Accidental marine tank build - JBJ 28G

[icejam]

For those who want some background story here is my intro.
So this being an all in one build it will not be too exciting for most people but it is my first marine aquarium.

Day 1:

If the picture is worth thousand words this will be one million word post

Safely home:


After removing dead moths and spiders, and taking everything apart, and cleaning, and rebuilding again it was time for a leak test [sorry no pictures of the moths].



After that it went smooth(ish). I have enough LR for 3 tanks this size so it took me forever to decide which ones to use and how to arrange everything.



Inspecting, rinsing, weighing and cataloging all the LR.







Arranging the LR:









After couple of hours I finally left it at this:





Overall not a bad first day.
Rest of the rock moved to the single container for storage with power head and a heater.

Equipment wise - everything is JBJ stock - pumps, filter, light, skimmer.

What went well:
- didn't break anything

And not so well:
- don't have a heater that fits the filter area - to be bought this weekend;
- wave maker doesn't work - to be investigated this weekend;
- discovered that floor in my house is far from level.

Thanks all for reading. Any comments greatly appreciated.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Thanks for sharing. Not bad for a million words. Nice deal on the tank too.

 

[Katrina71]

Hey I'm pretty sure @saltyfilmfolks had or has a similar tank to yours. Might be a great source of info for you. Super knowledgeable!

 

[icejam]

Day 2

Not much has changed. Run all my water tests. The only one I don't like the look of is ammonia.

 

[icejam]

Thanks for sharing. Not bad for a million words. Nice deal on the tank too.

Thanks. Originally I wanted to include photos of every single piece of LR but that would be weird, right

 

[icejam]

I did not like the look of ammonia test - come out somewhat cloudy so I took a new one this morning.
Looking much better:

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Nitrites coming down yet now that they have spiked?

Good start!

 

[icejam]

It might be over before it even started...

Day 3.

So I dealing with issue completely unknown to me - excessive heat.
Here is what happened.
I left the tank running with MH lamp running and the tank lid down.
That day temperature here in Calgary hit 35C [95F].
My house doesn't have AC and it heated up to 26C [79F]

By the time I got back from work I had chowder in my tank - at whooping 34C [93F]
The MH light enclosure was at over 40C [105F] and the light ballast (sitting under the tank) at 50C+ [125F].

I immediately turned off the light and took the lid off the tank.
In couple of hours the water temperature dropped to more manageable 27C [82F]

I wanted to do partial water change with cooler mix but that probably isn't the best approach in that situation?
Good thing I do not actually have any fish or coral yet - it would have been a disaster.

Anyway the light has to go as I can't afford a chiller (nor I have room for one) at $400+
So this weekend I will try to DIY some light solution while I look at other lighting options.

Any good DIY or extremely cheap chiller out there?

 

[icejam]

Nitrites coming down yet now that they have spiked?

Good start!

My nitrates are staying at 0 ppm, haven't spiked at all.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Nahhhh. You are fine...

You can freeze 2 Liter water bottles and rotate them on hot days floating in the tank.

Play with the size of frozen volume before you put fish and coral in to see what regulates without cooling it down too much. If you had a sump, I would say put them in the sump, but if you only have the top DT, this is a quick, cheap fix, you just gotta get the formula right so you don't "over cool" it... Which is pretty much impossible at 95f outside and no ac. Simple Clip on Fan on the Hood and some holes drilled will keep the light at bay as well.

Get the plastic bottles precision clean with a 2parts water to 1parts vinegar soak and rinse well. never let it go in the tank without a quick FW RO wipe down.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

My nitrates are staying at 0 ppm, haven't spiked at all.

nitrITEs... That's after ammonia and before nitrATEs

 

[icejam]

nitrITEs... That's after ammonia and before nitrATEs

Yes, sorry - I meant nitrites. Everything is pretty much staying at zero the whole time.

 

[icejam]

Nahhhh. You are fine...

You can freeze 2 Liter water bottles and rotate them on hot days floating in the tank.

Play with the size of frozen volume before you put fish and coral in to see what regulates without cooling it down too much. If you had a sump, I would say put them in the sump, but if you only have the top DT, this is a quick, cheap fix, you just gotta get the formula right so you don't "over cool" it... Which is pretty much impossible at 95f outside and no ac. Simple Clip on Fan on the Hood and some holes drilled will keep the light at bay as well.

Get the plastic bottles precision clean with a 2parts water to 1parts vinegar soak and rinse well. never let it go in the tank without a quick FW RO wipe down.

Thanks! I haven't thought about floating ice in there (in containers of course).
I don't expect the weather to stay like that for much longer and by the time I'll have fish it will be fall.
Sump might be the cheapest upgrade ($100?) and something I am planning of doing this year.
Also the light already has 4 cooling fans - more fans, more noise so the light has to go, at least for now.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Well if your 1st ammonia test was in fact correct, that's normal, ammonia spike, then bacteria colonize that eat the ammonia, and create nitrites as their by product, which is step 2 of your cycle, and then the same from nitrites to nitrates.

The ammonia test you thought might have been wrong, is actually exactly what you are looking for. Have you dosed bacteria or ammonia or have anything in there to start your cycle yet? ie.. CUC

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Nano Sump giveaway...

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...-now-check-it-out.420389/page-16#post-4959626

 

[icejam]

Well if your 1st ammonia test was in fact correct, that's normal, ammonia spike, then bacteria colonize that eat the ammonia, and create nitrites as their by product, which is step 2 of your cycle, and then the same from nitrites to nitrates.

The ammonia test you thought might have been wrong, is actually exactly what you are looking for. Have you dosed bacteria or ammonia or have anything in there to start your cycle yet? ie.. CUC

I only have experience with fresh water aquariums so the levels are somewhat different.
LR came from an established tank if that makes a difference and I haven't added anything to the water yet but have some little critters living in there

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Ammonia spike is what ur looking for once u start forcing the cycle if u choose to.

So dont worry if u see it rise. That's a good thing so u can colonize that strain of bacteria, which will domino effect to the others.

Dosing dr Tim's or seachem stability, api, whatever bio booster u choose will help if u wanna hurry it. But it isnt necessary if ur gonna take ur time. If u choose to use bacteria dosing, soak a sponge in it that will fit into ur filter and put it in there after its had a 24hr soak in the bacteria dose.

Just remember the ammonia-to-nitrogen cycle must happen constantly... if u lose ur ammonia source u lose the cycle.

Any questions at all just ask in the appropriate forum and someone will be happy to help!

Best of luck,
Rich

 

[icejam]

I am not in a hurry to add any animals to the aquarium. I am planing on leaving the tank be for 3-4weeks (with regular test) and then doing a partial water change.
That gives me time to read and learn how to look after it all better and buy some more supplies so I don't kill the fishes

 

[RichtheReefer21]

U won't need to do a water change if u have nothing in it.

 

[icejam]

There is couple somethings in there
I'd rather change some water before getting any 'real' animals in there.