Advice on tank cleaning

[spacepops]

Hello community I’m new to this forum. But I do need help. I recently purchased a biocube 29 and it was previously set up for salt water. I now have the tank and it still has crushed coral and some filter media in the back. It came with a protein skimmer, two power heads and a intank basket. Everything is dirty. I want to go fresh water and need advice on cleaning and preparing my BC for its new residents. I need some parts lists too. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks In advance.

 

[King Fisher]

Clean it up with vinegar. Soak any removable parts in white vinegar then scrub it with a toothbrush or similar item. Scrape off the big stuff with a screwdriver. If the glass has caked on grime you can use 0000 steel wool.

 

[spacepops]

Clean it up with vinegar. Soak any removable parts in white vinegar then scrub it with a toothbrush or similar item. Scrape off the big stuff with a screwdriver. If the glass has caked on grime you can use 0000 steel wool.

Should I run the system with diluted vinegar

 

[King Fisher]

You could do that too. Make sure you run everything out good afterwards with freshwater. Not sure how effective the vinegar is diluted but it's worth a shot.

 

[spacepops]

Any advice on filter media?

 

[King Fisher]

Is that one of those uniquarium's?

 

[spacepops]

Is that one of those uniquarium's?

It’s a all in one. Biocube “all parts are in he back”

 

[King Fisher]

Ya same concept. I've never owned one.

Mechanical media first then biological then chemical. You don't need chemical. Mechanical and biological you can use sponges. Put the coarser sponge first.... mechanical. Least coarse second.... biological. Stagger the cleaning schedule between the two.

 

[spacepops]

I’m currently soaking parts in vinegar and running 2.5 gallons of vinegar in the tank and the return pump. With the system completely full as if normal. Plan to run it that way for maybe 20 hours then do a complete dump. Scrub rinse. X4 . Then try and add fresh water and new filters and pumps and parts in.

 

[spacepops]

I removed the crushed coral and threw a pantyhose full of 6 pairs of clean socks in it. To catch the falling water and big pieces flowing by. After about 5 hours of cycling with vinegar the tank cleared up and the what I believe are little saltwater worms got soft and whipped right away. I also put the clean sponge I was using to wipe the inside in the opening for the last chamber to slow down the flow and try to help catch more big pieces

 

[spacepops]

I found lots of foamy bubbles in my middle chamber is this normal?

 

[spacepops]

I just ready that using feeders is a bad ideas for cycling the tank. Can some one help with info on this

 

[Delapool]

Not sure on the foam.

For new people I suggest fish-less cycling with a bottle of ammonia. Less stress and you never know what diseases the feeders carry.

 

[Delapool]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ou-get-started-with-your-aquarium-154837.html


http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/fish-in-cycling-step-over-into-the-dark-side-176446.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/your-guide-to-ammonia-toxicity-159994.html

 

[spacepops]

I returned all the feeders and left just one and a handful of rosey reds. I checked my levels for the first time last night before adding 2 teaspoons of bacteria. The foam went away on its own. But I had added a frozen shelled shrimp on the first night and the gold fish ate it with time and when I checked my levels I had ammonia nitrite and nitrate . So the cycling has definitely started it course

 

[Delapool]

Good luck - just keep monitoring and make sure ph doesn’t drop too low.

 

[spacepops]

Good luck - just keep monitoring and make sure ph doesn’t drop too low.

How would I make it rise?

 

[Delapool]

Have you tested your tap water? Generally a water change will increase ph but check your tap water for ph straight from tap (and other tests). Then let a glass of tap water stand for 12 hours to degas / warm up and test ph again to get the true ph.

 

[spacepops]

Good deal I’ll start that tonight

 

[Delapool]

Sounds good - the bacterial populations kind of adapt but as a general idea, nitrifying bacteria slow down below say ph of 6.5 and get really slow below say 6.0.