pick up a power head, test kit & a new heater tomorrow. I have a heater but I want one that I can fit down behind the filter.
That's all the question for now. I'm sure I'll return with more in the next few days. Thanks in advance.

[rayme07]

When it comes to corals I read on another post which ones are good for beginners like zoos, leathers & mushrooms among some others. My ? is are they basically the same? Like there are a bunch of mushrooms but diff. color, is this the only diff? Or is there only certain ones that are good for beginners?

Basically what you have listed are great for beginners they are low light like T5's, low to medium flow (some may be high flow too), and do great pretty much anywhere in the tank. Each coral has their own needs that is something that you will have to research and find out for each coral. I have heard on mushrooms and zoe's that certain ones will like certain areas of the tank but again that is something once you find out which coral you want you will have to research. :)


Next ?.... As stated before, my tank is only a 14 gal biocube so I know I can't put a whole lot in it. One of the fish that have caught my eye is the neon goby. Would he be ok in a 14 gal? If so then what else would make a good tank mate for him? When I research for such a small tank most of what comes up is gobys. I don't want all gobys. Besides don't most gobys like to hide in the caves a lot? I don't want to add too much LR so it leaves room for the fish so 1 cave dweller, I think, would be enough. I'm hoping to fit atleast 3 fish so I know I have to pick carefully. Is 3 asking too much?

Yes a neon goby would be great for your tank. Other tank mates may be firefish (which is a type of goby) and clownfish is all I can think of at this moment. Here is a link of some nano fish you can put in your tank but of course there is mostly gobys :(. -----> Nano Fish (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+2124&s=ts&count=24&start=1&page_num=1)
I would say for your tank I would add two maybe three fish, but that would be it anything more would be overstocking. HTH :)

[CarmieJo]

Hi Shanon,

Thanks for the intro! What kind of birds do you have? Here is my guy.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f198/CarmieJo/_DSC2526.jpg

As far as water changes go I would recommend you do them weekly whether you have a skimmer or not. I think a 10% water change is good insurance for the health of you tanl. You will only need to do a gallon or so.

Water hardness isn't an issue with saltwater but other things are. If your store doesn't sell RO/DI you could get RO water from the water dispensing machine at a store like Wal-mart or Krogers.

I would love to see pictures of you tank. <hint>

This article http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic23945-9-1.aspx is a really valuable read. The corals you have talked about would all be good first coral choices.

A neon goby is a great choice for your tank. With it as one of your fish I think you could add 2 more small fish. The ones Raymond suggested are good choices.

[V]

http://static.pyzam.com/img/funnypics/9/failbird.jpg

http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/lol-bird-fail.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_2VEaTPMR9yw/SpAagJsrbgI/AAAAAAAAAXg/blEFiqY_d6s/cat_bird_fail%5B2%5D.jpg

[leapinlizards]

Here is a few of my babies.Chi Chi
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/littlevillage1218/005.jpg
Casy Mae
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/littlevillage1218/003.jpg
Ham Bone
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/littlevillage1218/110809013.jpg
Hallie & Frankie
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/littlevillage1218/mypets013.jpg

[leapinlizards]

Along with Chi Chi the sun conure, I also have a lovebird & a parakeet.
I'm thinking maybe a firefish would look nice in there. I'll have to keep searching to find what will go best & what I like. As said before, I have nothing but time while it's cycling. Thanks guys

[leapinlizards]

it looks like a bristle worm is living in the new LR. Some of the girls at work have always told me that they're bad to have. Is this true, or is he harmless?

[CarmieJo]

What a wonderful menagerie you have! Sunnys are so pretty. Is Chi Chi a normal noisy conure? I love the picture of Ham Bone. I know he is a chameleon but you could almost loose him in the plant! Howard, our bird, is an Eclectus.

Common bristleworms are good guys.

[SaltyDawg]

I have a K1 in my 10 gal and it's perfect. Good flow through the tank and ripples the surface enough to get a shimmer effect. As for the bristleworms, I have never seen them do anything but scavenge around for leftover food.

[leapinlizards]

That's funny about the bristle worm. At work I was told that they're no good cuz they burrow holes through the LR.
Chi Chi can be noisy at times but it usually happens when I'm not home. I'll come home & Jim will tell me how he's gone on & on all day. He doesn't do it when I'm here. He's learning some new sounds which is really cute. i think he's picking it up from the other birds. I wish he's pick up some of the parakeets words. That little guy talks up a storm!

[CarmieJo]

LR wouldn't be very effective without holes. I don't think they bore them they just live in the holes in the LR.

Howard talks a lot. Sometimes he just cracks me up with the things he says.

[WVUReefer]

you might want to check out High seas power heads. they push more gph than korellias and cost a lot less.

[leapinlizards]

I picked up a power head, test kit & a new heater. I also returned the colored sand & got aragonite. I also added a little more live rock. I got some rubble for free from work.
So far the cycle process has not started. My trates still aren't showing anything.

[SaltyDawg]

Throw in a pinch of fish food and give it a couple days. I have heard alot of people using a raw piece of shrimp also. If you go the shrimp route, be sure to take it out after a couple days

[Amphibious]

Hi Shanon,

It is not unusual that you wouldn’t have any Nitrates showing yet since nitrates are the last measurable element of the cycle. The sequence in which the elements of the cycle appear on our test kits is as follows.

First, Ammonia, very toxic to all life.
Second, Nitrite, Somewhat less toxic but still lethal to aquatic life.
Third, Nitrate, the least toxic and, for some reefers, the least understood.

Here is an article written by our friend Eric Borneman, a coral scientist, which gives the best description of the “cycle” as it pertains to a reef tank. The Building of a Reef Tank (http://theculturedreef.com/thecycle.htm)

Using the LR and/or LS method of starting the cycle is the most reliable as the necessary bacteria is contained within the rock and sand, the die off necessary for the bacteria to multiply is there, too. It’s just a matter of time. Patience is a must when it comes to a reef tank and the cycle. You can speed it up a bit with the suggestion put forth by SaltyDog above but it isn’t necessary. It’s been often said and worth repeating, ”The only thing that happens fast in a reef tank is disaster”. Slow down, let the “cycle” happen naturally. Reefers who try to speed it up tend to experience the “disaster” sooner or later because they get into the rush mode every step of the way. That push will eventually prove their downfall. This being an expensive hobby, we do our best not to have a crash.

Another article highly recommended by TR members is one written by me titled, “Nine Simple Rules, to healthier fish” found here - "Nine Simple Rules" (http://theculturedreef.com/nine-rules.htm)

Dick

[leapinlizards]

I guess I should have been more thorough on that last post. All of them aren't reading yet, nitrates, ammonia, or nitrites. I think Jim is more impatient than I am. Everyday he keeps asking " When can we add a fish? " He's worse than the kids! I should put a fake floating fish in there! lol

[V]

you might want to check out High seas power heads. they push more gph than korellias and cost a lot less.

these it> ? http://www.atlanticcoastcorals.com/assets/images/highseas201-202_thumbnail.jpg

[Amphibious]

Be sure Jim reads my post and the two articles.

[V]

http://static.keebali.com/thereeftank.com/forums/customavatars/avatar15879_1.gif the only extra i would add, is if you were to then leave your tank sitting idle for the next two months there after, cause you still need to feed the bacteria, or else the logical happens, they cease to reproduce & die



Hi Shanon,

It is not unusual that you wouldn’t have any Nitrates showing yet since nitrates are the last measurable element of the cycle. The sequence in which the elements of the cycle appear on our test kits is as follows.

First, Ammonia, very toxic to all life.
Second, Nitrite, Somewhat less toxic but still lethal to aquatic life.
Third, Nitrate, the least toxic and, for some reefers, the least understood.

Here is an article written by our friend Eric Borneman, a coral scientist, which gives the best description of the “cycle” as it pertains to a reef tank. The Building of a Reef Tank (http://theculturedreef.com/thecycle.htm)

Using the LR and/or LS method of starting the cycle is the most reliable as the necessary bacteria is contained within the rock and sand, the die off necessary for the bacteria to multiply is there, too. It’s just a matter of time. Patience is a must when it comes to a reef tank and the cycle. You can speed it up a bit with the suggestion put forth by SaltyDog above but it isn’t necessary. It’s been often said and worth repeating, ”The only thing that happens fast in a reef tank is disaster”. Slow down, let the “cycle” happen naturally. Reefers who try to speed it up tend to experience the “disaster” sooner or later because they get into the rush mode every step of the way. That push will eventually prove their downfall. This being an expensive hobby, we do our best not to have a crash.

Another article highly recommended by TR members is one written by me titled, “Nine Simple Rules, to healthier fish” found here - "Nine Simple Rules" (http://theculturedreef.com/nine-rules.htm)

Dick

[CarmieJo]

As Salty said, you can bump start the cycle by adding a big pinch of food or a RAW shrimp. Even if it has started you probably won't see nitrate yet.

The first parts of the cycle are completed by aerobic nitrifing bacteria. First you will see ammonia, this peaks and falls to zero. As the ammonia is peaking you will start to see nitrite which also peaks and falls to zero. While this nitrite is peaking you will start to see nitrate. The final step of the cycle is completed by anaerobic denitrifing bacteria. These bacteria live deep in the sandbed and rock. They take the nitrate and convert it to nitrogen gas. As this step of the cycle matures you will see the nitrates fall to zero as well.

Filters that use bio-wheels, bio-balls, ceramic rings and other media like that are purely aerobic and can not produce the anaerobic bacteria necessary to make nitrates fall to zero. They are great for FO systems but are not good for corals.

[leapinlizards]

So, it's day 6 & I haven't run out of patience...Yeah me! This is how the tank stands at this moment...ammonia 0.25, nitrates 2.5, nitrites 0, PH 8.4, temp 77.0.
A few people have told me to throw a fish in there to spead it up & I'm refusing to do that. It's not fair to the fish. The only fish we have is a paper one taped to the outside of the tank. lol. I got home from work tonight & Jim had it stuck on there. Whatever helps!

Carmie, I read your post about the bioballs. My system has them. What should I do? Take them out?

[Amphibious]

So, it's day 6 & I haven't run out of patience...Yeah me! This is how the tank stands at this moment...ammonia 0.25, nitrates 2.5, nitrites 0, PH 8.4, temp 77.0.
You are showing good restraint. :agree:

Most Newbies confuse Nitrites and Nitrates. If your tank follows the normal cycle, you should not have any Nitrates yet, unless your source water has Nitrates. It is possible to have Nitrites at this point.

Do not throw in a fish until your cycle is complete. It most likely will die. No need to put a fish through that painful death.

Dick

[leapinlizards]

I know I didn't confuse the 2 because I made sure to right them down as I did them. Maybe I screwed something up when I did the test. I almost redid it because the color was no where close to any of the colors on the chart. I'll have to retest it tomorrow. And, don't worry, no fishys will be suffering from being dumped in to early. Like I said, we have a paper fish taped on the front.

[V]

I cant expand to much on what the others are saying, cause its all right.

So bear with me, & i'll just gentlemanly like, expand that same bubble just a little bit more.

Ok, so to answer your bio-ball question quickly, yeah, start removing them, to answer it correctly, pack your bags, cause we're going on a journey......

The Nitrogen cycle process ....really.....is a logical one to understand. However to really understand it you must refrain from skipping over it once you've glanced at it a few times, namely cause the flexibility of those same rules & principles can some-what change on you over time.

As a side note, as the Aquarius, its not always intentional to kinda skip over it, its something that happens with the constant waves of information that will follow in the coming days, weeks, years ect ect. ;)

Ok, so the best way to explain it is as follows.

2 truths
- Aerobic Bacteria thrive in oxygen environments
- Anaerobic Bacteria thrive in low to void oxygen environments (oxides in oxygen leading to death of the cell)


So in knowing this, think of it in 3 stages ...


Beginning,
Intermediate,
Established time frame


Each still rely on the exact same principles of the nitrogen cycle, however its the variables and cycle wisdom that set them apart.

Beginning....... Cycle takes place regardless of means. Aerobic bacteria will dominate, Anaerobic bacteria fledgling behind massively.

Point in view - removing items in the high oxygen area's, eg bio-balls, that will speed up the Aerobic bias. Smaller amounts of Anaerobic may exist though introducing LR (doesn't oxidize due to being deeper in the rock) Same applies to LS, however you'll never know unless you work in a lab.
Water changes (dilution method) is the most efficient means to reduce your nitrates.

Intermediate..... The cycle is over, your system is reaching an equilibrium based on your nutrient inputs. As part of that unseen equilibrium, Mother nature also kicks in with the principle of Diffusion. Its at the beginning of an attempt to even the equations by any means to achieve an even equilibrium state. Think of Neo & Smith in the matrix, or salt water divided by paper with fresh water on the other side. On a molecular level, Its just trying to make everything even & balanced.

This is where DSB mentalities come into play, (and/or any other areas or equipment that is devoid of high oxygen levels.)
As your aerobic bacteria start consuming wastes in the bed, they consume the O2 levels, with ever decreasing O2 levels, the deeper layers make way for Anaerobic bacteria, they start using Nitrate as the fuel source & convert it to Nitrogen gas. Water changes are still paramount because its only just starting.


Established.... Its been some time, your tank has reached its stride.
Your bacterial system has reached the point where it is handling anything youve thrown at it. Your seeing the tank handle its own cycle. The bed is mature, its drawing elements downwards through diffusion, nitrogen gas is creating pockets that slowly make their way to the surface, & all the while your animals are digging about turning over the battle ground between the fringes of anaerobic & aerobic zones.

Point in View, Let say your prob got about 50/50 split between the two zones from a real-estate point of view. If you have 70% in the favor of Anaerobic bacteria just due to a far greater capacity ratio, those bio-balls you asked about at the beginning, wouldn't have the same impact as they did at the start.
As your experience level increases, so to does the understanding, and hence, you deploy logical means to achieve your goals. You have to think how to even the playing field for both. Mother nature can do her thing, & its a sh%t load easier for you ;)

[CarmieJo]

Great post V!

Shanon, I would remove the bio-balls if you think you want corals. Your cycle has started and is moving along. They all don't follow the textbook. :) I love the paper fish idea!

[leapinlizards]

Thanks everyone for all your help.
I'll take out the bio balls tomorrow. And, Carmie, you're right, my tank is moving along. The little brown spots are starting to show. I forget what it's called, it's late & the brain isn't working well. lol Either way, I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.
I'll try to post a pic tomorrow of the tank. ( haven't forgotten about your "hint" Carmie )

[CarmieJo]

That sounds like the infamous diatom bloom. :)

[leapinlizards]

That's the word I was looking for, "diatom". I knew you all would know what I meant.

[leapinlizards]

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/littlevillage1218/003-1.jpg
It's day 7. ammonia 0.25, trites 0.05, trates 2.5, salinity 1.022, PH 8.1, temp 76.6

[Amphibious]

That’s looking about normal for day 7. Question, what water source are you using, tap, bottled, RO, or RO/DI??? Sorry if you’ve already posted this. Too lazy to go back and read.

I would suggest adding a few more pounds of LR.

Dick

[leapinlizards]

I used my well water.
More live rock, really? I was afraid of over doing it. I'm hoping to keep possibly 3 small fish & didn't want to take too much room away from them.
When do you add the CUC?

[Amphibious]

Well water is notorious for containing Nitrates and other bad for reef tank elements. It’s possible that’s your source and not the natural development from the cycle which means, if that is true, you will be battling high Nitrates forever. Not a good thing. You, as we recommend to all reef keepers, will need to get an RO/DI unit which will remove all the nasties in well and community water sources.

It is recommended to use between 1 and 1.5 lbs of LR per gallon of water volume. The actual amount will depend on the density of the LR. The more porous the LR the better because it will harbor a larger colony of good bacteria.

Dick

[rayme07]

Its looking good I agree with Dick in adding a few more pounds of LR. I like your bug eyed fish sticker on the front. :)

[leapinlizards]

I took your suggestion & added some more LR. Do you think this is enough? This piece is more cures too which is nice. You can really tell the difference, even in the pic. It's also got a bunch of feather duster worms on it.
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/littlevillage1218/006.jpg

[rayme07]

That is looking good.:up: That is a good amount of LR you can add more if you want, but if not you can add corals and let the corals grow into that space once your cycle is over and you have added the CUC. :)

[leapinlizards]

Just wanted to say thank you to all of you that took the time to reply to yet another newbie! You've helped me so much so far & it's nice to know that I have a place to go to ask the questions.

[CarmieJo]

It looks good. I really like the first piece of rock!

[leapinlizards]

It's day 11 & nothing has changed :(

[boyesreef]

be patient young grasshopper, the ways of the reef warrior is convoluted but with purpose.