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Restarting my 12 gal Fluva edge tank... help needed


TinaMP

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Last December I moved in a new place and had to move my 12 gal Fluvial edge too. Even after few moves still had issue with it. Before the move everything was A+. I decided almost 2 week ago to restart everything. Lost almost everything except 1 red legged hermit crab + 3 nassarius snails + 1 green star polyp.

 

I removed the sand and replaced it with new live sand. Used the bigger grain kind of sand. Did feel like rinsing the old one and did have to much to start with.

 

I cleaned all the live rock from the green algae... I had an epidemic even if i didn't feed for the last month. My fault i skipped with water change since nothing seemed to work sin December.

 

Cleaned the filter + 2 wave pump.

 

When i started my tank for the first time last year everything went really fast. Within 2 weeks everything was done.

 

So i restarted like if it was the first time and even added a bit of fish food to start the cycle. I did tests and everything, but 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates... I alway do to much tests, but still no ammonia spikes. The first time I had a huge spike + alot of diatom on my sand, but nothing like that right now. Only seem to have some kind a yellow/brown film on my aquarium glass and some kind of lite greenish brown on some part of the sand. I dont know if it because of the sand... Visually doesn't seem to react the same way. I wonder if i cleaned my rocks correctly but no green and hairy algue.

 

I did change all the media in the filter when I restarted everything. Not running a sump and I know how unstable a 12 gal is. I like challenge.

 

Any advice and should the tank at one point react the same way than when I started it more than a year ago.

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I would stop feeding the tank with food. Thats going to create a nutrient issue leading to the same issues you had before.

It really doesn't help with cycling.

 

Depending if the rock is dead, cured, or has decaying matter, will depend on the cycle process. If its completely dry then you need to dose ammonia to start the cycle.

If its liverock from a store thats not cured it will start the cycle. If its cured, you may not see a cycle.

 

I'm not sure how you cleaned the rocks so I can't say if it was ok. There are a lot of threads on rock cleaning/reusing.

 

The best sand is the grain size of caribsea fiji pink. Larger grains will trap detritus, leading to nutrient issues = algae outbreaks.

 

To reduce nutrient issues in this tank. Keep sand 1.5 inches or less and vacuum it during water changes.

Use a turkey baster on the rocks prior to syphoning.

Change floss 2x a week, clean filter area monthly

Low bioload

Feed only whats eaten within a minute

 

 

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/cycling-a-saltwater-aquarium/

 

Here is a link to cycling. I would not choose the livefish, feeding, or deli fish option.

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Thanks. I use the same rocks I started with a year ago. Cured live rock that I have bought from the LFS. I scrubed all the rocks. Except haire algue never had anything else... only coralline and even in the last months. Had to much Nitrates and Phosphates at one point because everything crashed and multiple power outbreak... 2 consecutive days + 10hr within 2 weeks... no filtration only powerheads where working. I should have been more prepare but didnt help after moving.

 

The first time I had more that 2 inch of fine grain sand that a replaced with a bit larger (CaribSea Arag-Alive sp. grade reef send). I dont have more than 1.5 inch right now.

 

I only put a bit a food 2 weeks ago, so didnt had more.

 

Maybe had a little ammonia test during the 2 days I didnt test. Who knows.

 

All I know my GSP wasnt happy the first week and now he is almost all open.

 

Since I didnt have the same reaction I dont know if the cycle had started or not.

 

I dond tknow if I should had a clean up crew or wait few weeks.

 

Thanks for the links. I did see it when I first started.

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