How to cycle my biocube

[abryant]

So I’ve had my biocube 32g set up for about a week now and I put live rock and live sand in there and used imagitarium water from the pet store what should I add to the water to build up the proper bacteria to add fish and when should I do my first water change and about what percentage should I be doing?

Im new to the hobby so any input would be great thanks!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Cycling an Aquarium

Cycling a new aquarium. One of the earliest topics a new aquarium hobbyist needs to learn is how to properly cycle their aquarium. There is a ton of information on this process and many different methods on how to accomplish it. There are many different chemical and biological cycles our tank...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is nowhere near simple. This task is going to take patience, a...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

New to Saltwater & Reef Aquariums? Post Here

If you're new to the Saltwater Hobby and have questions please post them here. So you finally decided to take the plunge. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask!

www.reef2reef.com

 

[RandomUser7]

If you used live rock and live sand then all you would need to do is add a source of ammonia. There is already plenty of beneficial bacteria in your rock if it's truly live rock. If your pet store doesn't sell bottled ammonia add a small amount of fish food everyday and test the water for ammonia and nitrates. The advice I recieved is to not do your water change for 2 months to let the beneficial bacteria build up. If you do add fish within those two months only add in one fish and don't do add in anything else. Remember that as water evaporates from the tank, you need to add in RO/DI water to replace the evaporated water.

 

[Tired]

What kind of live rock? Dry rock that was put in a bucket of water for a bit, or actual ocean live rock?

 

[kevgib67]

I started my Biocube with live rock and sand. I waited a week to test and it was cycled and I added two clown fish. That was over 14 months ago. Your live rock has enough bacteria to have a minimal to no cycle. When you test and there isn’t any ammonia and nitrate is present you are good to go ( if nitrate is over 20 do 20% wc). I do 4 gallon water changes weekly. Feel free to hit me up with any other or new questions. Good luck!

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I’ve had my biocube 32g set up for about a week now and I put live rock and live sand in there and used imagitarium water from the pet store what should I add to the water to build up the proper bacteria to add fish and when should I do my first water change and about what percentage should I be doing?

Im new to the hobby so any input would be great thanks!

Typically you want to add your bacteria and then ammonia chloride or a piece of shrimp (shrimp for 48 hours). Then you want to monitor ammonia. When your ammonia is steady for 5 days at zero after it has fallen and Nitrate is steady at 20 or below- You are cycled. Ignore nitrIte Unless sky high
The tank will go through two phases in which ammonia will rise then fall and nitrate will rise and fall which is normal. When fish are added, the bacteria population will increase with the new bio load, converting waste to nitrate.
Overloading tank with too many fish right away will exceed what the bacteria can handle which is why its best to stock fish slowly over the next few months so that the bacterial levels can adapt to the new loads

 

[ReefHog10]

I did the same when I was first starting and have used Imagitarium water with good success. The 5 gallon size is perfect for a weekly or biweekly water change and there is minimal evaporation with the stock lid (just know where your water level is and top off with a little RO water every day or two - a gallon of RO water will last you a month or more).

You should be ok with what you have to add a couple of clownfish (they’re pretty resilient). If you want to test to be sure, buy some ammonium chloride at the hardware store (be sure you’re getting pure ammonium chloride) and add enough to get your ammonium level detectable - if it is back to zero in 24 hours, you’re cycled enough to add a couple of clowns. Let them be alone, preferably with lights off (to avoid major algae issue) for a couple of months and you will build up your bacterial population. You can then begin to slowly ramp up your lights, add a fish or two, and cleanup crew as the algae starts to grow. Can also start testing nitrates once a week or so and once they start reading 10-20, that would be a good time to get in the habit of a weekly 5 gallon water change/tank vacuum. After that, you’ll be well on your way. Slow and steady. Good luck!

 

[abryant]

What kind of live rock? Dry rock that was put in a bucket of water for a bit, or actual ocean live rock?

It was dry live rock

 

[ReefHog10]

“Dry”’ live rock isn’t going to have any bacterial populations still on it (may have at one point, but not once it dried out). Might pick up some biospira at the pet store (I assume you’re going to petco),
dump the whole bottle in the tank, and then try the ammonium chloride experiment I mentioned above a few days later.

 

[abryant]

“Dry”’ live rock isn’t going to have any bacterial populations still on it (may have at one point, but not once it dried out). Might pick up some biospira at the pet store (I assume you’re going to petco),
dump the whole bottle in the tank, and then try the ammonium chloride experiment I mentioned above a few days later.

it’s labeled as live rock is is covered in coralline but it wasn’t in a tank it was vacuum sealed in plastic, so technically it’s not live rock as it is labeled as?

 

[divewsharks]

it’s labeled as live rock is is covered in coralline but it wasn’t in a tank it was vacuum sealed in plastic, so technically it’s not live rock as it is labeled as?

It labeled as live rock because of “marketing”. It sounds like man made rock that is made purple to give the appearance. The rock will become “live” over time. As mentioned bacteria colonies will need to grow/develop as well as the bio-film and everything else.

 

[divewsharks]

Do you have any friends with established tanks?

 

[ReefHog10]

I’ve seen them pull “live rock” at the chain stores (petco specifically) dry out of a cardboard box and put it in a tank. What you’re getting may have been there 2 weeks or 2 hours so it’s probably not very “live” from a healthy bacterial population. As “divewsharks” mentioned, if you know someone with an established/healthy Tank who can give you some rock or sand that helps a lot. If not, just add bacterial starter (Bio-Spira, microbacter start, etc) to your tank and give it some time. Once you add the bacterial starter, you can likely safely add a couple of clowns but can use the ammonium chloride test beforehand just to be 100% confident. It takes months-years to have a diverse and healthy bacterial population.. likely a lot to do with why going fast generally leads to poor results and taking it slow tends to be far more successful.

 

[abryant]

Do you have any friends with established tanks?

I do not unfortunately I just got into the hobby but I do know I little bit and have some knowledge my dad used to have a tank maybe 5 years back and I’ve always had a interest in the hobby since then

 

[MoMoTheMonster]

I used dry rock in my tanks also when I started. I would get Bio-spira to help build bacteria as others have stated. That's what I used also when got my tanks up and running. Best of luck!

 

[divewsharks]

I do not unfortunately I just got into the hobby but I do know I little bit and have some knowledge my dad used to have a tank maybe 5 years back and I’ve always had a interest in the hobby since then

No worries, it just jumpstarts you. I have setup many tanks from scratch with dry rock. I am partial to Dr Tim's bacteria. It provides the necessary bacteria to get you started very quickly for small population of fish; it however, will not speed up the maturity of the tank (the bio-film and ugly phases); that only happens with time.

 

[abryant]

No worries, it just jumpstarts you. I have setup many tanks from scratch with dry rock. I am partial to Dr Tim's bacteria. It provides the necessary bacteria to get you started very quickly for small population of fish; it however, will not speed up the maturity of the tank (the bio-film and ugly phases); that only happens with time.

So currently I have a clown fish in there he seems to be doing fine I’ve had him for like a little over a week would I still be able to add that stuff in?

 

[brandon429]

lets see a tank pic of the setup

very interesting to see how things present if the rock was dry when added, no bacteria and a fish plus daily fish feed.