Inherited Nano

[Stingray68]

I inherited a 3 gallon nano aquarium from my brother-in-law. In it it has a filter, compact lights, live rock, and crushed coral substrate. It was left empty with water, but now all the water has evaporated and left salt on everything.

I just wanna know how to clean this and what I can do with the equipment that I have.

 

[Mebbid]

First thing to do is to fill it with water to see how much damage the salt has done to the tank. The water will dissolve the salt that encrusted over everything but just a warning, the tank might be ruined. You can clean everything but the substrate and rock with vinegar which will take most if not all the mineral deposits off of the equipment.

 

[Stingray68]

First thing to do is to fill it with water to see how much damage the salt has done to the tank. The water will dissolve the salt that encrusted over everything but just a warning, the tank might be ruined. You can clean everything but the substrate and rock with vinegar which will take most if not all the mineral deposits off of the equipment.

I filled it up and dissolved all the salt. The tank looks fine but the filter will not start. I temporarily switched the filter out until I can get it working. I checked (I think) the specific gravity and it was about 1.023. What all do I need to care for some easy beginner corals?

 

[Mebbid]

The next step you need to go through before adding anything is to cycle your tank. After that is done you shouldn't need anything special to keep corals.

Try pulling the impeller out of the filter. It's likely that it's just clogged and wont turn because of salt build up.

 

[Stingray68]

The next step you need to go through before adding anything is to cycle your tank. After that is done you shouldn't need anything special to keep corals.

Try pulling the impeller out of the filter. It's likely that it's just clogged and wont turn because of salt build up.

Thanks that fixed it.

I just got home from school and the tank smells. Do you have any idea what is causing this?

 

[Stingray68]

Ok wow. I just tested the water and this is what I got:
pH: 8-8.1
Ammonia: 4 ppm
Nitrite: 1 ppm
Nitrate: 40 ppm

I don't understand what is causing these concentrations. I have not added anything to the tank trying to cycle it. Where is this coming from?

 

[Mebbid]

There's a whole lot of dead organic matter on dried out live rock. Bugs, sponges, bacteria, and inverts. When they decompose in the tank it creates the ammonia. It's called curing rock and is something that needs to be done before adding rock to an established system. But for now sit back and enjoy the free ammonia

 

[Stingray68]

So will this cycle the tank for me? If it does cycle will it be cycled enough for coral such as mushrooms, zoa, or ricordia?

Also what are the needs of those corals. I have read that they all stay fairly small, so I was thinking that they would be OK in such a small aquarium.

 

[Stingray68]

This is my sorry atempt at aquascaping the nano. It it just an idea