New BioCube 29 - Suggestions?

[katyproud21]

Just set up my new biocube 29! Put in around 27lbs of cured live rock today. How long should I wait to add any critters and coral. And what corals/invertebrates are good for beginners? Any input appreciate!

 

[indyjaco]

I would give it at least 2 weeks. Buy a test kits for Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, AlK and CA. The last two are great for if you try to keep corals. With the Kits you will see ammonia turn into nitrites, then nitrates. Once you have zero nitrite and ammonia you can add fish. With your cured live rock this should happen faster.

I would recommend a 2 month wait before coral. Good starters for me were zoas and other soft corals. Avoid xenia and Green star poly's. It will take over and spread.

I started with a BC29 20 months ago.

 

[MrDJeep123]

Which lights? Stock PC or hqi?

 

[katyproud21]

At indyjaco, I bought the test kit for reef aquariums. May go get the other one bc the reef one doesn't include an ammonia test. Thanks for the suggestions on coral types- I'm interested in zoas as they are so brightly colored. Thanks for the warning about the spreading potential of the others.

At MrDJeep123, right now I have what the latest biocube29 comes with. Which is a 10,000 daylight, blue actinic and blue led strip. There is a spot for another light but not sure what type I can put in there as the extra 10,000 daylight bulb I bought doesn't fit. I'm thinking it may be for another led strip? Is this light combination enough for corals and invertebrates to be healthy?

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

As mentioned above wait for ammonium and nitrite to reach zero and nitrate to get closer to zero. Zoas and shrooms are fairly easy and your lights should be fine for them. Most invertebrates don't need good lights, unless they are photosynthentic