Need Help First time cycling. *Photo inside*

[nanonan]

Hello,

Here's the setup.

I have a bio Cube 8g

Heater, Filter Floss in chamber 2 on top of tray.

Hydor Koralia Nano

11lbs of Fiji Premium Cured LR

Red Sea Natural Aragonite Spheres

Red Sea Salt Mix

R/O Water only.

 

PC's & Koralia Nano are running 12hrs a day on a timer

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This is my 4th day of cycling.

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Salinity level : avg. 1.023-1.024

Temperature : Ranging around 25.c/77f. +-.5degree

Adding Purple Up daily(1mm).

 

First test results using Red Sea Marine Lab kit.

 

PH: 8.0

Ammonia : 0.25

Nitrite : 0.2ppm

Nitrate : 3.0ppm

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My LFS told me that I might not have any noticable spike at all because LR are cured.

I'm still confused to know when my tank will cycle. (how do you know??? )

When do I have to do test? Daily Weekly?? so confused....

Do I do my regular water changes (10% weekly) during my first cycle?

 

I'm planning to have a small reef,CUC and maybe 1 fish.

 

 

Thank you, Merry Christmas to all!!!

[ddelallata]

If the rock was already cured, I would still give it a full 2-3 weeks before I started stocking. The only thing that I would replace from your equipment, is the RedSea Test kit. Those kits are usually very inaccurate.

 

Get a couple of API test kits (NO3, NO2, NH3, etc)

You really don't need the PurpleUp this early on either.

 

I would start with the weekly 10% water changes after the first month.

[lakshwadeep]

First, get yourself a better test kit like the API saltwater master kit, or get a LFS to test your water for you.

 

A cycle is generally done when ammonia and nitrites are zero and nitrates are <10 ppm.

 

Test daily, or wait for a few weeks and then test (don't add any livestock in the meantime).

 

Water changes are good to do, even during the cycle.

[nanonan]

First, get yourself a better test kit like the API saltwater master kit, or get a LFS to test your water for you.

 

A cycle is generally done when ammonia and nitrites are zero and nitrates are <10 ppm.

 

Test daily, or wait for a few weeks and then test (don't add any livestock in the meantime).

 

Water changes are good to do, even during the cycle.

 

Ok thanks!

[bdare]

And no more purple up.

[nanonan]

And no more purple up.

 

What's the reason for not adding purple up while cycling?

 

I bought the API Master Kit

Will have both RS and API to compare.

[nanonan]

What really sucks is that im lightly COLORBLIND, lol and always have to ask someone to check the test results.

[BKtomodachi]

What's the reason for not adding purple up while cycling?

 

I bought the API Master Kit

Will have both RS and API to compare.

Whether or not purple up is really even effective is still debatable.

 

Also, as you should know, you shouldn't dose anything (at least at first) that you aren't regularly testing form. Coralline should grow in any healthy tank, over time.

[reeforreefoutyou]

So you have more nitrate than ammonia/ nitrite. that means that the bacteria ate the ammonia and are pooping out nitrites which are then eaten and pooped out again as nitrates. Your rock was not cured because it would not have shown up on the tests. As soon as all three tests read zero, you can add stuff. but do it slowly. seriously. I dont like dosing anything. dosing is deliberately messing with the balance of your tank. just stay up with water changes. use good salt, a heater to match your tank and an airstone to make the water fluffy. fluffy water is good. remember... the #7 rule of reefing is fluffy water and always know who's poopin what for what reason.

[nanonan]

whats an airstone?

 

also, my water is around 78.5-79.5 it the 12hrs daylight(PC on) but when it shuts of at night with only the heater on, i also turn off the koralia nano the temp drops to low77 then goes back up slowly when the PC's opens again. Is that ok? or is there any thing I can do to keep a stable temp? (I figured In a natural reef, wouldnt the temperature also drop during night time?)

 

I can do water changes? Some ppl say do it while cycling and some don't, i'm confused....

 

Thanks for your help, much appreciated

[BKtomodachi]

So you have more nitrate than ammonia/ nitrite. that means that the bacteria ate the ammonia and are pooping out nitrites which are then eaten and pooped out again as nitrates. Your rock was not cured because it would not have shown up on the tests. As soon as all three tests read zero, you can add stuff. but do it slowly. seriously. I dont like dosing anything. dosing is deliberately messing with the balance of your tank. just stay up with water changes. use good salt, a heater to match your tank and an airstone to make the water fluffy. fluffy water is good. remember... the #7 rule of reefing is fluffy water and always know who's poopin what for what reason.

Yeah, this doesn't make any sense. I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

whats an airstone?

 

also, my water is around 78.5-79.5 it the 12hrs daylight(PC on) but when it shuts of at night with only the heater on, i also turn off the koralia nano the temp drops to low77 then goes back up slowly when the PC's opens again. Is that ok? or is there any thing I can do to keep a stable temp? (I figured In a natural reef, wouldnt the temperature also drop during night time?)

 

I can do water changes? Some ppl say do it while cycling and some don't, i'm confused....

 

Thanks for your help, much appreciated

An airstone is a porous "rock" or manufactured piece of ceramic that you attach to an air pump to produce bubbles in the tank. You don't need one. We rarely, if ever, use them in nano-reefs. It is best to keep the temp stable both night and day. Due to the large water volume of the entire ocean, its temperature really does not change between night and day. I would also leave all water circulation on 24 hours/day.

 

You can do water changes while cycling. It is called "soft cycling", and it can help to reduce the death of beneficial creatures on your live rock. It is really up to you, but I like the idea of it.

 

You'll find that there aren't really cut-and-dry ways of doing things with a nano-reef. Its good to ask opinions, but in the end they will always be just that.

 

HTH

[Pickle010]

So you have more nitrate than ammonia/ nitrite. that means that the bacteria ate the ammonia and are pooping out nitrites which are then eaten and pooped out again as nitrates. Your rock was not cured because it would not have shown up on the tests. As soon as all three tests read zero, you can add stuff. but do it slowly. seriously. I dont like dosing anything. dosing is deliberately messing with the balance of your tank. just stay up with water changes. use good salt, a heater to match your tank and an airstone to make the water fluffy. fluffy water is good. remember... the #7 rule of reefing is fluffy water and always know who's poopin what for what reason.

 

 

FTW?

[nanonan]

Yeah, this doesn't make any sense. I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

 

An airstone is a porous "rock" or manufactured piece of ceramic that you attach to an air pump to produce bubbles in the tank. You don't need one. We rarely, if ever, use them in nano-reefs. It is best to keep the temp stable both night and day. Due to the large water volume of the entire ocean, its temperature really does not change between night and day. I would also leave all water circulation on 24 hours/day.

 

You can do water changes while cycling. It is called "soft cycling", and it can help to reduce the death of beneficial creatures on your live rock. It is really up to you, but I like the idea of it.

 

You'll find that there aren't really cut-and-dry ways of doing things with a nano-reef. Its good to ask opinions, but in the end they will always be just that.

 

HTH

 

ok i will try to keep the water circulation on at all time, maybe that will help the temperature stability.

I will also do a water change when i receive the API kit and test.

How long do you have to wait after water change before you can test?

 

I'm really debating if I should add a refugium in chamber 2. my LFS said its not necessary but everyone on this forum doesnt like bioballs...whats your injtake about this? Shouldnt weekly water change on a 8g sufficient?

[BKtomodachi]

ok i will try to keep the water circulation on at all time, maybe that will help the temperature stability.

I will also do a water change when i receive the API kit and test.

How long do you have to wait after water change before you can test?

 

I'm really debating if I should add a refugium in chamber 2. my LFS said its not necessary but everyone on this forum doesnt like bioballs...whats your injtake about this? Shouldnt weekly water change on a 8g sufficient?

Yes, absolutely do keep water circulation on all the time.

 

I would test before and after a water change. Make sure to adjust the temp of the new water to match, as well as matching the specific gravity/salinity of the new water. I would give it 5 minutes after you do the water change to test, just to be safe.

 

I would recommend the removal of the bioballs. They tend to accumulate detritus, and become difficult to clean. This leads to a breakdown of the organic material into nitrate, which already happens in the tank- but this compartment would probably be used more effectively as a place to grow chaeto, because it binds things like nitrate and phosphate as it grows- then you can remove it.

 

On an 8G, I would do roughly a 1 gallon water change/week. Other dosing isn't necessary until you have more specific corals or invertebrates that might need it, and we can get to that when the time comes.

[nanonan]

Built a refugium while cycling?

Also live rock rubble, is there a specific type or I can take the ones I have and break them into small pieces?

[Pickle010]

Built a refugium while cycling?

Also live rock rubble, is there a specific type or I can take the ones I have and break them into small pieces?

 

 

I wouldn't worry about adding LR Rubble to the rear chambers - If you have enough LR in your display then the rubble in back isn't going to help matters - in fact - just like bio balls - if not removed and rinsed on occassion they can build up crappage as well. I'd just assume just grow the good stuff - cheato - back there and be done with it.

 

You can add the fuge anytime you want. Best to plan for it from the start so it's not a PIA to set it up. Some start with cheato from day one and others wait for the cycle to end. It's up to you though.

[nanonan]

UPDATES

This is my 6th day of cycling.

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Salinity level : avg. 1.023-1.024

Temperature : Ranging around 25.c/77f. +-.5degree

No more purple up for now until done with the cycling...

 

First test results using Red Sea Marine Lab kit.

 

PH: 8.2

Ammonia : 0.15 .....dropped since last test

Nitrite : 0.05ppm .....dropped since last test

Nitrate : 20ppm ......raised since last test

 

now seing diatoms on LR...

pictures on this post : http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=180321

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