New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great!

Here are a few pictures of the setup I recently purchased.

It was an established tank from someone who was just getting out of the hobby. The night we went to get it was real humid, also most of the water in it ( 50 gals ) I also brought home with me, and it seems that it has cycled (only been at my home for a week). Here are last night's test results

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10

I spoke to a lady at Northside Aquatics ( sorry I don't remember your name! ) and she said to not worry about the algae on the back, it was beneficial and probably survived the drive home.

A couple questions though, what ratio of live rock to base rock should I use to make sure that the bio filter is good to go? Also it has a sump ( don't have pics now, but I'll post some later ) with sand, and some type of green grass looking stuff in it ( lots ), is this good bad or what?

And I don't think the cycle could possible be done from what I have read in this and other forums and also articles on the subject. What do you think?
It is a 75 gal 4 foot tank.

Any input would be great! Thanks!

Here is a link to a page I setup with the photos.

Click Here

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Pretty Tank !

You can add as little as you like of the LR, it will just take longer for the dry rock to become alive.

I like 1/3 Live to 2/3 dry - like 25 pounds Live to 50 pounds Dry - but that just my personal preference.

Good Luck with your new tank ! I don't think it's cycled yet - you want to see the ammonia soar & then fall,
followed by the nitrites soaring & then falling when the nitrates climb - then do water changes to bring down the nitrates.

Read this excellent post - http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fis ... arium.html

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

If all you did was move the tank and the tank was already up and running when you tore it down. Yes, It could never spike any thing like a new tank. I would give it a week or two before I did anything crazy.

It is possible you never see a cycle.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Did it come with a lot of mature Live Rock, that was moved & had little die off - if so - I missed that fact.

If that was the case... your mature LR with little die off could be fine. But having said this... going slow seldom wrong...

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

It was an established tank with corals, anemones, LR, the whole works.

It was running when I got there, we turned it off, drained the water into a clean 55 Gallon drum, took all the accessories out, loaded in the truck and drove home immediately.

It was really humid that night, almost to the point of raining, and once we got home I set it up right away. It probably didnt go without water in it for more than 4 hours total.

Unfortunately, I do not have any live rock to put in it right now, the budget isnt liking the new hobby, but I hope to get some within the next week or so.

I also have a 10 gallon that has been running for about 3 weeks now and it's test result have leveled off now as well. Is 3 weeks long enough or should I monitor that one a little longer?

It is a brand new tank with 10 lbs of live rock and 5 lbs of base rock. Have had a azure damsel in it since week 1.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Since you don't have any live rock now, and you plan to add base rock I think that if you were to use a 50/50 ratio of live verses base you would be better off. If you put two much base rock in the tank it will more than likely have a cycle. The good part is you have an established sand bed( as long as it wasn't disturbed or allowed to dry out)and that will help when you add base rock.It will kinda seed the base rock. Just take your time and don't hurry on getting the tank fully stocked. I would just get a box of base rock and a few nice pieces of live rock to start with and wait a week or two and when funds allow buy a few more choice pieces of live rock and maybe some more base rock until your happy with the aquascape and test the tank water until you see the cycle happen and then slowly stock the tank over the next 6 months or longer.


The green grass stuff in the sump is good and is called cheatomorphia (cheato) for short. It will remove nitrates,phosphates, and house tiny little bugs called pods(also good) that can be a food source for the fish in the tank


As for the other tank you have running now it is probably done with the cycle but you could wait one more week just to be safe. The 10 gallon should see a algae bloom when the cycle is done. Thats my two cents, Hope it helps.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Thanks!

So now the question is, Where is a good place to get good base rock? At NSA in Maumelle, their display tank has Tonga Branch Rock ( I think ) but the lady there told me it wasn't available anymore. Is there anything similar in shape to that? And where can I get it?

On the algae bloom, how can I tell? Will it just accumulate on the glass, base rock, sand?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to learn as much as possible about it so I don't have to bother you in the future

Thanks in advance!

Also here is a link to a few better pictures, still not great pics, but until I get lights, I don't think I can do much better.

Link to Photos

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

This post really needs to be moved to the General tab or New Reefers tab so that people will know that you are looking for info and not just posting pics.

As far as rock, Tonga comes and goes. NSA is about your best bet along with Pet Country in Conway and Paradise Pets in Benton. Hot Springs had a far amount of rock last time I looked but I cant remember the name.

Its really up to you on what you chose. Its all preference.

You should still see a Diatom Bloom. The brown like algae fuzz that will coat everything for the first week or two. This should clear up as the tank levels off on its good and bad bacterias.

Nitrate or Nitrite I doubt you have or even ammonia. This tank should never go there if if was already good and was set up that night. Congrats.. you got a faster cycle than ever!..LOL

I would still take it slow... Give it a few weeks to balance, I would go ahead and start to put together the clean up crew though. Hermits, Snails, the works so that you have a minimal impact on the tanks before and after phase.

I know it may be hard but also add your rock slowly. Few pounds a week or so until you reach where you want to be.

As far as the 10 goes.. (and I don't mean to sound blunt or rude).... but if this is your first go at reef tanks... break it down and put it in the big tank. Small tanks are work. Anyone that says they are not either A.) has a ton of money sunk into the set up or B.) is way too addicted to the hobby to admit that it interferes with their real life.... I fall into B but ,either way.... Still it is not safe practice and I would rather see you succeed with a big tank than get mad over a 10 and decide its not the hobby for you.

Happy Reefing!

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Reefman I think your right on the small tanks... I seem to beg for punishment. Never done a marine tank or a reef tank and jumped into a 12gal nano reef. Quite a bit of money and time in that glass box.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Thanks again for the info!

I plan on tracking the entire build of the tank on this thread, I'm just wanting info as I go along as well.

So the 10 gallon isn't the best of ideas?

I was told by several people that it is much harder than a larger tank, due to the smaller volume of water making chemistry changes catastrophic. What would be a good use for it then? Just move everything into the larger tank for now and later use it for something productive, or as a frag tank, or ????

Thanks again for all the help!

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

If nothing else use the 10 as a refugium some how for the big tank and put a all of your cheato and calaripa in there with a light over it. It would work fine for that.


Its always fun to have little tanks but I would advise to not try it until you have a year or two into the hobby. By then you should understand the chemistry needed to make the little tanks work.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

If you use WET CURED rock, either live or base rock, it well have good bacteria in it and well not cause any cycle, infact just the opposite. If you use any dry base rock or UNCURED live rock, you well cause a cycle unless added at small amounts a little at a time. It is like adding animals, which is all that rock is, you have to let the bacteria population build to handle the added load.
I would ditch the 10 gal. and since you're new to this, learning one tank is more then enough of a challenge. Good luck and go slow and keep asking questions.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

OK so how much dry base rock can I add at a time without upsetting the balance? 5lbs 10lbs?

Also I just got back from NSA in Maumelle, thanks to Shannon for all the info!

Got 10 hermits and 10 lbs of dry base rock (hence the question above) I also took some pictures at NSA and they will be added this photo gallery as soon as I get them off the camera.

Photo Gallery

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Check out this link...

https://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp?PAGEACTION=COMPANY

small extraction:
Can I add Marco Rocks right into my established tank?

We do not recommend our rock or any other rock right into an established tank.

Even though Marco Rocks has been washed and dried it will still have some trapped organic material that will break down and need to cycle before it is safe to use in your tank.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

It can depend on alot of things. The depth of the sand bed for one, the deeper the more good bact. you well have to eat the bad from the new rock. Also the amount that survived the move, and both of these you have no real way of knowing. In a 75 I would try 5 lbs at a time, add it and keep an eye on the ammon. and nitrite levels for a week or so and if you see no movement add the other 5. I would not add anymore critters after what you have now for several months. Get your rock all in before you add anyother stuff, especially if you are going to be adding dry rock. Hermits add to the bioload and the last thing you want is a spike in bad bact.. Also even though you may not get a spike you are adding bioload even with just uncured rock and need to let the good bact load adjust its population upward.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

OK I have broken down the 10 gallon, moved it all over to the 75.

The 15 lbs of live rock that was in the 10 looks a LOT less in a 75

I also moved the live sand from the 10, and put 10 lbs of base rock from NSA in the 75. I haven't noticed any change in the Nitrite but the ammonia level went to about .5 PPM and the nitrate has gone up to 40 PPM

Should I be worried about the damsel and/or the hermits that are in the tank?

Also, this is completely unrelated, but what is the best way to clean a protein skimmer up and make it like new again?

Thanks in advance!


PS I didn't move it all at once, I spaced it out over the last week.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

I already have a 20 gallon sump/refugium under the 75, and I was going to use the 10 as a quarantine tank.

But (I know this is still 6+ months down the road) what about larger fish, such as a convict tang. Will it hurt them to stay in a 10 for a couple of weeks before I put them in my main tank?

And I know I'm barraging you guys with tons of questions, but what about corals, should they be quarantined before addition to the main tank ( I ask so I know if I need to get a good light for the smaller tank as well )?

Thanks again!

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

Calvin - hard to say... tank could be cycling again & that would not be good for livestock - you can hope for a small cycle - just test test test & go slow adding any more fish... is my best advise.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

oh... I clean my protein skimmer at the sink, with just tap water & elbow grease, bottle brushes work great too.

 

Re: New Build From Extablished System, Advice would be Great

It is a very good idea to QT corals. You don't know what type of pest could be on a coral and it may take several weeks before you will see any sign of the little pests. I would go for a good light now just in case.