14 gallon biocube advice

[Karlos69]

Hi im new to this forum and to well everything with aquariums. I bought this biocube last week but it came with nothing in it but live rock and live sand. The ph was 7.7 ammonia was .6 nitrite is .1 and nitrate is 5. Those numbers havent changed in a week ive had it. Ive been reading lots but just need some advise its got green algae on the live rocks and ive only seen one 3/4 inch clear tube worm. I dont know should i pitch the rock in there and clean the tank with vinegar/water or do you think i can save this ecosystem the way it is with adding some new live rock to the stuff there.

In the end i want it a cuc /reef/1 fish tank. Thanks for any advise.

 

[mr_X]

you could kill the algae off slowly over time by starving it of nutrients, but that rock looks very dense and boulder-ish to me. i would probably get new rock. for a tank that small, i would want to hand pick the rock myself and only use the most porous pieces with some character.
you don't have to wash out the tank- just get the new rock and let it cycle.

(turn the lights off too...you don't need those on unless you want the algae to grow more).

 

[Karlos69]

Ok thanks i will do ya i only turned the lights on to take the picture do you think i should get new live sand too or keep that stuff?

 

[mr_X]

na..you can keep it. it doesn't look too bad from the pics. is it all full of crud?
btw, don't throw those rocks away..put them in a bucket with a heater and power head and cover the top so no light gets in...a couple months and the algae will be gone and you can sell those pieces.

 

[Karlos69]

So i cleaned the tank and got some nicer looking rock the sand was totally filled with well crap lol so i threw it all out , read your reply a little late o well was super stinky anyways lol. Thanks now im on the right track

 

[atte]

Looks much better!

 

[Hinds04]

way better. you'll find all it takes is money lol

 

[Karlos69]

Good thing im on Forbes top 500 this year

 

[mr_X]

take those rocks out of the trash and re-cycle them in a bucket like i said or sell them as base rock.

 

[Karlos69]

How much you think i would get for them?

 

[Karlos69]

Can i use an aerator and a heater or do i need to use a pump?

 

[mr_X]

whatever they weigh, @ about 2 bucks per pound is fair.

 

[mr_X]

aerator and heater is fine....just as long as you have some water movement.
the price of the rock depends on what it goes for in your area.