29gal BUILD

[db9181]

Additionally, I plan on converting one of my 10g tanks into a qt tank (10 is all I have open and it's only a 29g dt do nothing huge). Would a standard filter/heater and small powerhead be good enough? Obviously no rock/gravel -I'll also cover 3 sides of the tank to reduce glare/stress. Would I just add water from my dt since it's already mixed, etc? Or new sw? (afraid with new sw the ph, etc could change very quickly / drastically)
Therefore, when I get some of my cuc this weekend could I pick up my pair of clowns and qt them for 2-3 weeks while I also make sure my dt is stable?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Flow from filters, skimmers and return pipes do not count toward internal flow rate. Internal flow rate should be right at or a little above 10x the tanks volume. Some people have less live rock and do fine, it just depends on your filtration and water change schedules and amounts.
As far as your quarantine, we have an excellent FAQ section somewhere on these forums that can help you with that. Beth is also a great help with quarantine and fish diseases, should you need her help.

 

[db9181]

Alright well I already have acouple powerheads going (at work currently so I dont remember what kind, but I will update later). I was also going to mod them w/ pvc "spray bars" to dispurse/evenally create flow everywhere and specifically where i want to (so no deadspots).
I know theres forums for the QT, did a quick search and didnt find exactly what i was looking for, other than the basic set up that i previously stated. I will PM Beth to verify.

 

[db9181]

Tests:
Temp: 78.7 (aiming for about 77)
Saltinity: 1.025
pH: 7.8 <------ need this HIGHER, my ro/di water tests at like 7.4 i know the LR/LS will increase the pH, but I think im going to need to pick up some pH up
Ammonia: 0.5
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Hopefully my ammonia will settle down this weekend so that I can start on my CUC, starting to get some algae - want to take care of it. Also going to try working to reduce nitrates....

 

[snakeblitz33]

Don't rush into things. A tank needs to sit for a little while, even after ammonia is 0 before adding a fish.
pH buffers do not fix pH. When are you taking your pH reading? It's usually lower in the morning than in the evening. If you want to stabilize your pH even more, add a refugium to your setup on a seperate light schedule than your main tank - even better yet, run an algae scrubber to even out pH and remove nitrate and phosphate from the system.

 

[db9181]

By no means am trying to rush into things. IF my ammonia/etc is 0 then I would like to start (slowly) adding some cuc, maybe 2-3 snails and a crab or so. Additionally, if I was at my lfs I could get my first fish (clowns) and start to qt them for 3-4weeks. During this time my dt would have another month to stablize.
My name question is in regards to my qt. My ro water is coming out with a very low pH (about 7.4) will my reef-salt mix be enough to raise the ph? Or is there another method since it's a qt it's essentially empty w/ some fake aquascape for hiding. Can't add ls bc you don't want and substrate .... Should I add a piece of LR....?

 

[db9181]

Additionally, my nitrates are steady at 20 .... Being that I'm running a fluval and currently alot of filter floss to remove debris, I changed it all out. It wasn't too horrible but 10days of a new/cycling tank has alot of crap in it. Well see what they are at in afew days

 

[kiefers]

If I may..... setting up your QT, do it the same way you are your DT. typically, you don't want live rock/sand in the QT in case you have to hypo the critters in your QT or your DT. If anything you can take out the LR prior to doing so. I personally wouldn't use any substrate but thats me. Why??? Because as stated above, if you have to hypo/copper the fish you will have to dig them out. If you don't..... you will have this sand in the QT and over time you have built a bacteria bed. If you hypo you will kill off all that bacteria and get one big ammonia spike.
On another note, I am very glad to read that you are getting a QT set up. Very impressed.

you can maybe use a filter media from your DT to assist in the cycle of your QT to give it a kick start.
As far as your DT and the trates, you can either do a 10% water change or do as Snake says, just leave it be and the trates will die off themselves.

 

[db9181]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiefers http:///t/387567/29gal-build/20#post_3412225
If I may..... setting up your QT, do it the same way you are your DT. typically, you don't want live rock/sand in the QT in case you have to hypo the critters in your QT or your DT. If anything you can take out the LR prior to doing so. I personally wouldn't use any substrate but thats me. Why??? Because as stated above, if you have to hypo/copper the fish you will have to dig them out. If you don't..... you will have this sand in the QT and over time you have built a bacteria bed. If you hypo you will kill off all that bacteria and get one big ammonia spike.
On another note, I am very glad to read that you are getting a QT set up. Very impressed.

you can maybe use a filter media from your DT to assist in the cycle of your QT to give it a kick start.
As far as your DT and the trates, you can either do a 10% water change or do as Snake says, just leave it be and the trates will die off themselves.
Okay - So I will put some LR into the QT, no substrate.
In regards to my DT - I was told not to do any water changes for the first week or two (due to cycling). Its been approx 10 days....clear to do a 10% change, or should i still hold off?

 

[kiefers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by DB9181 http:///t/387567/29gal-build/20#post_3412227
Okay - So I will put some LR into the QT, no substrate.
In regards to my DT - I was told not to do any water changes for the first week or two (due to cycling). Its been approx 10 days....clear to do a 10% change, or should i still hold off?
go ahead and let it go for a few more weeks.

 

[db9181]

Any other thoughts on when I should do my first water change?
Additionally, I checked my pH in the evening (after 12 hrs of lighting)....still didnt increase and is at about 7.8... Hopefully it will naturally increase some, otherwise i will have to use an additive....

 

[db9181]

Tests:
Temp: 77.5
Saltinity: 1.026 <--- Will add some ro/di water to decrease this (due to evaporation)
pH: 8.4
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Ammonia starting to drop -Also working on converting the 10gal QT

 

[db9181]

side note: finished reading "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" last night"
Any Another other good choices to read?

 

[gundamseed31]

Well, when I upgrade my tank from a 12 gallon nano cube to 29 gallon ocean biocube. I transfer my LR one by One like with 3 days interval along with a new patch of LS. I checked my parameter and I had no spike at all. So i was curious. Lol. I waited a week later... added one CUC. Looked great... then i took a sponge from my old tank and stuck in the comparment that was meant for bio ball. Then I took a risk and transfer my fire goby. Him seemed fine for 3 days. Finally I transfer my Clown fish, though i wanted to get another and add them at the same time but no luck with that since the store wasn't get any shipment for a long time. As it continues no spike what so ever. Eventually a month later I bought more LR to add. Then I was bored one day and checked my nitrates level. I was like hm... 0ppm.... i was oki... Oh i forgot to mention that i bought a clown fish eventually and added it to my tank and my two clown fish got a long well. I was like yay! Then a week or two later I was like... hmm what the heck. Attempt to go with the anemone and mushroom. Yay they have been living well so far. I was like... so my nitrates are really 0 ppm... since my anemone is doing well. and ya.

 

[1guydude]

i transfered a 10gal nano to a 20L nano in one day!

just sayin...as long as u use mostly the same filter media from the old tank ur golden! Thats where most of the beneficial bacteria is

 

[db9181]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///t/387567/29gal-build/20#post_3412753
i transfered a 10gal nano to a 20L nano in one day!

just sayin...as long as u use mostly the same filter media from the old tank ur golden! Thats where most of the beneficial bacteria is
The issue was that this 10g tank was FW and housing 2 breeding cichlids, therefore I had to move them to one of my other tanks and am currently gutting/cleaning out their tank to convert to SW. I will fill it with partially w/ water from my 30g setup, and the rest w/ be new ro/di SW. I can also pick up some more LR to toss a piece in there at some point.
Would it be benefitial to toss in some of the filter floss from my canister on the 30g into the 10g system? I want to get the 10g QT ready to go, so it can house/quarintine 1 (maybe 2) clowns in say....10 days or so.

 

[db9181]

Alright, completely cleaned/gutted the old 10gal FW tank and its now officially the 10gal QT tank

Additionally, being that this is 3 weeks into cycling i did a 4gal water change on the DT, and also added some carbon and chem-pure to the fluval.
After the water change, ammonia was at 0 but i am going to continue to "ghost feed" the system and see if it stays. Additionally, I will probably start to add afew members of the CUC within the next week. Hoping to pick up my pair of clowns next weekend to start them in the QT tank

 

[snakeblitz33]

I wouldn't put any live rock in the QT either. Only thing necessary in a QT is a place to hide for the fish. PVC pipe or coffee cups work pretty good.
I also would jump start the QT with used filter media from your display tank.
Sounds like you are making all the right decisions so far! keep it up!

 

[db9181]

Thanks snake
I was planning on adding in some plastic plants/decor that i sanitized (yea yea i know fake plants in sw...lol but its just for the QT) for hiding.
As far as old media, I have 1 of 2 options:
1) I can either add in some filter floss from my DT canister, however i recently changed it so its only about a week old.
2) I can add some bio-rings from the canister to the QT, which have been in there for the full 3 weeks. However, Im using the standard 10g HOB filter, so i dont know how many I could fit in there (probably more if i take out the carbon cartridge lol) could I also toss in a handful straight into the QT and let the flow from the filter/powerhead circulate it?

 

[kiefers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by DB9181 http:///t/387567/29gal-build/20#post_3413115
Thanks snake
I was planning on adding in some plastic plants/decor that i sanitized (yea yea i know fake plants in sw...lol but its just for the QT) for hiding.
As far as old media, I have 1 of 2 options:
1) I can either add in some filter floss from my DT canister, however i recently changed it so its only about a week old.
2) I can add some bio-rings from the canister to the QT, which have been in there for the full 3 weeks. However, Im using the standard 10g HOB filter, so i dont know how many I could fit in there (probably more if i take out the carbon cartridge lol) could I also toss in a handful straight into the QT and let the flow from the filter/powerhead circulate it?
You can but why? seriously, the filter media and maybe a little water from the DT would be fine? Where would you put the rings? I would personally get some filter media and add it to the HOB filter. Don't turn this into something difficult. Keep it simple and the clean up will be the same. Just cleaned up ours today from the Daughter's QT experince...... wow...