Ok Tanks up..now what? lol

[armymedic]

Ok i have my tank up..sortof....im really going to need some help (babysitting) here. i just do NOT want to screw this up. So i have 28 gallon JBJ nano cube up.

 

I filled it with my base rock.

 

TIME TO CYCLE it?

 

I just filled with RO/DI water (cept) i had to add about 3 gallons of tap water since i was short.

 

I got some rubble rock from roozens to put in the filter area?? i put a sponge in the basket for filtering?? I think later on i have to put some cheato and something else recommended in the basket??

 

I have a fuge, not sure how to use it..lol hey i know what your thinking but you were new to this at one time too!!!

 

The salinity is between 1.023 and 1.024. I think thats good.

 

Is it time to put the live sand in ???

 

whew! im going to get a beer!!

 

Any/All help is appreciated! thx.

[Vadim]

do you have testing kits? depending on where you live i know congressional aquarium in rockville will test your water for free. When i cycled my tank i did it with rocks and sand in it, i also bought two damsel fish, because they are hardy and cheap fish. since you used tap water you probably have chlorine there, not sure if you have anything that get's rid of chlorine? comes handy sometimes. Then i just waited about 2 months and let it cycle. Their are these fast cycle products out there, not sure how good they are or if they even do anything. But i've never used it. Also one thing i didn't have is patience. So i recommend patience with saltwater :o)

[Origami]

Cycling with "cheap fish" is no longer needed. There are many ways to begin cycling your tank without sacrificing livestock. One method uses a dead cocktail shrimp. Another has you add ammonia directly to the tank to kickstart development of the bacterial growth. There are also additives that can be used to help quickly develop the bacterial population in your tank. (See: http://www.petco.com/product/13403/NutraFin-Cycle-Biological-Aquarium-Supplement.aspx)

 

Google "fishless cycling reef tank"

Let Me Google That For You...

[Vadim]

or you can just pour urine in your tank.

[armymedic]

Chris at Rooozens did recommend TLC for starting up the tank. Of course the back says if cycling a tank use Smartstart, so not sure why he gave me this.

 

So can anyone tell me when its safe to put the live sand in?

 

As far as the chlorine in the water, i live in waldorf and i am told its not very high in chlorine.

 

I have a filter sponge in the basket, do i need to add any carbon to it??

 

not sure what the urine would do vadim?? how is that beneficial??

 

 

[Vadim]

origami posted a comment about fishless cycling, it is also said if you google it or just do a search on cycling tanks that some people use urine to cycle tanks also. You've got a lot of choices out there on cycling your tank, go with what you're comfortable with. do a search lot's of good articles out there.

[Chad]

"Cycling" a tank means building up the appropriate bacteria that converts toxic ammonia to less toxic nitrite and also bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate, which is less harmful than either ammonia or nitrite. Once these bacteria are built up, ammonia and nitrite fall to zero and nitrates tend to build up (other methods are used to lower nitrate).

 

The only thing you need to kick start the cycle is an ammonia source. This can be from a piece of rotting shrimp, urine, a bottle, waste from hardy live fish, etc. I personally like using cocktail shrimp, but any ammonia source will do the trick.

 

 

[armymedic]

But wont the live sand help with that "bacteria" in the water? I have a bag of it to put in the tank. Does it go in now or days from now?

 

When you say dead cocktail shrimp, you mean like the one you get in a bag from the grocery store? i really gotta google that one..lol

[Origami]

One component of urine is urea. Urea, when exposed to water, forms ammonia. Ammonia is a the "start" of your nitrogen cycle.

 

Cycling your tank is all about establishing a population of bacteria that can break down organic wastes. These bacteria, which are non-photosynthetic, need to "eat." Through the nitrogen cycle, ammonia is broken down into nitrite; nitrite is broken down into nitrate; and nitrate is broken down into nitrogen gas. The nitrogen gas is then released back into the atmosphere where it is picked up by nitrogen fixing organisms (algae, plants, certain types of bacteria). Proteins, an essential part of life, are strings of amino acids. The "amine" in amino refers to a nitrogen-bearing group of compounds that make up building blocks of life. Proteins are incorporated into higher life forms and when these life forms die, they decompose, ultimately breaking down into ammonia. The cycle, from there, starts anew.

 

As just mentioned, any source of ammonia is sufficient to start the cycling process. The key here is to ensure that a bacterial population of sufficient size is established that can handle the bioload that you put into the tank. For example, if you go to the trouble of cycling a tank using a fishless protocol, but you fail to put fish (or some other waste-producing life) into the tank that can feed the bacteria (with their waste), then, unless you feed the tank (with ammonia, fish flakes, or some other source of waste), the bacterial population will fall. It's all about balance - establishing it, and then keeping it. It's one reason that we will typically add fish incrementally to a newly cycled tank. Too much at one time can overwhelm the underdeveloped biological filtration. Adding fish incrementally allows opportunity for the filtration to grow along with the bioload.

[Origami]

But wont the live sand help with that "bacteria" in the water? I have a bag of it to put in the tank. Does it go in now or days from now?

 

When you say dead cocktail shrimp, you mean like the one you get in a bag from the grocery store? i really gotta google that one..lol

 

Yes, live sand can help seed your tank with bacterial fauna. Put it in now if your water is chlorine free or has been treated to remove chlorine and chloramines. But, because you need to give the bacteria a food source so they can multiply, you need to begin with the shrimp, ammonia, or whatever nitrogen source you select.

 

Cocktail shrimp = the shrimp from the grocery store. Remember, all you're looking for is something that will decay and release ammonia. It can even be flake fish food. Or, regular old household ammonia.

[armymedic]

Holy Windex batman!! regular household ammonia?? i have some straight ammonia. how much would i put in there and would i just add it now?

 

thx for the help by the way guys!

 

 

 

and by the way....how do i add my location to my name ??? thx

Edited September 4, 2010 by armymedic

[Origami]

Regular old household ammonia. I would avoid the lemon scented stuff, though. Read some of the links. Add "ammonia" to the Google search for instructions. Basically, you're going to want to have ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test kits around if you actually want to track the cycle. You'll probably start it by adding enough ammonia to the system to reach 3-5 ppm, holding it there for a couple of weeks with subsequent additions, before letting the cycle complete and introducing your first livestock.

 

Additives like Nutrafin Cycle can speed the process. Just follow the directions on the label.

[armymedic]

So do i put the live sand in after i get the ammonia levels balanced/down to the next stage or before?

 

I have been reading articles about fishless cycling and this seems the best way to go for me.

 

also, can you tell me what i should put in that basket in the back of the tank for cycling? its a 3 section basket.

[Origami]

Add the sand before. The surface of the sand grains are colonized by bacteria. It's really the bacteria that make "live sand" "live."

 

Some instructions:

http://members.cox.net/gbundersea/aquaria/5gallon/cycling.htm

http://www.csupomona.edu/~jskoga/Aquariums/Ammonia.html

http://www.aquariumslife.com/freshwater-101/aquarium-cycle/

 

I'm not sure what your setup is, but it sounds like the shelves in back are for media like activated carbon, granular ferric oxide (GFO), and the like. You don't need them at this point. These are additions used to maintain water clarity, and to adsorb certain undesirable ions (like phosphates).

[armymedic]

Thanks Tom

 

by the way my powerheads are spitting out some air bubbles making the water sort of well....bubbly! ; ) is this normal on day one??

[Origami]

What kind of tank do you have? What kind of powerheads? Sometimes there's a little air trapped in the powerhead that makes its way out in spurts. In some systems, air can leak into the intake side of the pump causing it to spit bubbles. And sometimes, it's just dissolved gasses coming out of solution as the water warms up.

[armymedic]

lol...well once i figure out how to add my location on my name i will aim to see how i can put my tank specs below as my signature at the bottom of the page.

 

I have a 28 Gallon JBJ Nano Cube HQI with 2 X 266 GPH accela pumps.

 

its spitting out quite a bit of air. i just wonder if it is due to lack of flow or maybe just a bit low on water level? hmmm.

[Origami]

I'm guessing low water level. Check the intake side of the pump and see if it's drawing air in.

 

I meant to answer your question about inputting your location.

 

Next to your name, on the top left of the page (where it says, "Signed in as armymedic," you'll see a little triangle. Click on that to reveal a pull-down menu. Select "My Settings." On the following page, locate where it says "Profile" in the ribbon. Scroll down toward the bottom of the page and update the field that is labeled "Location," about 5 fields from the bottom.

[gwweber]

 

guy have somone give you 25 gal of used water, im not sure if you used a ro/di unit on your tank, but if you did not you should replace with somones water change perhaps, You got containers i got water.

 

 

[armymedic]

Well i used all but 3 gallons of RO/DI water. I didnt think about using someone's water from a water change. Now that i have the water in already. Should i swap it out for "used" water or press on?

[Origami]

No need. Press on.

 

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk.

[armymedic]

Ok. Day 2!!

 

Salinity is 1.023 and holding, water is pretty clear.

 

well it was....i just added the live sand and now its back to cloudy. i guess that will clear up soon.

 

I am going to get a better test kit to start water testing. I am going to try the ammonia direct method today.

 

I am going to let the tank cycle the live sand for a couple of hours and then put the ammonia in.

 

Thanks Tom for the very informative articles on cycling tank.

Edited September 4, 2010 by armymedic

[Origami]

Good luck!

[B216adkins]

OK fellow aquarium lovers now I need help. Today I have completely added everything(rock,sand, and salt water). Now Im waiting on it to clear. In two days I will be ready to start the cycle. I have chosen the method of adding household ammonia into the tank. How much ammonia do I add? I do not have a test kit yet because I couldnt find one. Also I dont really think my mother will drive far just to find one. At what period of time do I add the clean up crew?

Brandon

[armymedic]

sent you a PM brandon