New AquaEuro 34 - First SW tank

[Roland42]

After many years of having my nose pressed against the glass looking in I took the plunge. An AquaEuro 34 all enclosed system. After many years of FW tanks and ponds I'm doing a SW tank using all the information gleaned from all the members who post their experiences in this forum. Thank you all or as we say in the Panhandle of Florida - yo'al.
Timeline:
12/9 - Construction (some assembly required)
12/10 - Leak test - OK
12/12 - Water and Sand
12/13 - Salinity test - 1.025
12/14 - Live rock and sacrificial shrimp (pre-dead)
Cycle starts
12/16 - Salinity 1.024
Temp 79F
Ph 7.8
Ammonia >.50ppm
Nitrite 25ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
Don't have test kit for Alk and Cal yet.
Tank is lifeless. I still stare at it, trance-like, picturing what it will be.
I been bit bad.
Look forward to any comments or questions.

 

[Roland42]

Removed ammonia source yesterday (shrimp) and checked ammonia about 12 hours later. Level had fallen to .25ppm so I put a new dead shrimp into the tank. I hope this means a cycle has begun.
I'm concerned about water temp. There is no heater on line and I am using a clip-on 13watt CF for viewing. The tank stays at 80F. The room temp stays between 68F and 78F. The heat source must be the submersible 300gph pump. There are two pumps in the system but I'm only running one at this time.
Maybe go to a smaller or cooler running pump and use power heads for tank circulation.
IDK.

 

[Jason M]

I didn't have a heater but I went out to get one cuz I'm keeping my tank at 84 degrees during my cycle. And also let that shrimp stay in more than a day or to. I just dose my tank with ammonia and the other day I fed it with some fish food even though there is Jo fish

 

[Jason M]

I love the koralia power heads. Do u have any right now

 

[carey]

Glad your cycle has started, it will be over before you know it and then the fun can begin!

My biocube 29g tank stays at a constant 80 degreees without any heater. As long as the temp is constant and doesnt jump around you should be ok at 80 degrees.

While you cycle I would say to run all your pumps and gadgets, all except the lights that is. Just keep the tank dosed up with ammonia and you'll be on your way.

 

[Roland42]

The system has two 300gph pumps. It gets pretty active in there with both pumps running so I don't have any power heads at this point.
Lighting is a 175 watt MH 20k K with a thermo controlled fan but I'm thinking there's gonna be some heat into the tank. If I'm starting from 80F .........
IDK.

 

[carey]

My 80 degree temperatures come from just 2 stock CF bulbs so yeah, I would expect somre higher temps with the halides. Are you running an open top or is the halide part of the lid? You might be able to get an additional snap on fan thing to help if heat becomes a big issue.

 

[Roland42]

Yes Carey, the light is built into the tank cover.
Was thinking maybe I could plumb an external pump, maybe a small Eheim and use the external mount Vortech power head for circulation.
I'd like to avoid a chiller, but.....
I'm sure we'll think of something.
Stay tuned.
Thanks.

 

[Roland42]

Reworked the lines for the active pump. Larger lines, no bends and the temp dropped to 76F. Now I can heat to 78F and give the MH light some room to heat.
Also spotted some pink (not Aiptasia) on a few of the rocks. Life!

 

[Roland42]

Day 5 of the cycle. Nitrites and nitrates way up. Am using an API test kit. Any suggestions for a more accurate kit?

 

[Roland42]

Test results today seem too good to be true. Zeros all around. Am I cycled?