New to salt

[bigheadted]

Hey folks. I've had a 90 gallon freshwater tank for about 5 years and recently have started a saltwater tank. I have a 100 gallon tank drilled with a 55 gallon sump. I've had it up and running for about 1 month cycling. Yesterday morning ammonia 0 nitrite 0.25 nitrate 0. Last night I was at ammonia 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate 10. This afternoon I tested again and even got a new API test kit to make sure and everything is at 0. Tested multiple times with 2 different api kits. pH is at 8.2 and salinity is at 1.024. Has my cycle completed? I cycled with instant ocean bio-spira and also have 20 pounds of live sand in sumps refugium section with about 100 pounds of rock (not live but cured). There is no algae in the tank or sump. I let tank run for 2 p-3 weeks without protein skimmer and now I have a coral line 220g skimmer working well. Should I get a CUC even though nothing algae wise is visible? I been reading tons of stuff on net trying to figure it all out and figured I'd finally stop lurking and post. Tank is in a small bedroom and I cut a whole in wall and framed tank with moulding to create a picture frame around it. I can't wait to get fish in there but have been forcing myself to wait so I don't torture fish with bad water quality. Also forgot to add that all water in tank is from a spectra pure reef rodi filter system. Ay info, tips, and/or comments would be great.

 

[DRock]

Did you put anything in the tank to create an ammonia load? I used a raw shrimp in my tank to get the cycle going and it worked well to get the desired spikes.

D

 

[bigheadted]

Only things I put in was instant ocean bio-spira and 20 lbs of live sand in sump

 

[Dav3]

I would add an ammonia source just to make sure you are fully cycled.

You won't need a CUC if you keep nitrates and phosphates in check. They aren't necessary. They just recycle the nitrates and phosphates but don't actually remove them from the water column.

 

[meudell]

Right folks I need help. Had cold water for years moved to tropical but not as good to look at as salt so I want to have a go. I have a spare setup for tropical only a small 70 litre tank, and I'm wondering if it's possible to convert to a wee nano tank. Thinking of fish with live rock but that's as far as I get. Any advice in what I can salvage or anything else I need would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DRock]

Right folks I need help. Had cold water for years moved to tropical but not as good to look at as salt so I want to have a go. I have a spare setup for tropical only a small 70 litre tank, and I'm wondering if it's possible to convert to a wee nano tank. Thinking of fish with live rock but that's as far as I get. Any advice in what I can salvage or anything else I need would be greatly appreciated.

Your 70L is a great starter size for salt, to keep it simple with a FOWLR(Fish Only With Live Rock) all you need is a heater, about 20lbs of live rock, I would personally do a sand bed but you don't have to, a simple light, and 2 powerheads creating water flow in the tank. I'd say 2 of the Hydor Koralia Nanos would be plenty of flow to keep your water filtered nicely. There's a lot more you could add to it but that should be sufficient for a healthy tank.

Good luck,

D

 

[meudell]

Hello there

I've read about skimmers and do I need any special lights?

 

[DRock]

Hello there

I've read about skimmers and do I need any special lights?

If you plan on doing any corals or anemones than lights are a MUST, if not lights aren't as much of an issue of tank health as they are visual preference.

A skimmer is never a bad thing to add on to a tank from everything I've researched, but if you don't overfeed and you do regular water changes, they aren't a necessity. I have a few new friends at the LFS who have 10g, 20g, and 40g systems that don't have skimmers and are a few years old.

D

 

[bigheadted]

Hey guys. Tank has been running now for about 45 days. It cycles and all levels are 0. I put two clownfish in yesterday at about 2pm est. I floate bag for 45 mins with lights off and then dripped it for a 1 hour 30 mins. Fish seem to be happy and swimming around. They do not leave each other side for more then a second or two. Woke up this morning and checked levels with two seperation API kits and all levels still @ 0. I'm being a little anal I guess but shouldn't the tank show some level variation.

 

[Dav3]

Maybe some nitrates if you fed them and/or they pooped. But not necessarily. Give it a few days and nitrates should go up a little.

 

[Bsnow0410]

Only things I put in was instant ocean bio-spira and 20 lbs of live sand in sump

So did you ever put another ammonia source in your tank or just the bio spira and sand?

 

[bigheadted]

Just wanted to update. Everything going good. Ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate goes up then back to 0 After water changes each week.
Live stock update.
6 turbo snail
5 astri (spelling) snails
Red/white shrimped cleaner shrimp. Awesome watching him clean everybody
2 clowns
1 yellow tang
1 coral beauty angelfish
1 red legged hermit


What else do u guys think I could get. I want something blue and or otherwise colorful.
100 gallon w 55 sump coralife 220 skimmer in refug

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

That's a lot of livestock for a couple weeks after the cycle.

 

[Sniperhank]

I'd keep an eye on your parameters after adding so much at once. That can easily overwhelm the beneficial bacteria you built up in your cycle. There is evidence of stress by looking at your brain coral there, though color is still there it isn't inflating and you see the skeleton. If you start seeing ammonia or nitrites, do water changes to bring the levels to 0.

 

[bigheadted]

I only have live rock and sand. The corals are all fake.

 

[hackteck]

I only have live rock and sand. The corals are all fake.

had me fooled for a second as well lol

 

[bigheadted]

Lol. Awesome. Atleast I know now they are only like 50% cheesey.

 

[Sniperhank]

Well thank god! Those would be coral in pretty bad shape if they were real...but doesn't change the fact that you need to watch your parameters for a swing. You have to go slow in this hobby or you can set yourself up for failure.