Newbie needs Help!!!!

[Capt'n T]

I am so confused about what I'm doing...I have been reading and reading and reading everything I can on this site.. I have been doing research and now I feel more lost and overwhelmed than I did when I first got my tank.. I have a 12g NanoCube DX with 15lbs of Florida CC and 14-15lbs of live rock..which has been in for about 6 days... I am assuming it is cycling..is there any information/reference material for the seriously lost and confused newbie.. I can't seem to find alot of information directly related to the 12g tanks..Any help/advise/tips/tricks or anything else that would help me would great..Thanks in advance

 

Capt'n T

[xsamx]

What are you asking exactly? Are you asking how to tell if your tank has completed its cycle? The first thing you’re going to want to buy is a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. Once you have that. Test your water often. Make it a habit. The main thing to do is take things slowly! Don’t go crazy by adding fish and corals... add livestock slowly. The key to a great reef is paitence.

[Capt'n T]

I think maybe my brain was in overload..it seemed as though I wasn't deciphering the information correctly. I have been doing a lot more surfing of the site and finding some of the info I was looking for. I think my problem was trying to take in everything everyone had to say and getting freaked out I wasn't doing things right...I am not in a hurry to start adding livestock. I want to make sure that I get the tank as established as I can before doing that. I guess my questions are: Do I have enough LR, Do I need to have better filtration in the chambers(and if so what do you suggest), and the live rock I have seems to take up most of the tank is there a way to break it up maybe (could I add it to one of the chambers if broken up?)it just seems to me there isn't enough room for livestock and is the florida crushed coral an ok subtrate? I don't have any test kits(ordering it as we speak)I didn't even have a thermometer until 3 days ago (temp flucs between 75(lights off)-80(lights on). I use distilled water w/istant ocean salt. Am I on the right track at least? Thanks

 

Capt'n T

[the frag master]

ok capt'n t

welcome to the hobby of nano reefing

 

1st let me say that in my nano cube i have 12lbs of live rock and 12 lbs of sand (live) so far you are good in the rock and sand.

2nd let me say that in my nano i run nothing in my back compartments. i run just empty back there. soo i will have a refugium in the back chambers but only when i get a light that fits.

3rd. what fish are you going to put in? this will be the next step after cycling. Add fish one at a time or if they are clowns for instance (and you want a pair) add them together. after adding the fist fish wait for about a week, then you can add another fish. i wouldnt have more than 3 fish (i.e. 2 clowns and a gobie, ir 1 clown, 1 gobie, and maybe a royal gramma or some other small but rather pretty fish).

last, do not i repeat do not do sps in your nano cube (soft polyp stoby corals such as acropora). there will not be enought light for them. i have in mine, some starburst polyps (which i can send you some when you are ready) and alot of soft corals (leathers and zoos and mushrooms , stuff like that).

and we're always ready to hel on any other questions you might possibly have.

[Enrique]

Capt'n t, what you would like to do now is cycle your tank....just let it run for a few weeks or so and monitor your water parameter with a test kit. I cycled my tank for 6 weeks, and just watched stuff grow out of my live rock. You'll know when you will need a clean up crew when unwanted algae starts growing. Basically, its good to be patient with this hobby, dont rush it. Like you I too have 15lbs LR but I skimped out on the sand, I have only 5-6lbs. florida CC. Your temps are fine so far, dont worry too much about it while cycling but what you could do is visualize the next step. And thats fish, like frag master mentioned, 2-3 but 3 would be max. I have one maroon clownfish...thats enough for me. Now I'm just letting him relax till I start adding corals. But the heart of all this is water parameters....master it. Yet I havent. Remember, each tank has its own unique kind of problem, none of them are the same. And finally, test the water first then fix it. If it aint broke then dont fix it.

[Christopher Pearson]

T, I'm in CO as well. I'd be happy to help out if need be-along w/eveyone else! sounds like right track, just need to catch up on a few things. tester kit would be next. it would be best to have watched the cycle though. roughly w/ that tank, looks like about 2-3 week cycle. therm would be needed, temp flux tends to give ick outbreaks. be sure to research what fish/corals you want. what city are you in? possibly i could recommend a LFS in your area? good LFS would help you out as well. there is a real good one in F.C. & another in greeley.

crushed coral OK, just dont get any sand sifting gobies--they will die. water is not bad, honestly, most areas of CO are fine for using tap water. some will disagree w/me. ive ran 6 tanks from 10 gallon to 125 gallons on tap water only for 2 yrs. i would do weekly water changes, make this habit. IMO, i do at least 50%, recommendation is 30% though. your salt is good, dont be affraid to check out different ones though. you would need to acc. to different salt though--so if instant ocean is working, stay.

what lites are you running-Power compacts? would want to stick to certian corals. shrooms, zoo's, most lps,etc would be good. would shy away from sps & clams on PC's.

filtration, i run 2 whisper filters, they do fine. stick to basics on small tanks for starters, no need for protein skimmers, refuge's, etc. main filter is the sub & rock. keep low bio-load. in 12 gal, i'd keep about 2 fish, pair of fires, gamma, clown gobies, bi-color blen. some like that.

chem's could be looked at as well. calcium, iodine, phyto i'd recommend. good luck.

[Capt'n T]

Thank for all the help..I really appriciate it..I ordered a MJ606/a 50w heater and a hagen master test kit should be here by Thurs or Fri. I also wanted to order a Flo Rotating Deflector any thoughts? Also I am confused about water changes during the cycle..the intructions that came with the LR say 50% every week, some advise on this site say not to do any until cycle complete any advise? After the cycle completes I should do weekly changes anywhere from 15% to 25 % right? As far as the fish I like the clowns and purple fires, but I saw a yellowhead jawfish I really like..from what I've read it doesn't sound as if it would well in my tank, any thoughts? I still need to do a lot of research as far as all the inverts I can put in because I am not too sure of what everything is yet. Also what about cleaning crew (as far as how many should go into a 12g) and do they go in before the fish or after? or Together? Thanks again for all the help..

[Christopher Pearson]

do your water changes after full cycyle. like i said, i would recommend 50% at least. does not matter when you put in cleaning crew, before/after fish. just dont put in a lot. a small turbo or 2, a few crabs. stop there. clowns, (perc's) would be good nano. jawfish are fairly good, they usually burrow tunnels in larger gravel sub's. firefish and yellow clown gobies are great nano fish. flo roating in small nano would be ok. placement is important--dont blow away the substrate.