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Noob first tank question


ReiRei

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Hello!

 

My name is Rei and I am 7 years old. My first aquarium is arriving in 3 days. It is a Red Sea Max Nano. I am really excited!

 

I just want to find out about cycling the tank.

 

I have read up on Red Sea Mature Pro Kit and Seachem Stability. Will it be ok to use both at the same time? I will be using live sand and live rocks.

 

Thanks in advance!

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I thought you had to be older to join up. :unsure:  Anyway, welcome to Nano-Reef.com!

 

16 minutes ago, ReiRei said:

I will be using live sand and live rocks.

When cycling with live rock from the ocean, you just want to put it in your tank with water flow and a heater, and wait for ammonia to become undetectable.  This usually takes anywhere from a week to just over a month (it depends on the rock, the amount of die off and organics, how long it's been at your local fish store, etc).

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Thx! Seabass. 

 

My dad helped me to set up the account and he is alway with me when I am on the forum.

 

I am reading Martin Moe Jr's Marine Aquarium Handbook now but there are so many questions that I will need answers.

 

I try to type myself while my dad helps me with spelling. 

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To you and your dad.  This forum is essentially a kid friendly environment.  However, it can occasionally get a little PG-13 (but not all that frequently).  I believe that is (or was) the reason for the age restriction.  I'm not actually sure if it still exists or not.  Also, sometimes it can get a little technical and scientific (but again, not all that frequently).

 

I'm glad that you are reading a handbook.  The more research that you do (or try to do), the more people will try to help you.  This forum is pretty forgiving about asking a lot of questions, especially if it appears that you've done some homework.  I especially encourage you to ask about livestock before you purchase it.  It has been most of our experiences that local fish stores (LFS) don't always provide you with good or current information.

 

The people on this site have nothing to gain from recommending livestock (or steering you away from something).  Therefore, I would tend to trust Nano-Reef more than a LFS.  Not to say that you shouldn't buy things local, or even talk to them.  You can often learn a lot from the people at a good local store.  But it's usually good to run it past us before you actually purchase anything.

 

As with any site, some people have more experience than others.  The number of posts, or how long someone has been a member, doesn't necessarily mean that their information is better than another member.  And while we agree on many points, you'll see that not all of us do things the same way.  As you spend more time on the site, you might come to trust certain members more than others.

 

Good Luck!

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Thank you for the useful advice, seabass. I will ask my dad to look at some of the posts first before I read them. I am so excited about the aquarium. I will try to borrow more books on the hobby from the library besides learning from this forum.

 

I hope to post pics of my tank when it's ready to go through the 'Cycling' stage.

On 02/12/2017 at 6:06 PM, WV Reefer said:

:welcome:

Thank you, Christy aka WV Reefer!

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welcome to the hobby i wish i started when i was your age.

 

not sure about using both products at the same time.

i know the red sea kit is suppose to be an all i one cycling product though.

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On 12/2/2017 at 11:05 AM, ReiRei said:

I have read up on Red Sea Mature Pro Kit and Seachem Stability. Will it be ok to use both at the same time? I will be using live sand and live rocks.

Welcome, Rei! I agree Coral_chef, I wish I started when I was your age!

 

Red Sea's Mature Pro Kit promises a lot of stuff but I've heard it's pretty hit or miss. Bacteria dosing is something not many of us do unless we're in a time crunch but I used Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7 and dosed a cap full daily in my JBJ 30gl rimless aquarium. I bought the 500ml bottle and it lasted me about a month. I couldn't see why using two different Bacteria dosing products would hurt, though! Just make sure not to put in too much! Those bacteria need air to breathe and if there's too much, they might start to die off before they can get settled! Make sure to put a food source in too, like a little bit of a chopped up raw shrimp! Even using stuff like Stability or MicroBacter7, it's still probably a good idea to wait atleast 3 weeks until going with your dad to the fish store! :)

 

I know it'll seem really hard not to go get that super colorful and cool fish or corals like Coral_chef's profile picture, but stay strong and wait! It'll all be worth it!

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I bought an API Quick Start with recommendation from by LFS. They told me that's exactly what they are using themselves. Everyone is telling me to be patient about fish (including my dad). 

 

I will try my best to be patient. I have to pay for the fish with my own pocket money so I'll be extra careful.

 

Thank you, Coral_chef and AshCom!

24 minutes ago, Coral_chef said:

welcome to the hobby i wish i started when i was your age.

 

not sure about using both products at the same time.

i know the red sea kit is suppose to be an all i one cycling product though.

I really like the colourful fish in your profile pic!

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1 minute ago, ReiRei said:

I bought an API Quick Start with recommendation from by LFS. They told me that's exactly what they are using themselves.

Now API Quick Start is something I know about!

I'm not sure what your LRS told you, but API Quick Start for saltwater requires double the dose it suggests. This is because the bacteria included isn't aquatic. The bacteria is from land and can survive and thrive in water but with saltwater, the bottle doesn't have enough anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that doesn't breathe air)! I've heard some great stuff about Quick Start, though and wish you luck!

 

In the meantime while your tank cycles, I think it'll be a good idea to make a shopping list and a dream sheet of what you want your tank to look like and corals and fish you want! It's always good to have a bit of a plan!

 

Draw out how you want your rocks to look! There's a cool tool artists use when planning called "the rule of thirds".

Take a sheet of paper and draw a your tank. Separate that out into 3 slices. Where the lines meet is where your focal points should be! Here's one that's a work-in-progress for me! The circles are where I'm going to put my eye catching corals! The two circles are where the rock comes away from the rest and makes a shelf and really pops out!

_MG_3092.thumb.JPG.c8b2b827a1c51f07b5c903f11b73bdd0.JPG

 

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21 hours ago, AshCom said:

Now API Quick Start is something I know about!

I'm not sure what your LRS told you, but API Quick Start for saltwater requires double the dose it suggests. This is because the bacteria included isn't aquatic. The bacteria is from land and can survive and thrive in water but with saltwater, the bottle doesn't have enough anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that doesn't breathe air)! I've heard some great stuff about Quick Start, though and wish you luck!

 

In the meantime while your tank cyclesshopping list and a dr, I think it'll be a good idea to make a eam sheet of what you want your tank to look like and corals and fish you want! It's always good to have a bit of a plan!

 

Draw out how you want your rocks to look! There's a cool tool artists use when planning called "the rule of thirds".

Take a sheet of paper and draw a your tank. Separate that out into 3 slices. Where the lines meet is where your focal points should be! Here's one that's a work-in-progress for me! The circles are where I'm going to put my eye catching corals! The two circles are where the rock comes away from the rest and makes a shelf and really pops out!

_MG_3092.thumb.JPG.c8b2b827a1c51f07b5c903f11b73bdd0.JPG

 

 

Thank you, AshCom! I will try to take note of your suggestions. YES! I have started to put up a shopping list for live stock!

 

I will try double doses of the API Quick Start. I just found out that I will need a test kit for the water. I like the Red Sea Marine Care kit. It looks difficult to use but i believe my dad will help me.

 

Also, my tank does not come with a powerhead. Do i need one now? 

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1 hour ago, ReiRei said:

Also, my tank does not come with a powerhead. Do i need one now?

It's not necessary at this point.  However, you should probably get one sometime before you add any livestock.

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1 hour ago, ReiRei said:

I like the Red Sea Marine Care kit

That's what I use, Rei. It definitely does the job but the colors can be tricky sometimes! I suggest getting a sheet of graph paper or ask your dad to make keep an excel document on the computer so you can keep track of your tanks progress! I'd test your tank every day while it cycles! Don't be afraid to do a test twice if you think it might not be right!

1 hour ago, ReiRei said:

Also, my tank does not come with a powerhead. Do i need one now? 

I'd agree with Seabass and say save your pennies until you're thinking about going to your LRS for livestock. A good wavemaker will be worth it but I'd say you have plenty of time to decide!

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Hi Friends!

 

My Red Sea Max Nano arrived two days ago but the return pump was missing from the package. My dad emailed the seller and the pump was shipped the next day to us. We did a water leak test last night and everything seems ok. There is a little surface scratch at the bottom of the sump but after inspecting it for a long time, we kinda think that it is ok.  Also we tried the Eheim 75w heater and it took 24 hours to heat up to the right temperature! Maybe I need a second heater? My dad said that we might need a second one to warm up the saltwater before water change anyway.

 

I really want to get started SOON!

 

We are waiting for our cabinet to arrive. My dad ordered a TMC cabinet with the right dimension. He said that the Red Sea Cabinet is too expensive, we just have to settle for something more affordable.

 

Our Marine Care Test Kit from Red Sea also arrived yesterday, AshCom. 

 

My dad has agreed to buy a powerhead after the cycling is done. He showed me pictures of different powerhead and I kinda like the Hydor one.

 

Lots of stuff to do!

IMG_6988.JPG

Edited by ReiRei
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52 minutes ago, ReiRei said:

Maybe I need a second heater? My dad said that we might need a second one to warm up the saltwater before water change anyway.

I think it's alright that it took awhile to heat your tank.  You probably used tap water that was colder than room temperature (plus your pumps and lights will help heat the water).  I probably wouldn't put another heater in the tank.

 

However, having a backup heater isn't a bad idea.  A lot of people use one to heat their water change water.  I probably should, but don't (and I have a few heaters that are not currently in use).  I guess I feel that it's time consuming, and I really haven't seen any negative effects from not heating it.

 

That's very exciting news about getting your new tank.  I still love new tanks and all their possibilities.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you are going to do with it.

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5 hours ago, ReiRei said:

Also we tried the Eheim 75w heater and it took 24 hours to heat up to the right temperature! Maybe I need a second heater? My dad said that we might need a second one to warm up the saltwater before water change anyway.

A second heater would be an awesome idea. I 100% agree on getting a second one. I'm with seabass and should get another one, but haven't done it yet. I usually heat up my water change water with a big ziplock bag of super hot water from the tap and float it in the buckets. In emergencies or in a hurry, I usually just pour a few cups of that super hot tap water into the sump. A few cups of tap water won't hurt anything.

 

I'm not sure how cold it gets where you're at, but in Illinois, USA where I am it drops below freezing at night and my 150w Eheim is struggling to keep my 30g above 75* F/24* C. I suggest later on, once you have fish, look at getting a controller for your heater. It'll test the water temperature on it's own and if the heater fails and goes too hot, it'll turn off the heater or alarm if it's too cold. Heater failure is the #1 danger to aquariums.

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2 hours ago, AshCom said:

I'm not sure how cold it gets where you're at, but in Illinois, USA where I am it drops below freezing at night and my 150w Eheim is struggling to keep my 30g above 75* F/24* C. I suggest later on, once you have fish, look at getting a controller for your heater. It'll test the water temperature on it's own and if the heater fails and goes too hot, it'll turn off the heater or alarm if it's too cold. Heater failure is the #1 danger to aquariums.

I'm in southern IL. Where are you? :-)

 

 I run two heaters in all of my critical tanks. I've had too many not be able to keep up, or just go out, and I don't notice before it's too late.  I really like the digital ones that show the temperature, so I easily know if they've failed or not. 

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11 minutes ago, jahnje said:

ok, I'm down around Carbondale. 

I was just at SIA 2 weeks ago for work. I was going to stop by Hardware & Pets in Murphysboro to check it out but didn't get a chance.

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3 minutes ago, AshCom said:

I was just at SIA 2 weeks ago for work. I was going to stop by Hardware & Pets in Murphysboro to check it out but didn't get a chance.

Send me a PM the next time you're headed down if ya feel like it.  

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6 hours ago, AshCom said:

A second heater would be an awesome idea. I 100% agree on getting a second one. I'm with seabass and should get another one, but haven't done it yet. I usually heat up my water change water with a big ziplock bag of super hot water from the tap and float it in the buckets. In emergencies or in a hurry, I usually just pour a few cups of that super hot tap water into the sump. A few cups of tap water won't hurt anything.

 

I'm not sure how cold it gets where you're at, but in Illinois, USA where I am it drops below freezing at night and my 150w Eheim is struggling to keep my 30g above 75* F/24* C. I suggest later on, once you have fish, look at getting a controller for your heater. It'll test the water temperature on it's own and if the heater fails and goes too hot, it'll turn off the heater or alarm if it's too cold. Heater failure is the #1 danger to aquariums.

It will be to be another month or so before my dad will buy something for the aquarium. I live in Oxford, UK and right now it is -2 deg celsius outside. Heater at home is on. It has been 4 hours since I put in the Eheim 75w and it is 20.1 deg celsius.

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My first water test results using Red Sea Marine Care kit:

 

PH=8.2

ammonia=0.0

kh= 19 drops before it changed colour (Green) 10ml of water

Nitrite= 0.2

Nitrates= 40

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