Jay's IM Nuvo 24

[Jay Wee]

I'd say avoid Xenias/Green Star Polyps since they take over the tank waaaay too quickly. Ricordea Floridas and some easy zoas are good beginner corals.

 

 

+1 Refractometer. Useful when making saltwater (and I bought a calibration fluid just in case). The only test kits that's okay from API is their Ca and Alk but they don't give in between readings (Ca goes every 20ppm and alk goes every 1dKH... knowing what's in between is important for SPS keepers). Their Nitrate test kit... not too bad unless you want to know if your nitrates is between 0-5. But their Phosphate kit, I hate it to death.

That's for the recco on the corals. I will bear that in mind when I start stocking. Can't freakin' wait. This is the hard part ay? The cycle wait. But it'll be well worth it.

 

When do you guys start adding clean up crews?

 

Well I think I'll get the Red Sea Pro test kit and hmmmm... maybe I'll waste my API on 5 X a day testing during the cycle period just for the heck of it.

[claval01]

That's for the recco on the corals. I will bear that in mind when I start stocking. Can't freakin' wait. This is the hard part ay? The cycle wait. But it'll be well worth it.

 

When do you guys start adding clean up crews?

 

Well I think I'll get the Red Sea Pro test kit and hmmmm... maybe I'll waste my API on 5 X a day testing during the cycle period just for the heck of it.

HAHA! ^^

[Jay Wee]

Do you guys use light during the cycle period? Should I just let my Maxspect Razor run on Preset 2 for the cycling period?

[Red_Blenny]

I'd add the clean up crews when you have zero Ammonia/Nitrites. Light during cycling... not really recommended since nuisance algae will grow but you might keep any interesting photosynthetic hitchhikers alive if you do.

[BadCrab]

I'd add the clean up crews when you have zero Ammonia/Nitrites. Light during cycling... not really recommended since nuisance algae will grow but you might keep any interesting photosynthetic hitchhikers alive if you do.

 

+1; Wait until Clean Up Crew has something to clean up before adding. If you never get a big algae bloom, you can add them with your first coral or fish.

[Jay Wee]

I'd add the clean up crews when you have zero Ammonia/Nitrites. Light during cycling... not really recommended since nuisance algae will grow but you might keep any interesting photosynthetic hitchhikers alive if you do.

I'm already showing almost no Ammonia & no Nitrite and 40ppm of nitrate. Is it possible that it's cycling so fast. Should I still dump a deli shrimp in there just to make sure? I was bangling on the dead matter from the Live rock to start the cycling.

 

+1; Wait until Clean Up Crew has something to clean up before adding. If you never get a big algae bloom, you can add them with your first coral or fish.

How many clean up crew do you think is a good amount for my tank?

 

I'm thinking of redo-ing my scape. Here's my proposal. What do you guys think?

 

[claval01]

I'm already showing almost no Ammonia & no Nitrite and 40ppm of nitrate. Is it possible that it's cycling so fast. Should I still dump a deli shrimp in there just to make sure? I was bangling on the dead matter from the Live rock to start the cycling.

 

How many clean up crew do you think is a good amount for my tank?

 

I'm thinking of redo-ing my scape. Here's my proposal. What do you guys think?

 

Nuvo 24 scape2.jpg

Dude where did you get a pic of my wife... ?

[BadCrab]

I tend to go lighter on CUC and prefer all snail with no a**hole crabs. Some people use cleaner shrimp too but I prefer decorative shrimp

 

I would go with a mix of cerith (eat algae on glass, sometimes hang out at waterline which is annoying) there is a dwarf variety, nassarius (eat leftover food and dead things, both tongan or 'super' and the common small ones. Be very careful not to get any predatory whelks. order from known suppliers!), astraea (eat algae on rocks, lots of cool shell shapes. some cant upright themselves), and if you're into a turbo get one but know it's likely clumsy and not concerned with optimal frag placement. Personally I like cowries but most get large and are just decorative (except the money shell - great grazer); A small conch could replace the majority of your snails, those things are vacuums.

[defender.TX]

I tend to go lighter on CUC and prefer all snail with no a**hole crabs. Some people use cleaner shrimp too but I prefer decorative shrimp

 

I would go with a mix of cerith (eat algae on glass, sometimes hang out at waterline which is annoying) there is a dwarf variety, nassarius (eat leftover food and dead things, both tongan or 'super' and the common small ones. Be very careful not to get any predatory whelks. order from known suppliers!), astraea (eat algae on rocks, lots of cool shell shapes. some cant upright themselves), and if you're into a turbo get one but know it's likely clumsy and not concerned with optimal frag placement. Personally I like cowries but most get large and are just decorative (except the money shell - great grazer); A small conch could replace the majority of your snails, those things are vacuums.

 

This is pretty much what I was planning for my CUC. All Snails.

[rdck99]

Welp, JayWee, you've gone and done it. You have the coolest thread I've seen thus far. And to think I'd hoped for my measly 16g thread to hold such a title! Awesome stuff here (love the stand). Following!

 

I also think I've been talked into buying an IM reactor...and a Maxspect...ka-ching.

[Jay Wee]

I tend to go lighter on CUC and prefer all snail with no a**hole crabs. Some people use cleaner shrimp too but I prefer decorative shrimp

 

I would go with a mix of cerith (eat algae on glass, sometimes hang out at waterline which is annoying) there is a dwarf variety, nassarius (eat leftover food and dead things, both tongan or 'super' and the common small ones. Be very careful not to get any predatory whelks. order from known suppliers!), astraea (eat algae on rocks, lots of cool shell shapes. some cant upright themselves), and if you're into a turbo get one but know it's likely clumsy and not concerned with optimal frag placement. Personally I like cowries but most get large and are just decorative (except the money shell - great grazer); A small conch could replace the majority of your snails, those things are vacuums.

So no blue legged hermit crab? Damn I love those things. What are the issues with crabs btw?

 

Welp, JayWee, you've gone and done it. You have the coolest thread I've seen thus far. And to think I'd hoped for my measly 16g thread to hold such a title! Awesome stuff here (love the stand). Following!

 

I also think I've been talked into buying an IM reactor...and a Maxspect...ka-ching.

Haha thanks! I've actually been following your thread since I joined. I learned the intank media basket from your thread and that's what I'm gonna get! Boom!

 

Yeah everyone here loves their minimax reactors and well, maxspect leds? you can't go wrong.

[BadCrab]

Crabs are opportunistic omnivores and will eat whatever is convenient. They tend to also irritate corals by walking on them or "cleaning them" of algae or food. They might pick at polyps, eat sessile inverts, or bulldoze frags in search of food. All individuals are different, but I just don't trust crabs in general. I love the way they look - and many have great personalities, but IMHO they all belong in species tanks.

[defender.TX]

So no blue legged hermit crab? Damn I love those things. What are the issues with crabs btw?

 

If you really want the crab that much you might as well get one - just be aware that it might cause some issues. If it's too troublesome you can always return it.

[Jay Wee]

Crabs are opportunistic omnivores and will eat whatever is convenient. They tend to also irritate corals by walking on them or "cleaning them" of algae or food. They might pick at polyps, eat sessile inverts, or bulldoze frags in search of food. All individuals are different, but I just don't trust crabs in general. I love the way they look - and many have great personalities, but IMHO they all belong in species tanks.

 

 

If you really want the crab that much you might as well get one - just be aware that it might cause some issues. If it's too troublesome you can always return it.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I might get 1 to see how he does. If he misbehaves I'll just kung pow his ass and eat him it with rice.

[Jay Wee]

Been prancing in front of my tank for 11 days waiting for the damn cycle to complete. I look like a r-tard walking back and forth. my neighbors looks into my window might think im going bonkers.

 

Well, here's my readings do far:

 

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 20-30ppm

Calcium : 400ppm

KH : 12 dkh

Phosphate : 0ppm

PH: 8.2

Salinity: ??? (still trying to figure out how to use the refractometer, argh!)

 

Is it cycled already? Is it necessary to wait for Nitrate to drop to 0? Should I do a water change?

[TristanC]

Just out a drop or two of tank water onto the glass, close the top, point it towards a light and adjust the eyepiece until its clear

[rdck99]

I'm not the one you should be listening to, but perhaps others can verify or interject...I think you should see some kind of ammonia spike, followed by a nitrite spike (with ammonia falling to zero), then a nitrate spike (with nitrite falling to zero), at which time you should do a water change to get nitrates down to <10. When nitrates are fewer than 10, and ammonia/nitrites continue to stay at 0, the tank is cycled.

 

However, I purchased cured LR (can't remember if you did?), and I'm told that because die-off could be so little, you may not see your typical spikes, at least not very large ones. I've had my tank running for 2 weeks, and I haven't recorded any ammonia/nitrites/nitrates, so I'm left wondering did I simply not test frequently enough to catch the spikes/cycle or has it not even begun to cycle yet?

 

My plan is to let it run for 6 weeks, before I even think about adding something...I may even try to artificially cycle by adding ammonia, if the 6 week anniversary hits and I still don't show any readings.

 

Are you seeing any algae/diatoms? If so, that may be a good sign that it has cycled and it's time for a CUC?

[defender.TX]

Been prancing in front of my tank for 11 days waiting for the damn cycle to complete. I look like a r-tard walking back and forth. my neighbors looks into my window might think im going bonkers.

 

Well, here's my readings do far:

 

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 20-30ppm

Calcium : 400ppm

KH : 12 dkh

Phosphate : 0ppm

PH: 8.2

Salinity: ??? (still trying to figure out how to use the refractometer, argh!)

 

Is it cycled already? Is it necessary to wait for Nitrate to drop to 0? Should I do a water change?

 

If you're getting Nitrates your tank is cycled. "Cycled" in this application meaning that your tank possesses both Nitrosomonas bacteria and Nitrobacter bacteria to break down Ammonia into Nitrite and finally Nitrate. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's cycled completely and you can drop in a full bioload. The bacteria in the aquarium needs time to adjust to new bioload and consume the increase in waste in the aquarium, so take it slow. If you're seeing diatoms or algae this would be the time to add the clean up crew. If that goes well you can start adding your first fish or corals.

 

I would do a quick 20% water change before you add the CUC though to bring the Nitrates down just a bit. What are you using for water? Are you starting with RO water and mixing or buying it premixed?

[Spirofucci]

Just read the whole thing. Great build! ........and dat stand!!!!! Killer!!!!!!!

[Jay Wee]

Just out a drop or two of tank water onto the glass, close the top, point it towards a light and adjust the eyepiece until its clear

ha thanks! Great summary. I'm still trying to calibrate it. the damn instructions are so complicated. I ditch that and found a simpler youtube tutorial.

 

I'm not the one you should be listening to, but perhaps others can verify or interject...I think you should see some kind of ammonia spike, followed by a nitrite spike (with ammonia falling to zero), then a nitrate spike (with nitrite falling to zero), at which time you should do a water change to get nitrates down to <10. When nitrates are fewer than 10, and ammonia/nitrites continue to stay at 0, the tank is cycled.

 

However, I purchased cured LR (can't remember if you did?), and I'm told that because die-off could be so little, you may not see your typical spikes, at least not very large ones. I've had my tank running for 2 weeks, and I haven't recorded any ammonia/nitrites/nitrates, so I'm left wondering did I simply not test frequently enough to catch the spikes/cycle or has it not even begun to cycle yet?

 

My plan is to let it run for 6 weeks, before I even think about adding something...I may even try to artificially cycle by adding ammonia, if the 6 week anniversary hits and I still don't show any readings.

 

Are you seeing any algae/diatoms? If so, that may be a good sign that it has cycled and it's time for a CUC?

yeah i used live rock too and mine arrived pretty dried up so I had a lot of die offs to kick start the cycling. I'll upload some images of the rocks in a bit. Will need you guys opinion to identify what they are. There's some red, pink, purple, green and brown stuff on it. Might be time for some CUC.

[Jay Wee]

If you're getting Nitrates your tank is cycled. "Cycled" in this application meaning that your tank possesses both Nitrosomonas bacteria and Nitrobacter bacteria to break down Ammonia into Nitrite and finally Nitrate. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's cycled completely and you can drop in a full bioload. The bacteria in the aquarium needs time to adjust to new bioload and consume the increase in waste in the aquarium, so take it slow. If you're seeing diatoms or algae this would be the time to add the clean up crew. If that goes well you can start adding your first fish or corals.

 

I would do a quick 20% water change before you add the CUC though to bring the Nitrates down just a bit. What are you using for water? Are you starting with RO water and mixing or buying it premixed?

Thanks bro for the detailed explanation. I'l be uploading pictures of the current condition of my rock. Lots of random colors on it. I'll do the water change a day before I get my CUC. I'm gonna order from Reef Cleaners and they only ship out tuesdays.

 

I haven't bought my RO/DI thingie. Right now I'm using Catalina Real Ocean Water sold by Petco.

 

Just read the whole thing. Great build! ........and dat stand!!!!! Killer!!!!!!!

Thank you!!!

[Jay Wee]

Here are some pics of my rock. This is the 11th day of cycling. There's all kinds of weird colors and stuff on it. I can't identify anything so any help would be great.

 

So there's this purple thing going on. Coraline algae? Heard thats the good stuff.

 

Here's some more purple, brown and some nasty looking green. I was told if it's not hairy its nothing to worry about. How true is that?

 

What's this nasty yellow color? And anyone knows what that shell case looking thing is on the bottom right?

 

What's that mini fur ball on the top? Looks like bird's dropping to me.

 

What's that skeletor looking thing? Need to get me some He-Man.

 

u see that? WTF is that red hair? Disgusting.

 

 

 

[rdck99]

Here's some more purple, brown and some nasty looking green. I was told if it's not hairy its nothing to worry about. How true is that?

Bubble algae isn't hairy...I had to remove quite a bit of that from my tank. My thread has some pictures of it before and after it was removed.

[defender.TX]

Hey, the rock is looking pretty good!

[2four9]

Jay I just wanted to say you really cemented me on getting the razor! Enjoying following your thread.