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Fluval 5 Gallon to Fluval EVO 13.5 to Innovative Marine 20 Gallon Peninsula


NanoReefNoobie86

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NanoReefNoobie86

Hey guys, completely new to saltwater hobby. Ive had a cichlid tank running for 7 months now. So ive recently decided to start a nano reef tank. I got the fluval 5 gallon with heater, voyager nano pump, and stock filter (not running while tank is cycling), live rock and live sand. So ive had the tank running and it is now Day 5. Ive attached a pic of the tank and also a pic of my water parameters. So from what I can tell these are my parameters does it look about right from the attached picture? Also is this normal for a tank at Day 5? Thanks guys! This is a great forum!

 

PH=7.8
Am=0.25
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=5.0

 

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FTS 11/7/14

 

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FTS 4/26/15

 

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UPDATE: 10/30/18

 

Just giving you guys an update that I have switched over to a slightly bigger tank, the Fluval Evo 13.5g! And of course here are some pics and my daughter making an appearance helping me keep the glass nice and clean!

 

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&title=Fluval%205%20Gallon%20Nano%20Reef

 

UPDATE: 12/26/18

 

So I've recently moved from NJ to TX. Shipped my corals and ended up losing my two most prized pieces, my torch and frogspawn. I got them as tiny frags and you can see how much they have grown in the pics above, so I'm pretty bummed about that but I recently replaced them with frags from a local reefer down here in TX. Also lost my clownfish and cleaner shrimp. As for other changes, Ive added the PS2 Protein Skimmer along with a different scape, and most recently picked up this awesome scoly for myself as a christmas/birthday present! Onto the pics! Have a safe and Happy New Year reefers!
 

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UPDATE: 2/12/19  Just a quick video 🙂

 

 

 

UPDATE 3/29/2020

Finally upgraded to a bigger tank, Innovative Marine 20 gallon Peninsula!

 

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  • Like 1
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NanoReefNoobie86

Thanks Kijho! Ive only started testing my water from Day 3. As of then no ammonia spikes that i can tell. How long does it usually take? I know that it varies but I have about 4 lbs of live rock and I plan on adding another 1lb this weekend. You think by end of next week which will be 2 weeks running. I will most likely see a cycle?

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Thanks Kijho! Ive only started testing my water from Day 3. As of then no ammonia spikes that i can tell. How long does it usually take? I know that it varies but I have about 4 lbs of live rock and I plan on adding another 1lb this weekend. You think by end of next week which will be 2 weeks running. I will most likely see a cycle?

 

I love seeing how beginners start haha, I think I've given the same piece of advise to anyone who started a Spec edge of V after I did :P

I'm no pro by any means - I'm sure you understand how the cycle works. Ammonia > Nitrite > Nitrate. Nitrate isn't deadly so long as it isn't up at like 50ppm or anything like that haha..

 

Nitrate is the last thing in the cycle. So, if you have nitrate already only 5 days in... I'm not sure how that's possible even haha...

Is that cured live rock? I used cured rock and even I got ammonia. If you were to put a fish in right now it wouldn't be good.

 

This is my one suggestion I give everyone haha - toss some food in there :)

I'd suggest a table shrimp. I know a few who have done this. Instant ammonia right there... I'd perhaps cut a table shrimp in half or something. Go to your grocery store and try and ask the seafood section if you can buy a SINGLE shrimp haha.. cause you don't need a big 40+ shrimp ring with dip unless you wanna eat the rest..

 

But yeah - add some shrimp or some frozen food of sorts and wait it out. You'll need to see ammonia > nitrite > nitrate.

Once you see ammonia you know it's begun. Let it take it's course and cycle - then do a WC and add the CUC. :)

 

Goodluck mate! Post up some pics once you add the shrimp ;)

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NanoReefNoobie86

Thanks man for all your help! Ok so i will add a small piece of raw shrimp and soon as i see an ammonia spike take it out? And i should see a spike in nitrite and then finally nitrate correct? Afterwards like a 50% water change? Or should i do more or less? And after WC good to go with a CUC? Also should i be running my filter through this process? ANd lastly is it gonna smell really bad in my room lol. Sorry for all the questions just very new to this and dont want to mess anything up! Thanks again!

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Thanks man for all your help! Ok so i will add a small piece of raw shrimp and soon as i see an ammonia spike take it out? And i should see a spike in nitrite and then finally nitrate correct? Afterwards like a 50% water change? Or should i do more or less? And after WC good to go with a CUC? Also should i be running my filter through this process? ANd lastly is it gonna smell really bad in my room lol. Sorry for all the questions just very new to this and dont want to mess anything up! Thanks again!

 

I think you leave the shrimp in for the entire process I'm not sure though...

The shrimp is decaying matter which creates ammoina - positive bacteria needs to become established and grow within your tank. Magical unicorns take care of the rest somehow turning it all through the magical cycle LOL.

 

50% will be good. I've only even done 30% WC's in my time.

 

What do you have in the filter? Just the stuff that comes stock with the Fluval tank? That white bio cylinders and black bio bag or whatever?? You can keep them in and run them now .. once you get cycled and only once the cycle is complete would I say swap for Chemipure Elite and Purigen media in the filter.

 

Won't smell bad I don't think. Mine has never smelled bad and it's probably only 6 feet away from my head where I sleep at night in my bedroom.

Although..... sometimes after not doing a WC for a while and I take the lid off I can smell it but only when you're very close.

Just smells like the ocean to me / reminds me of Hawaii beaches haha... But it doesn't smell at all other than that sometimes.

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NanoReefNoobie86

Yes I have stock filter with media that came. I think its the white sponge pad on the bottom, carbon and bio balls on the top. I have read about chemi pure elite and plan to swap out the carbon for it once the tank is cycled. Should i switch out the bio balls for purigen?

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Partially Submerged

Thanks man for all your help! Ok so i will add a small piece of raw shrimp and soon as i see an ammonia spike take it out? And i should see a spike in nitrite and then finally nitrate correct? Afterwards like a 50% water change? Or should i do more or less? And after WC good to go with a CUC? Also should i be running my filter through this process? ANd lastly is it gonna smell really bad in my room lol. Sorry for all the questions just very new to this and dont want to mess anything up! Thanks again!

 

I'd do a close to 100% water change to get the nitrate out. The beneficial bacteria sit on the rock/sand/filter media/etc., so you won't lose anything in the process.

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MirandaCaine

I just got done cycling with the shrimp method... I used a whole small shrimp 2 different times, first one was in for 3 days and the water started to smell a bit (not my room, just could smell it right at the surface), I then took it out, and put in a pinch of food, the smell was gone the next day so I added another shrimp... Was in for almost a week and no smell that time, until I removed it to throw it away. out of the water watch out! Super stinky and falling apart! I didn't do a water change until ammonia and nitrite were holding 0 and nitrate was at 80... But I used dry rock (so you'll have to take other opinions about water changes and cycling with live rock. The only way I would think you got nitrate right off is from partially cured live rock... Partially Submerged is totally right though, the bacteria lives on the rocks, sand, filter media not in the water itself. It's a loooong debated topic (from what I have read) about water changes and cycling, and all the other variables to take into account, so whatever you decide to go with it'll work out just don't try to rush it, apparently that's were you run into problems.

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NanoReefNoobie86

Thanks for the input guys! I havent started the shrimp method yet, I've read that the shrimp you get from the grocery in the frozen section has certain chemicals in it so not sure what to do here lol. I will do a 100% water change once the cycle is over to make sure i rid of all nitrates. Any ideas about what the thing in the picture above? Is it aiptasia?

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Partially Submerged

Thanks for the input guys! I havent started the shrimp method yet, I've read that the shrimp you get from the grocery in the frozen section has certain chemicals in it so not sure what to do here lol.

 

Easy: Just use bottled pure diluted ammonia. ;) A lot less disgusting than dead animals/grocery items swimming in your tank and does exactly the same. It also allows you to dose the desired amount of ammonia right away. Just make sure you don't buy anything that has additives (perfumes etc.) in it. When I bought mine a few years back, the Ace Hardware brand was good and safe.

 

 

Hang on, I just saw that you have several pounds of live rock and live sand. Why would you even want to force a cycle at all? There is no need for that. Just let the ammonia and nitrite go down to zero and then slowly start adding a clean-up crew.

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NanoReefNoobie86

lol I was just going by kijho's suggestion. He was trying to help me jump start the nitrogen cycle i guess? I have had the tank running today will be Day 6. I will do a water test when i get home. If i still dont see an ammonia spike should i just continue to wait it out? Also plan on adding 1 Ib of live rock this weekend. From what Ive read so far I should be seeing some sort of diatom bloom correct? Still havent seen anything so far.

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Partially Submerged

There is probably not going to be a spike. When you introduce live rock, some organisms will die in the processes of transporting the rock, moving it around, etc. But usually there is no mass die off, and since you also have established bacteria colonies on that rock, there isn't going to be a massive spike. Jump starting is really not necessary and defeats the purpose of using expensive live rock in the first place.

 

I'd say just let the ammonia/nitrite go down naturally and then start adding livestock. Now, obviously your tank can only process a small amount ammonia and nitrite at this point, so you'll have to make sure you add livestock very slowly to give the bacteria colonies time to grow and adjust to the larger bioload. Start with 2-3 snails and watch them carefully for a week or two before adding anything else.

 

You may or may not see a lot of diatoms. But when it appears, keep in mind it's temporary and will go away. No need to scrub it off or anything.

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NanoReefNoobie86

Ok I will continue to be patient and do water test. Thanks guys will keep you updated on my process! Any ideas on the aiptasia? I read that red sea aiptasia X works pretty good.

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JMarcink91

I agree with Partially Submerged last post. You used live rock so no need to add the shrimp. Just watch the levels and slowly add CUC. Thats how I did it and everything has worked out well. I had a diatom bloom 3-4 weeks in and it lasted for a few more weeks, but they slowly go away with water changes and the tank settling in. Just watch the levels slowly drop down and you will be fine. Good luck and keep us posted!

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NanoReefNoobie86

So got home and tested my water. Water parameters for today are.

 

Nano reef tank Day 6

PH=7.8
Am=0.25
Nitrite=0
Nitrate=5.0
Salinity=1.024-1.025

 

Also came home to this on my front door!

 

image-1.jpg

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Throw in a pinch of mysis dose bacteria for a week test water for three days at same time everyday. It should tell u what u have patience is key it will happen I have cycled my nano about three different times trying something new every time for the perfect numbers. After cycle Frequent water changes every other day about 16oz out 16oz new. Worked best for me. post-66799-0-88486300-1402221669_thumb.jpgpost-66799-0-23741000-1402222883_thumb.jpg

This was second time I set it back up. Just know that what works for some people doesn't work so well for others.post-66799-0-69928000-1402223042_thumb.jpg

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NanoReefNoobie86

Alright guys it is now Day 9. I went to my LFS to get my water tested and they said I am good to go with a CUC! So i got 2 snails, 1 hermit crab, a peppermint shirmp and 1Ib of live rock. Is this a good start for the CUC? Also can hermit crabs flip themselves over? Here are some pics!

 

FTS

 

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the CUC!

 

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here are my water parameters when i tested at home.

 

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Soooo have you still not seen any ammonia / nitrite?

 

The reason I suggested the shrimp method to him because he already has nitrates, without ever seeing ammonia / nitrite.

Based on the fact that he has nitrates - he's using cured live rock which will produce pretty much no ammonia, as we've seen in this thread - therefor there will not be any positive bacteria in there to fight off ammonia when a producer becomes present in the system.

 

However, you added a peppermint shrimp - I'd be testing the water daily for the next few days.

 

Snails + crabs = death. As your crab grows he will desire your snails shell and he will go on a murderous rampage. It's not "if" it happens, it's "when" it happens.

 

Keep testing mate.. post up the results for the next few days! :)

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NanoReefNoobie86

Aww man, this is just what the guy at the LFS suggested i get. He said I probably wont see a big ammonia spike because I used Cured live rock. I dont know lol just going by what he said. So should I return the hermit crab?

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Aww man, this is just what the guy at the LFS suggested i get. He said I probably wont see a big ammonia spike because I used Cured live rock. I dont know lol just going by what he said. So should I return the hermit crab?

 

I dunno man haha, keep it and see what happens but I haven't seen many snail + crab CUC combo's on here!

 

Just monitor the levels daily and see what happens!

 

Have you done any water changes yet?

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Partially Submerged

Any live rock leeches (and reabsorbs) small amounts of ammonia. Things poop and die in there. ;) So, yes, you could grow the bacteria colonies by adding an external ammonia source, but at this point, it seems better to just add livestock pretty slowly. The 4 critters that are in there are probably okay. Just feed very sparingly.

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  • NanoReefNoobie86 changed the title to Fluval 5 Gallon to Fluval EVO 13.5 to Innovative Marine 20 Gallon Peninsula

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