CCXGT's 10G Nano Reef

[CCXGT]

So my water level has dropped by about 2 or 3mm over night.
I check salinity and it's still a perfect 1.025, it's like nothing changed, just the water has been disappearing.

I was wondering if it might be the rock absorbing water, but after 2 days? Seems unlikely to me.


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[BigRedsReefs10]

No it's just evaporation, that little isn't going to affect the salinity, but you should be topping it off daily anyway to prevent any swings


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[CCXGT]

THE AMMONIA CAME


Time to get this thing going!


This is the Cycle Guide I'm going to be using:

1. Set up the Aquarium: filters, heaters, lights and all. Be sure to use saltwater.

2. Keep the filter running throughout this process.

3. Provide extra aeration if possible. With an outside hang on-the-back power filter, a good way to do this is keep the water level a couple of inches lower than usual so that water falling from the filter makes a bigger splash than usual; the more bubbles breaking on the surface of the water, the more oxygen is in the water, and the bacteria need oxygen to grow. You can raise the water level when you are ready to add fish. Other types of filters may offer other aeration increasing options. Or, the addition of a simple airstone might suffice.

4. If you can, try to keep the temperature of the water up in the high eighties (F) for reasons explained above. Remember to adjust the temperature back down to a livable temperature for your fish before adding them.

5. Inoculate your aquarium with bacteria, either by placing some material from an established aquarium or use a commercial bacteria culture. Use Fluval Cycle and the directions given. Wait about an hour.

6. Put 1ml of Kleen Off in the tank. Test Ammonia and it should read around 3ppm. Wait for the ammonia to go back to a "safe" level. This may take several days. Repeat this many times, each time waiting for the ammonia level to get back to "safe" before adding more ammonia...

7. Continue to put ammonia in the tank until the Ammonia Test shows that the ammonia level goes to zero within 8-12 hours after the ammonia is put in. Try putting some in the morning before work and checking when you get home. Once the tank shows the ability to lower the ammonia level in this time interval, this means that a large population of bacteria is resident in your filter. This may take 2 weeks or even more (even four weeks).

8. While the ammonia level is at 0.50ppm, test for nitrites. If it shows zero nitrites, proceed to the next step. If it does not, go back to step 8 and repeat step 8 three to four more times and then test again for nitrites.

9. Adjust the heater down to a livable temperature for the fish (78°F). Do a very large water change (about 90%), and then you are ready to add fish.


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[Bectan01]

Sounds like a lot of work! I would have recommended tossing in a raw shrimp and letting nature do it's thing all good though, at least you'll have mastered the art of testing your water when all is done! Keep us posted...


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[CCXGT]

Sounds like a lot of work! I would have recommended tossing in a raw shrimp and letting nature do it's thing all good though, at least you'll have mastered the art of testing your water when all is done! Keep us posted...


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Yeah... It is the cleaner method tho.

I've read that letting shrimp or food decompose in the water column leaves a lot of nutrients hanging around, which algae would love.


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[CCXGT]

Day 1 Testing:


I'm following that guide so Ammonia will be getting tested religiously.

Just wanted to check PH and it's a solid 8.


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[Fishanatic]

Day 1 Testing:


I'm following that guide so Ammonia will be getting tested religiously.

Just wanted to check PH and it's a solid 8.


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Itll be more of a patience game than anything now

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

 

[CCXGT]

Itll be more of a patience game than anything now

55 Gallon- Empty
125 Gallon- CKF and Tiger Oscar
220 Gallon- To come...

Yeah... I'm confident in it cycling within 3 weeks though..


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[CCXGT]

I just found this lil sponge that fits onto the HoB intake.


Is there a point it sticking it on?


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[CCXGT]

So this is what it looks like so far on Blue only (I love what Coraline looks like under these):



This is a tank I'm using as inspiration for what I'm trying to do:



A nice big striking coral in the centre - GSP, Monti

A flowing and colourful coral on either side/one side - Hammer, Xenia, Torch

Some kind of space-fillers towards the bottom - Zoa's, Acan, Mushrooms

Something on the substrate/very low down (if there's space) - Plate, Leather


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[CCXGT]

Cycle update:


Ammonia has plummeted back down to between 0 - 0.25 in just 3 days!

Dosed back up to 3ppm and will test again tomorrow.


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[CCXGT]

So the tank is able to take care of 3ppm Ammonia within 24 hours.

Nitrite is now skyrocketing.


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[CCXGT]

I think I may have found a bristle worm in the tank.

It's about 2" long, extremely thin and has little hairs - or bristles - all over it.

I'd take a pic but iPhone camera's aren't the best...


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[CCXGT]

I've epoxied pretty much all of the rocks together now, just left out 2 pieces that I'm not too fond of.

Cycle is going fine, Nitrite still high and Nitrate has began showing as well.


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[CCXGT]

I've backed down the Ammonia dosage to 2ppm every day.

Just in the hopes of the Nitrite bacteria getting a move on.


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[CCXGT]

Diatoms have now begun to develop.


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[CCXGT]

Day 20 Update:

Cycle has massively progressed.



Ammonia is at 0.5, I just ran out of test tubes.

Now I should be doing a 100% water change, right?


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[BigRedsReefs10]

If you still have measurable ammonia levels the cycles not done


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[CCXGT]

If you still have measurable ammonia levels the cycles not done


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I'm still doing small ammonia doses until I go to get a fish.


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[CCXGT]

RIGHT THEN

Decided to start a thread, mostly to document and receive feedback for my newbie self.

After 3 months of research, I'm finally ready to get this build going.

First things first, an equipment list:

Machinery stuff:

Tank: 9.3G (35l) Marina 35, (my first ever tank, sitting empty, gathering dust in the garage, might as well utilise it).

Filter: Marina S10 HoB + Chemi-Pure Elite, (the filter that came with the tank, picked up a new pump for it, will be using purely for chemical filtration).

Heater: Rena Smartheater 100w, (the heater that came with the filter and tank couldn't keep up, so I've replaced it).

Lights: 120w Full Spectrum Dimmable Tile + Brightsky 24" Aquarium Suspension Kit, (it's a cheap Chinese knock-off, but a good one according to reviewers. It's also gigantic and I'm preparing for any future growth)

Powerhead: Hydor Koralia 425G/h (1600l/h), (yet again, went big for growth possibilities (may be swapping with a Jebao RW4))


Testing stuff:

Refractometer: The One Off Amazon (told to avoid Hydrometers.. So I did)

Liquid Testing: API Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate and High PH + Salifert Alkalinity Test, (I've had the API stuff for ages, just recently went to get Alk for my Africans, guess it's handy)

Thermometer: LCD Standard Stick On Glass + LCD Digital Probe Thermometer, (two thermometers, no idea why)


Water:

Salt Mix: Red Sea Coral Pro, (for the time-being I'll be using pre-mixed water from my LFS until I get into the swing of things, then I'll be using LFS RO water and start mixing my own)


Hardscape stuff:

Sand: Caribsea Fiji Pink Live Aragonite 20lb, (I know some people think it's pointless but I got it cheap with a deal for the rock)

Rock: Pukani Dry Rock 3kg (6.6lb) + Live Rock 0.6kg (1.2lb) from the LFS (just to fill in gaps in the aqua scape, and filtration/coralline purposes)


Stocking:

Clean-Up-Crew: Small Critter Pack from Charterhouse Aquatics, (5 Trochus Snails, 2 Bumblebee Snails, 2 Yellow Tipped Hermits and 4 Replacement Hermit Shells)

Fish: 1 or 2 True Percula Clownfish, (If it's any consolation, I WILL be trading them in once they outgrow the tank)

Corals: No idea yet, (my LFS has a gorgeous Red and Green Frogspawn that I've been eyeing up, I've also seen some Neon Green Zoa's, I'm VERY interested in Star Polyp's as well)



So that's that.
Now, cycling.

I'll be cycling by dosing Kleen Off, it's a cleaning product that IS safe for Ammonia dosage. It is 9.5% Ammonia and I've worked out that a 1ml dose will get the Ammonia to 3ppm.
After that I'm gonna follow CyberAquarists cycle plan which got him through in 20 days total. Basically dosing Ammonia repeatedly until the BB can take it down in 12 hours.

I'll be testing every 2 days or so and will be keeping a graph of the cycle's progress.

I'll be getting my rock and sand on Thursday or Friday (which just happen to be the two days I'm off college ;-P) and I'll pop right down to the LFS for the water.
20G of water in the back of my Punto... The poor thing...


LET'S GO


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Small update on this stuff.