New 16 gallon bow front Cycling process

[Paul3x16]

Hello, Im new at this, im just trying to figure out if everything that i have and doing is fine.. please your opinion will count.

 

so this is the set up

 

16 gallon bow front

8Lb Live rock

8LB base rock

20LB Live sand (CaribSea Arag-Alive Bahamas Oolite Aquarium Sand)

20gal Rena SmartFilter

50W heater

Hydor Koralia 240 wavemaker

54x HQ 0.2W LED (51x 10000K daylight, 3x 460nm Actinic) 1026 Lumen

Taam Rio Nano skimmer(this is on order)

Aquaclear Power head20

 

I used Tap water with conditioner to take all the chlorine out then mixed it with instant ocean sea salt, I started cycling friday 11, on monday the ammonia was 1.0 the salinity level is at 1.023 and temp at 79

 

Is the set up fine? am i missing something? here are some pics let me know what you guys think thank you

[seabass]

Welcome to Nano-Reef.com.

 

You should be using distilled water (if you don't plan on buying a RO/DI unit). Although a RO/DI system will ultimately save you money and convenience in the long run (even with a 16 gallon tank). You'll be using almost 3 gallons a week (1 for top offs and 2 for water changes). Plus you'll need one once you decide to upgrade. . I'd do a huge water change before adding any livestock.

 

Also, you'll want better test kits after the cycle has been established (as strip tests are not typically thought of as the most accurate). I wouldn't bother with getting a pH, or nitrite kit. You'll want a low range phosphate kit like Red Sea offers (API only offers a high range phosphate kit). Nitrate is another nutrient that you should watch.

 

After you get some coral, you can start to monitor calcium and alkalinity. You shouldn't need to dose these for quite some time after adding coral. Once your tank consumes more calcium and alkalinity than water changes can easily replace, you will need to dose these elements and test for magnesium.

 

I only use ammonia test kits when setting up a new tank, or when adding livestock to a young tank, or if there is a death, or if the substrate gets disturbed.

 

BTW, your tank looks nice.

[Steensj2004]

Welcome to Nano-Reef.com.

 

You should be using distilled water (if you don't plan on buying a RO/DI unit). Although a RO/DI system will ultimately save you money and convenience in the long run (even with a 16 gallon tank). You'll be using almost 3 gallons a week (1 for top offs and 2 for water changes). Plus you'll need one once you decide to upgrade. . I'd do a huge water change before adding any livestock.

 

Also, you'll want better test kits after the cycle has been established (as strip tests are not typically thought of as the most accurate). I wouldn't bother with getting a pH, or nitrite kit. You'll want a low range phosphate kit like Red Sea offers (API only offers a high range phosphate kit). Nitrate is another nutrient that you should watch.

 

After you get some coral, you can start to monitor calcium and alkalinity. You shouldn't need to dose these for quite some time after adding coral. Once your tank consumes more calcium and alkalinity than water changes can easily replace, you will need to dose these elements and test for magnesium.

 

I only use ammonia test kits when setting up a new tank, or when adding livestock to a young tank, or if there is a death, or if the substrate gets disturbed.

 

BTW, your tank looks nice.

+1

 

Salifert tests are some of the better ones out there. They are pricey(20-25.00 a pop), but you ge 60 tests from each test kit(over a year if you test weekly). I would just buy one a payday starting with Nitrate and Phosphate. You won't have to watch Alk,Calcium, and Mag for a while, so you will have time to aquire test kits. Red Sea makes good ones but I cannot atest to how good, never used them.

 

Welcom to Nano-Reef!

[Paul3x16]

Welcome to Nano-Reef.com.

 

You should be using distilled water (if you don't plan on buying a RO/DI unit). Although a RO/DI system will ultimately save you money and convenience in the long run (even with a 16 gallon tank). You'll be using almost 3 gallons a week (1 for top offs and 2 for water changes). Plus you'll need one once you decide to upgrade. . I'd do a huge water change before adding any livestock.

 

Also, you'll want better test kits after the cycle has been established (as strip tests are not typically thought of as the most accurate). I wouldn't bother with getting a pH, or nitrite kit. You'll want a low range phosphate kit like Red Sea offers (API only offers a high range phosphate kit). Nitrate is another nutrient that you should watch.

 

After you get some coral, you can start to monitor calcium and alkalinity. You shouldn't need to dose these for quite some time after adding coral. Once your tank consumes more calcium and alkalinity than water changes can easily replace, you will need to dose these elements and test for magnesium.

 

I only use ammonia test kits when setting up a new tank, or when adding livestock to a young tank, or if there is a death, or if the substrate gets disturbed.

 

BTW, your tank looks nice.

Thanks for the welcoming !! and the for the advice, yea i should've use distilled water from the beginning .... but now i have 5gl distilled water for the top offs, also have 5gl saltwater ready for the water change later on..... ill be looking into the RO/DI unit.. ill be doing a water change after the cycle is completed so then i can star adding livestock!!! deff im getting better test kits. but now the real question! is all my set up fine? im i missing something, how long do i have to wait for the cycle to be completed. would the tapwater affect the cycle!!

 

+1

 

Salifert tests are some of the better ones out there. They are pricey(20-25.00 a pop), but you ge 60 tests from each test kit(over a year if you test weekly). I would just buy one a payday starting with Nitrate and Phosphate. You won't have to watch Alk,Calcium, and Mag for a while, so you will have time to aquire test kits. Red Sea makes good ones but I cannot atest to how good, never used them.

 

Welcom to Nano-Reef!

thanks i will be looking for the salifert tes!!!

[seabass]

is all my set up fine?

I'd probably remove the Bio-Chem Stars from your SmartFilter. The live rock should be the primary biological filter.

 

10.8W doesn't seem like a lot of light for a 16 gallon tank. Although the pics don't look that bad. I imagine that you'll be fine if you stick to corals which don't require high intensity lighting.

 

im i missing something,

Should be enough to get started.

 

how long do i have to wait for the cycle to be completed.

There is no way to predict this. You just have to wait until ammonia becomes undetectable.

 

would the tapwater affect the cycle!!

It won't lengthen the time it takes to establish the nitrogen cycle, but it will add nutrients (and other potentially harmful elements) to your tank. At best, it might promote algae growth.

[Paul3x16]

I'd probably remove the Bio-Chem Stars from your SmartFilter. The live rock should be the primary biological filter.

 

10.8W doesn't seem like a lot of light for a 16 gallon tank. Although the pics don't look that bad. I imagine that you'll be fine if you stick to corals which don't require high intensity lighting.

 

Should be enough to get started.

 

There is no way to predict this. You just have to wait until ammonia becomes undetectable.

 

It won't lengthen the time it takes to establish the nitrogen cycle, but it will add nutrients (and other potentially harmful elements) to your tank. At best, it might promote algae growth

 

Well I'm all ears!! if that so ill remove the Bio-Chem, i prefer listen to an expert than what i'm reading from many sources from the internet.

 

Its pretty bright but i will look forward to upgrade the lights later on so i can have some coral and anemones!!

 

now what is really intriging is that when i purchased the tank it said 16gl but when i put the live sand and and live rock i only put 13gl

 

yea sorry i was little impatient i know i have to wait 3-6 weeks. mean while I'm looking for the testing kit..

 

well i guess you are right about the tap water!! ! or maybe is this how the cycle begins!! cause i have a greenish yellowish algae growing in the base rock and in the top of the live rock!!

as you can see it.. is that common??

 

thanks!!

[Paul3x16]

so!!! i found this article!!

 

Diatoms

Almost sure to appear in a new system, diatoms are some of the most abundant organisms on earth. They usually surface in the aquarium as a brown powdery like substance, within a week or so after a tank finishes its cycle. Diatoms feed on available silicates in your system and will run their course in time. Similarly, because they feed on silicates, anytime you add new sand, rock or something plastic they can pop up.

Manual Removal - Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have amazingly fast growth rates.

Clean Up Crew- Ceriths, Nerites and Chitons are effective at removing diatoms as well as the algae species that usually replace them as the silicates in your system are depleted.

[Paul3x16]

First week, im starting to see algea growing!! Finally installed the power head now i see a very good flow, no death stop