Newbies Bio Cube 29

[reggie11]

So, here we go!! I am really new to all this. Hoping LOTS of people here want to help me out!

I have done a bunch of reading, but it was a few years ago, lost my job and couldn't get a tank started. So I came across a great deal and got a smaller tank a few weeks back. But alot of the info is gone

. I sent the tank up on Friday, got some GREAT live rock from the LFS. They had a tank that was sold back to them, and I got the rock. All sorts of great things on it! But I wanted the time to relearn some of the things I had read before. So get ready for every dumb question in the world, but every time you answer one, I get smarter!! So thanks in advance!
Question one. I have a bunch of corals(polups?) and mushrooms on my live rock. Should I be feeding them yet? Really I think my tank is still cycling, but the LFS said it should be done in a week with the rock I got.
The LFS is 45 minutes away, so I will ask a TON of questions this weekend, I just don't want to kill off all my cool stuff!!!
Of and as for my set up. Bio Cube 29, live sand, 25lbs of LR and 3 hermit crabs.
I will get pics up ASAP.
Thanks
Willie

 

[nissan577]

well it really depends the rock you got. was it from a tank holding LR or from a tank that has corals and such already with it. meaning in a establish tank.
if so then yea within a couple weeks maybe 2 it will be done. but to be on the safe side the tank will be ready withing a month. just test every day if you have your own test kit.
here is what you can do for a refugium in the 29g
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...d.php?t=362865
any other question please post.

Carlos
Nano Reefer

 

[reggie11]

It came from an established tank. I guess the main question is will it make it till the weekend or should I try to find the time to get there before then? It's really great, I would hate to lose it!

 

[spanko]

Welcome to SWF! Glad to have you aboard.
So if I understand correctly.....
You have a 29 gallon biocube that you set up on Jan. 22.
(Did you mix your own saltwater, have you made sure the salintiy is correct, do you have a heater in the tank, what temperature is the water?)
Then you purchased some live rock that already had some coral life on it. (How did you transport the rock home?)
You talk about the rock, do you also have some sort of substrate in the tank?
Did you purchase any test kits, if so what brand?
Let's start here for now.

 

[reggie11]

LOL, well I guess I was a little to vague. I mixed my own water. The salintiy is right(went and bought a refract after not being happy with the hydro's readings) I have a heater on the tank and it is holding steady at 76-77(not a digital one, getting on this weekend) I got the rock an brought it home in a styro cooler wrapped in wet newspaper. I have live sand in the bottom. I did not purchase a test kit. Getting one this weekend. LFS told me not to yet and to bring them a water sample this weekend and they would test everything then. Going to get some pics right now and should be up in an hour or so.

 

[reggie11]

 

[spanko]

Okay well that is a lot of life to have in a few day old tank. You may have a potential problem coming depending on how much if any die-off occurred on the rock during the trip home. The rock looks like it has been in a tank for a good amount of time with all of the life attached, so it may just have enough biofiltration bacteria on it to handle any ammonia spike that could happen. If this were my tank I would not add anything else for the next two weeks during which time I would
1 get my own test kits
2 verify that the tank is not going to go through any ammonia spike.
3 if after two weeks I did not see any ammonia or nitrite readings I would start to slowly add some clean up crew members.
These are my opinions here let's see what some others say. To me this is almost like moving and existing tank in that you have such nice rockwork with a lot of life on it but I would still err to the side of cautions and take some time with it.

 

[reggie11]

So the big question still, should I start feeding the tank? Thanks everyone for your help so far, I choose this site because everyone here seemed so helpful!

 

[spanko]

Nothing to feed other than your lighting.

 

[reggie11]

OK, well all is going well so far. Going to the LFS tomorrow and I am going to change the filtration over. I am getting a real algae problem. My substrate is starting to turn color, how long should I leave my lighting on everyday?

 

[spanko]

8-10 hours is usually good. What color is the substrate turning, brown? If so this is normal in a new tank. It is diatoms, they will use up the available silica in the new sandbed then die off.

 

[firefightremtp]

That LR is awesome. You got some good stuff, lets hope it survives...

Have you had your water parameters checked, and if so, what were the readings?
~grace

 

[mproctor4]

I had a similar question about feeding the critters on the live rock. Spanko advised a water change if the ammonia was more than 0.5. and not feeding them during the cycle. My ammonia was 1.0 so I did a 20% water change, the next day it was 0.5 and went down to 0 from there. It has been almost a month and the live rock looks great! I added 2 damsels last week and that is the only food that has been in the tank (other than dead shrimp to start the cycle). Everything is growing well on the live rock. I must admit though, I'm jealous---your live rock is awesome!!

 

[reggie11]

Made it to the LFS. My tank has cycled! They tested my water for me for everything! Everything was great(forgot to wright them down) They tried to get me some fish and other items, but I said no for now, still to much to learn. I did get a few members for my clean up crew. 2 turbo's, 2 of the little guys that burrow(forgot the name

told ya I was new!) and 1 emerald crab. Right before I left the owner came over and handed me a bag with a hammer coral in it for free to show me I wont kill them. Everyone is in the tank doing well.
Oh my algae on the sand is green not brown.

 

[reggie11]

Oh, and I did get a test kit while there. Not doing it today since everything was just tested.

 

[reggie11]

OK, so here is the update. Every thing is going great(almost too good.) I added a pair of of clowns this week end. They are driving me crazy, the stay at the top back of the tank at all times. Guess there hosting it, but the never move around.
I do have a few questions if anyone wants to chime in. I was wondering if anyone uses any of the additives. There are so many buffers to choose from, just wanted so opinions. Also, I would like to add a torch coral and the LFS has a great one at a great price. I have looked them up on a few sites and got a few different ratings on care levels on them. Just don't want to get something to difficult for a newbie.

 

[fretfreak13]

Go ahead and get it. IMO, torches, frogspawns, and hammers are very east to care for. I LOVED my torch, but it gtot BJD after about six months and I couldn't save it. I now have a super happy frogspawn though. =)
And the general rules is to not add anything you don't have a test for. I add Purple-Up like once a month just to feel like I'm doing SOMETHING except watching the tank and waterchanges. lol I don't even do the reccomended ammount. Most people recomend having these tests (sorry if I butcher the spelling, lol); PH, alkalkiniy, calcium, magnessium, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity (refractometer if possible), and temperature. Some people test phosphates too.
Oh, and I'm almost positive that diatoms on the sand can also be green. I have a friggin rainbow in my tank. And the burrowing snails are Narci snails. ^_^ *tagging along* my first tank was a 29, but not a biocube.