New saltwater tank Need help!!!!

[IndianaJones555]

So i decided to start a saltwater fish tank. Im new to saltwater but have experience in freshwater for around 10 years. I have a bio cube 14. So i set up the saltwater salinity is to around 1.023 mixed with RO water. So i put the salt water in my tank with the 14 pounds of cured live rock i got from my lfs. Also added biospira for added bacteria. So i have been checking salinity everyday to make sure it stays the same. Also have been checking Amonia levels which are .5ppm for the last two days its been like this. Trying to figure out if this level is normal? If its not should i do a water change? If i set up everything correctly? Should I add a clean up crew to start the cycle a little faster?

 

[SuperDragon]

When your ammonia is 0 and nitrates go up you'll be done in to 2-4 weeks but full maturity is when you see coralline the size of a dime to quarter in a few months, stability at 3-6 months. For cleanup crew add only what you need... too many snails will clean and starve resulting in death and spiked ammonia. Solve problems slowly, enjoy the ride. Controlling water quality/levels is the key.

 

[cmcoker]

Wait and see what the ammonia does, don't add livestock until it's zero.
Have a pic of you live rock?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

yea the live rock probably wasnt fully done. wit for the ammoina to go to zero.

 

[IndianaJones555]

Wait and see what the ammonia does, don't add livestock until it's zero.
Have a pic of you live rock?

Yea I can get a picture of the liverock for you.

 

[IndianaJones555]

When your ammonia is 0 and nitrates go up you'll be done in to 2-4 weeks but full maturity is when you see coralline the size of a dime to quarter in a few months, stability at 3-6 months. For cleanup crew add only what you need... too many snails will clean and starve resulting in death and spiked ammonia. Solve problems slowly, enjoy the ride. Controlling water quality/levels is the key.

So the .5 ammonia level is normal for the cycle?

 

[HB AL]

Salinity doesn't need to be checked everyday, it will pretty much just raise a tiny bit as water evaporates, just make sure you top off with freshwater. The ammonia reading is normal probably die off on the rock, when it gets to zero you are good to go. Since you have no fish I would ghost feed a tiny bit.

 

[Katrina71]

So i decided to start a saltwater fish tank. Im new to saltwater but have experience in freshwater for around 10 years. I have a bio cube 14. So i set up the saltwater salinity is to around 1.023 mixed with RO water. So i put the salt water in my tank with the 14 pounds of cured live rock i got from my lfs. Also added biospira for added bacteria. So i have been checking salinity everyday to make sure it stays the same. Also have been checking Amonia levels which are .5ppm for the last two days its been like this. Trying to figure out if this level is normal? If its not should i do a water change? If i set up everything correctly? Should I add a clean up crew to start the cycle a little faster?

Hi, we have a new 8 biocube. I have been told no water changes for 4 to 6 weeks works best for the cube. No clean up guys for at least a month in these tanks too. I'm new, so you may want to confirm with others.

 

[IndianaJones555]

Wait and see what the ammonia does, don't add livestock until it's zero.
Have a pic of you live rock?

 

[cmcoker]

Looks like some sponges (I think need to look on laptop instead of phone) , bits of algae and few spots of coralline. I think I'd expect just a small ammonia spike from moving, the sponges would be damaged if exposed to air and cause some die off along with some other critters in the rock.

I would wait for ammonia to drop to zero, then feed a little bit of food. If no ammonia shows from the food (will usually take several days to decompose and show up). You should be fine to add first fish, but just one to start. I wouldn't add snails or anything until you start getting algae growing, they'll starve.
Nothing good happens fast in this hobby. (you will hear this over and over)

While you are waiting, I'd suggest looking up quarantine procedures and decide if you will quarantine your livestock. I quarantine all livestock, from snails, to corals, to fish. It is a bit more work on the front end, rather than a tank teardown to remove sick fish in the long run. But this is something to research and decide before your first fish.

I'll mention my current fish in quarantine, a Paracheilinus lineopunctatus, I believe had flukes and was treated for that, and is currently being treated for intestinal parasites. He also had 30 days of therapeutic copper level, to prophylacticly treat for ich and velvet. He's been in quarantine almost 6 weeks, I hope to get him in the display next weekend if all goes well. Had he been introduced to the display when purchased, then I'd have definitely introduced flukes/intestinal parasites to current livestock as well.


Happy reefing!

 

[Dahni]

When your ammonia is 0 and nitrates go up you'll be done in to 2-4 weeks but full maturity is when you see coralline the size of a dime to quarter in a few months, stability at 3-6 months. For cleanup crew add only what you need... too many snails will clean and starve resulting in death and spiked ammonia. Solve problems slowly, enjoy the ride. Controlling water quality/levels is the key.

Yes indeed!

 

[Reef 450]

It looks like u have too much growing in such a short time is your light on? I recommend it be off during the cycle process. Ammonia is normal during this time. It will go down and ur NO2 will spike then go down to zero this will then turn to NO3 at that point once ammonia and NO2 is zero u can add some fish. Also be mindful if NO3 is above 30 do a water change before adding a fish.

 

[IndianaJones555]

No lights on right now just actinic just for show I guess. Just had the light on to take the picture. So no water changes until the cycle is done?

 

[Reef 450]

Correct. Also what equipment do you have?

 

[IndianaJones555]

For filtration just the stock filtration right now. I have a mod I'm installing tommorow. Which it will have a three level media tray inside it.

 

[SuperDragon]

So the .5 ammonia level is normal for the cycle?

Yeah normal for the cycle unless something died, ammonia is lethal.

 

[IndianaJones555]

Yea the ammonia has gone and nitrite is going up so I'm assuming it's moving to the next stage of the cycle.

 

[IndianaJones555]

So diatoms are going crazy in my tank. Some live rock is turning green and brown. Is this normal?

 

[JoshH]

Tank Uglies!

 

[Jason mack]

Just be patient it's the key too success everything that is happening is normal .. sit back relax ,test Your water once a week nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank !!! Happy reefing