Lots of questions.

wtwrestling07 · Feb 9, 2014

So here is the down low. I just recently got all the stuff I need in the mail and/or from the store, except for a few things, to start up a saltwater/reef tank. I set up the tank last night and it is up and running and I'm starting to cure the live/base rock and cycle the tank. It is a 10 gallon tank. I have everything I need for the tank except a light and wave maker. Only reason I haven't bought them yet is because I might upgrade to a 29/30 gallon if I can find one at a reasonable price. I've been reading on flow for a reef tank and read its best to get about 10 Ã— volume of tank in flow. My choices for a wave maker are 530gph or 800gph. Would the 800gph be too much for a 10 gallon tank? Also I have some questions on curing, cycling, and seeding the sand and live/base rock. I just have play sand from Lowes in the tank, and I ordered the live/base rock off of eBay that someone was selling after they tore down there tank. It said in the description that they just removed it from an established tank in the summer, rinsed it, and dried it out. It is figi live/base rock with some tonga. My question is, after I cure the previously live/base rock, and begin to cycle the tank, will It start to grow coraline algae or become live again without a piece of actual live rock from an established tank? Also, I realise now I shouldn't have added the sand, until after I cured the live rock. Will I be able to use the sand I have in the tank now for when I start to cycle the tank after the live/base rock is cured as long as I do 50 or so % water changes? Or will the sand hold too much of the nutrients being flushed out of the base rock, and if I accidentally stir up some sand, the whole tank is going shut down? I also read some where, when curing live/base rock, to use some of the water from the last water change in the tank, because it has a lot of benifishal bacteria and stuff from the live/base rock. That's why I'm not sure about the sand. Also, after I cure the live/base rock and change the sand, will the sand become live without actually seeding the sand with sand from an established tank after I start to cycle the tank? These are just a few questions I have, that I haven't been able to find a specific answer to, after researching for a couple days. Any advice on the matter would be highly appreciated.

Mike J. · Feb 9, 2014

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef. The first thing that's glaring is your choice of sand. The play sand is silicon based and does no good at all in a reef tank and can actually be detrimental because of diatom growth that use silica for reproduction. You want to use an aragonite sand.

Bacteria don't just grow on their own. With dead rock and dead sand you need to introduce an ammonia source. A lot of people use a raw shrimp to do this.

To introduce coralline algae you'll need to get a rock with some on it or just shavings of it from someone.

A ten gallon is a small tank for a reef, but it can be done. Parameters can change quickly in a small tank.

Most likely you rocks are completely dead and their won't be any die off to start a nitrogen cycle. Do you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?

I'm sure others will chime in and help you get off to a good start. There are some very knowledgeable and friendly people on this forum.

Do you know anyone that has a saltwater tank or are you associated with a local reefing club. If you lived close to me I'd give you some live sand to seed your tank and some coralline algae scrapings.

AZDesertRat · Feb 9, 2014

Hopefully you used RO/DI or distilled water so you do not introduce nasties to your tank?????
Water is the single largest ingredient in a reef system and everything depends on its quality and its stability. With tap water you have neither. If its worth doing its worth doing right the first time.

The beneficial bacteria is not free swimming in the water so using old water does nothing for you. You need to add some real fresh live rock and/or a couple cups of live sand from an established tank for a jump start. Dry rock and dry sand has no beneficial bacteria nd no food source to feed the bacteria's.

Reefing Madness · Feb 9, 2014

Play sand from Lowes is gonna kill you in the long run, as it contains glass, silicates and all kinds of things that will drive you water quality nuts, along with any bottom dwellers having issues.
to start your cycle, go to the grocery store and buy a raw shrimp. Put into a net, and lay the net into the tank water, this will kick start and continue to aid your bacteria growth. Your Rock will become live, so to speak.
Coralline algae will need to be intrododuced into the tank to get it to grow. You will also need to keep your SG, Cal, Alk, Mag, Nitrates and Phosphates inline in order to grow it.
Its was perfectly alright for you to add the sand at the same time as the rock, not going to hurt a thing.

Becoming live is afigure of speach when you are not using Live Sand or Live Rock. The rock and sand you put into the tank will start to team with bacteria, so in a manner of sense it will become alive. But, if you want critters and other things to grow in the sand and rock, you will need to throw in a piece of Live Rock thats already got life growing on it, that will take care of the rock and the sand in your tank.

Singlefin · Feb 9, 2014

Great answers from everyone. Only thing to add is a larger tank is easier to care for than a small tank. 10g is pretty small. A small change in a 10g water quality is huge, whereas in a 30g, in might go unnoticed. Buy the biggest tank you can afford. If it's a 10g. Go for it. There are beautiful nano tanks out there. Welcome and good luck.

WhoKnew · Feb 9, 2014

Welcome to R2R. I also am new to the hobby. But with all the advice from this site, my tank is finally stable. If you could get most of the play sand out of the tank, and replace it with aragonite, add a small piece of live rock and cycle your tank, it will be more beneficial in the long run.

wtwrestling07 · Feb 9, 2014

Well my main problem with the live rock and sand, is that there isn't a saltwater store anywhere for miles where I stay. Closest saltwater store is about 45 min to an hour away so I have to make due with what I got. Another problem, is my only way around is on foot, so I have to order a lot of stuff online. $15-$20 for 1 lb of live rock is kinda steep. I might be buying a 29 gallon, hopefully, if I can get a ride. I did use RO water from Walmart, it wasn't RO/DI, except its better then tap or distilled. So far the tank is doing good. I'm gone try to find someone in there area, that has a reef tank, and wouldn't mind selling a cup or two of sand and a lb or so of live rock. With the rock still curing I should still have some time to get some more stuff.