treygarz Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Hi all! Over the past year I've been thinking really hard about starting a saltwater tank and I have finally took the plunge and purchased an Aquapod 24 gal. This is really my first tank that I've had since I was a little rascal so please be patient with me when I have to ask silly questions that would seem obvious to some! Like the title says I'm a 3rd yr bio major if that gets any applause!!! Just put the water, salt, sand, and roughly 15 lbs of rock (which is the most a poor college kid could afford today) in this afternoon. Now please correct me if I am wrong: I am more than likely looking at about a 2 week cycle period (depending on how cured the rock is) correct? Once the tank cycles I should first start with a 30% - 40% water change or should I be doing water changes throughout? Also, during the cycle time should I keep the lights on a timer cycle or does that not matter yet? Thank for the help with the silly questions. Like I said this is my first time through with all of this! And pics of everything to come once I manage to find my camera cables! Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 well your looking at a 7day-1 month cycle time, every tank is different. Don't run your lights during the cycle, it will just increase algae growwth. If you haven't taken out all the stock filtration media do so now! Just run filter floss (polyester fiber from Walmart) during thye cycle. Don't do any waterchanges during the cycle as that will just make it longer. Once the tank cycles I'd wait to get more rock because you will have another cycle when you do. But yeah, after the tank cycles do regular weekly 10%-20% wc's. Link to comment
treygarz Posted October 28, 2008 Author Share Posted October 28, 2008 Thats what I figured as far as the cycle time and the other addition of more rock. BTW I've been reading through your thread Nick and its such an amazing tank! Link to comment
modularduck Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 and off to a good start man Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 BTW I've been reading through your thread Nick and its such an amazing tank! Thanks, yeah don't do what I did and not get enough rock and overload the tank with fish. That sucked I had 5 fish with only 7lbs of rock, thanks to being flamed by a few people (if you guys are reading this thanks!) i sold two of the fish and got lots more rock. I had so many problems in the begining with algae. I love it when I look back on how i was before and how much of a noob I was and how nice my tasnk is now, just a few more corals and I'm done stocking and watching things grow. Maybe when my coris wrasse gets bigger i'll get a pair of clowns again when I trade him in. I should have just followed the poster at my favorite lfs advice, "Patience is the key to this hobby" and that is 100% true. You can have all the gadgets and stuff you want but if you're inpatient and stock to fast, your tank is as good as crashed. Link to comment
smokey_the_bear Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 looks good yeah +1 one just runnin the filter floss for now and when done cycling do 10% or 20% water changes weekly good luck! Link to comment
treygarz Posted October 28, 2008 Author Share Posted October 28, 2008 Yeah hopefully I wont get the "itis" and start stocking sooner than I should When should I really start checking my params? After like 3 days or so? Link to comment
smokey_the_bear Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 sure three days is okay dont expect anything too perfect yet but thats okay lol i know that feeling of wanting somthing ASAP haha just remember patience it all works out better i just added my first fish today after a month of waiting lol but hes as happy as can be so far Link to comment
treygarz Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 Thanks for all the info guys really appreciate it!!! Once I start doing tests of everything what should I be on the lookout for at the start and when should i think about adding a cuc?? Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Thanks for all the info guys really appreciate it!!! Once I start doing tests of everything what should I be on the lookout for at the start and when should i think about adding a cuc?? Ammonia, trates, trites, and phosphates. Once all these have been 0 for around a week go add cuc. Link to comment
treygarz Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 Again thanks for all the information!!! Here is an updated pic after everything has settled down. Still not too sure about the scape though It doesn't look like it based on the pic, but it is pretty stable... Any suggestions?? Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 You will need more rock (1 lb/gallon as a general minimum) if you are going to stock up to the recommended values for your tank size. Link to comment
treygarz Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Ok finished off getting the rock now I have about 24 lbs or so. Will Post new pic once everything kind of settles down. I will probably run my first set of tests tonight, what should I be on the look out for? Basically what would normally params look like after a few days? Link to comment
treygarz Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Here is an updated pic of the new scape. Gives a lot of room for things to swim and out of.... let me know what you think!! Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Oooohhhh nice scape! I like the two big holes, they'd make a great place for suncorals or dendros. Link to comment
sen5241b Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Add a bacteria starter solution like Stress Zyme --this will speed the cycle up. It is entirely possible to start a cycle-less tank. If you are on a budget you can get cheap 'dead rock', cure it yourself in a bucket and then add it. You can also put the rock in a bucket of bleach, rinse it and scrub it and then put it back in the bucket with water and dechlorinator --this way you can add dead rock immediately without causing a spike. Because your tank is new, be prepared to learn all about algae. Link to comment
Irushin Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Drill holes between the 2 chambers for more flow. If your house is cool, replace stock pump with maxi jet 900 and put the stock pump in the return chamber. Get a couple of Korilia powerheads for water movement. Use the eggcrate method to create a 3rd chamber, can't imagine a biologist without a refugium. Search the different modifications people have done on their Aqua Pods, this is one tank that needs a lot of do it yourself knowledge to get it right. I personally think an Aquapod 24g takes longer than usual to cycle, especially if nothing is down to improve water flow. Bagofeggs will say no mods are needed with a weekly water change, but bag prpbably has more discipline in not overfeeding than I do. Link to comment
treygarz Posted November 3, 2008 Author Share Posted November 3, 2008 ok so its been a few days since I've updated anything on my tank. i hope everyone had a great Halloween, I sure did! The tank now has roughly 23 lbs of live rock (in case anyone is curious about that). I am starting to see a spike in my ammonia, i think. It is around .50. Trites and Trates are still around zero. This is normal correct? pH is 8.4ish and salinity at 1.023. For awhile i was worried about the temp in the tank being a little low but over the weekend it rose and stabalized at about 78-80. I am starting to see some algea growth on some of the rock and sandbed. Ill have some pics to come when I find the camera. I hope the measurments look normal for being a week into everything. please let me know if anything looks out of place and i should have some pics up pretty soon! Thanks you all! Link to comment
masterbuilder Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 yup...sounds like everything is moving in the right direction. Love the rock work....will look great when LOADED with corals. Myself....I would not add any snake oil to speed up the cycle. It will happen on its own. Mark p.s. Might get a refractometer to replace that hydrometer. Link to comment
Kylebeano Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 That rock work is great, everyones comments about it are sincere! I cant wait to see how your stocking plans. And about that big water change you were thinking about after the cycle, unless you used tap water, a 10% would be fine. Good luck! Link to comment
treygarz Posted November 4, 2008 Author Share Posted November 4, 2008 ok as mentioned here is a new fts to see where some of the algae is and i am suppose to b getting all of this correct? Link to comment
Kylebeano Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 that looks just as it should! Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Yep, that's normal. Just your diatom bloom. Link to comment
Captain Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Looking great. I'm going to go ahead and +1 that refractometer suggestion. When I got mine, it turned out my hydrometer was quite a bit off. While some have had great luck with their hydrometer matching up with their refracto, in my opinion it really is better safe than sorry. =P Link to comment
treygarz Posted November 5, 2008 Author Share Posted November 5, 2008 Yeah i'll have to go ahead and get me a refractometer! As far as water changes go: I am assuming that I should do my first big water change after my tank cycles is that correct? If not when should I start that? Thanks for the input all! Link to comment
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