Clowninaround7474's 60g cube build
- Thread starter clowninaround7474
- Start date
Rock, Sand and aquascape finished. I picked up an RODI unit from Aquatic Art over the weekend (that place is great!!!) and have started making water.
Right now, I dont have any lights to put over the tank but want to get a cycle going. I know it can be important for a cycle to have lights (diatom blooms and PH balance) however, will it cause any detrement to the system if I just start off with no lights?
More than anything, I want to test for leaks in the system and get my water levels in check. Im going to fill it first with RODI water and then check everything. If all is good, I will add salt and a cup of sand from my neighbors tank to start the cycle.
Right now, I dont have any lights to put over the tank but want to get a cycle going. I know it can be important for a cycle to have lights (diatom blooms and PH balance) however, will it cause any detrement to the system if I just start off with no lights?
More than anything, I want to test for leaks in the system and get my water levels in check. Im going to fill it first with RODI water and then check everything. If all is good, I will add salt and a cup of sand from my neighbors tank to start the cycle.
I typically cycle with no lights. Once the cycle finishes and nitrates start to decrease I add light...that way you can avoid some of the annoying algae blooms. You still get them...but they seem more manageable when they don't get a good hold at the start of the cycle when nutrient levels are spiking.
Thanks guys! Another question... Does it really matter what salt you use to start the tank/cycle with since the majority of it will be dissapated out through water changes?
On my old tank, I always used Kent Salt, however, have heard good things about Salinity. After being out of the hobby for 5+ years, there are a few more players in the Salt game so it leaves me wondering which to go with. I am really leaning towards Salinity.... thoughts?
On my old tank, I always used Kent Salt, however, have heard good things about Salinity. After being out of the hobby for 5+ years, there are a few more players in the Salt game so it leaves me wondering which to go with. I am really leaning towards Salinity.... thoughts?
Nice setup I really like how clean your plumbing is. In my personal opinion it makes not one bit of difference what salt you use to start the tank cycle. It makes sense to me to use something cheap and proven like Instant Ocean. I personally don't like Salinity but if you use it mix it in cool to cold water and let it fully dissolve before heating it. This helps to prevent the ca and alk for precipitating out of solution, not that it should matter for the cycle.
I ran Instant Ocean, then Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, then thought the high dollar Salinity would make a difference. It didn't. I'm using Kent like most others now, been solid for the last 6 months.
Each has a little bit of different characteristics - higher Alk, or Calcium, etc which you can find published easily. Once I had to start dosing, I couldn't see spending the $$ on Salinity - it's rarely on Sale, and was even out of stock the last time I tired to buy some.
Each has a little bit of different characteristics - higher Alk, or Calcium, etc which you can find published easily. Once I had to start dosing, I couldn't see spending the $$ on Salinity - it's rarely on Sale, and was even out of stock the last time I tired to buy some.
WE HAVE WATER!!!!! Tank is full and everything is running as planned. I have good flow from the sicce 3.0 and skimmer is already breaking in. Still a little cloudy but it could be because I'm still working on getting my salinity right. Once it's all dialed in, a piece of seeder rock or sand from my neighbors tank will go in and the cycle will start. Still planning an mp10wes and AI Hydra fixture.
sorry for the crappy cell phone pics... It's even more difficult with no lights over it.
sorry for the crappy cell phone pics... It's even more difficult with no lights over it.
well its been 5 days since Ive filled the tank, and on Saturday, threw a piece of uncooked shrimp in to jump start the cycle. I also purchased about 1lb of live rock and put a small piece in the main display, and also, in the sump where I have some other live rock rubble.
Temp and salinity are good at this point, however, I am still dealing with cloudy water. I went by Aquamart tonight and purchased another filter sock so I could give my other a good cleaning hoping that would clear it up. I rinsed my sand and rock prior to putting it in the tank so I was hoping I would skip this "cloudy" stage.
I am not able to skim right now (not sure if that is even recommended during the cycle or not) but with the shrimp pieces in the display.... the skimmer automatically overflows. I have tried adjusting the output but it even does it with the output completely open. I have tried adjusting the height of the skimmer in the sump, but even with the entire skimmer nearly out of the water (talking 2" from the surface) it overflows into the collection cup. Again, I am assuming this is due to the shrimp being in the tank.
Had the water tested and came up with the following readings:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: .25ppm
Nitrate: .15ppm
It seems kind of weird that the Ammonia is at 0ppm even with a cut up piece of shrimp in there. I am not confident that the ammonia wont start to rise in the days to come however... I just dont think it could cycle through that quickly.
I am not running any carbon at this time, and am really just hoping the cloudy water will go away. I dont want to do a water change yet as not to disturb the cycle, but it looks so terrible sitting here a cloudy mess.
Temp and salinity are good at this point, however, I am still dealing with cloudy water. I went by Aquamart tonight and purchased another filter sock so I could give my other a good cleaning hoping that would clear it up. I rinsed my sand and rock prior to putting it in the tank so I was hoping I would skip this "cloudy" stage.
I am not able to skim right now (not sure if that is even recommended during the cycle or not) but with the shrimp pieces in the display.... the skimmer automatically overflows. I have tried adjusting the output but it even does it with the output completely open. I have tried adjusting the height of the skimmer in the sump, but even with the entire skimmer nearly out of the water (talking 2" from the surface) it overflows into the collection cup. Again, I am assuming this is due to the shrimp being in the tank.
Had the water tested and came up with the following readings:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: .25ppm
Nitrate: .15ppm
It seems kind of weird that the Ammonia is at 0ppm even with a cut up piece of shrimp in there. I am not confident that the ammonia wont start to rise in the days to come however... I just dont think it could cycle through that quickly.
I am not running any carbon at this time, and am really just hoping the cloudy water will go away. I dont want to do a water change yet as not to disturb the cycle, but it looks so terrible sitting here a cloudy mess.
Tank has been running now for two weeks and the cycle is in full swing.
Ammonia:.5ppm
Nitrite: .5ppm
Nitrate:.25ppm
my biggest concern right now is that the tank is still cloudy. I've been changing filter socks frequently and the skimmer is breaking in (still not working properly yet). So basically, I'm at a loss as to why the tank is cloudy. Thought about running carbon, but don't want it to mess with the cycle. Any suggestions?
Ammonia:.5ppm
Nitrite: .5ppm
Nitrate:.25ppm
my biggest concern right now is that the tank is still cloudy. I've been changing filter socks frequently and the skimmer is breaking in (still not working properly yet). So basically, I'm at a loss as to why the tank is cloudy. Thought about running carbon, but don't want it to mess with the cycle. Any suggestions?
If the shrimp is still in the tank, I would pull it. They start to rot and foul the water considerably after a few days...you can keep the cycle going by tossing a few flakes or small pieces of frozen food in there daily.
The cloudiness may just be a bacteria bloom; I would wait until the ammonia drops as well before worrying. It'll clear probably right up as soon as you get the skimmer online.
The cloudiness may just be a bacteria bloom; I would wait until the ammonia drops as well before worrying. It'll clear probably right up as soon as you get the skimmer online.
I'm trying to get it broken in as we speak. I have the collection cup just resting on the top of the skimmer because with it securely attached it overflows almost instantly. That is with the outlet completely open and I've even adjusted the height of the skimmer in the sump. Idk what else to do with it other then let it break in how I have it now
Well the skimmer is broken in and working as it should. Running some carbon and doing 5g weekly water changes... Water still cloudy. I've been "feeding" the tank with pellets every few days just to keep the cycle going.
Ammonia is finally dropping and NO2 and NO3 are spiking right now so progress is good.
I don't have any other ideas regarding the cloudiness so I'm just gonna try and wait it out. I hope it clears up soon cause it's discouraging to look at a milky looking tank all day.
Ammonia is finally dropping and NO2 and NO3 are spiking right now so progress is good.
I don't have any other ideas regarding the cloudiness so I'm just gonna try and wait it out. I hope it clears up soon cause it's discouraging to look at a milky looking tank all day.
I've heard of people running a cheap freshwater hob filter with lots of pads to clear that up just in the beginning but never needed to try it myself. When i bought my live sand, fine oolite, i tried to wait it out but then ended up adding their extra packet of clarity magic stuff (comes in the live sand bag) and within a few hours i think i saw a difference. Makes the particles sticky. Then it stuck to the scooter's fins even but he didn't mind. I kept manually skimming the top of the water with a paper towel to get the big blobs and I'm sure i wasn't supposed to since that was probably bacteria too, but it was bugging me.