Tank Arrived today

[c.poindexter]

This is absolutely awesome. I think that it is great that you are getting to set this up and share the journey with the kids.

 

[Mark Gray]

Those kids are going to love this

 

[James Hammett]

First test with refractometer put specific Gravity at 1.024. Hydrometer reads 1.026 not a huge difference, but a difference. I also added another 20 pounds of live sand understanding that that may very well cause the whole cycle to restart but me and the kids were unhappy with how thin the Sand bed was and asa. Group elected to add more. Originally only had 12 pounds so the 20 brings it to the 1 pound per gal mark.

 

[James Hammett]

First test with refractometer put specific Gravity at 1.024. Hydrometer reads 1.026 not a huge difference, but a difference. I also added another 20 pounds of live sand understanding that that may very well cause the whole cycle to restart but me and the kids were unhappy with how thin the Sand bed was and asa. Group elected to add more. Originally only had 12 pounds so the 20 brings it to the 1 pound per gal mark.

Not real sure how I feel about the different substrate like this may have to figure out how to blend it

 

[James Hammett]

Ok I have been gone since Saturday when I put the additional 20 pounds of Live sand in the tank. Had a funeral for a family member back in Louisiana. Upon arriving back to school this morning I think that the addition of the sand after set up may have been a rookie mistake. As you can see the tank is covered with the silt I assume from the sand the walls the rocks and most concerning the sump area the heater and return pump are covered. (I will add pictures of those areas.) any suggestions on how to recover.

 

[James Hammett]

 

[hecterma]

It will be fine. You can clean the silt off with an aquarium glass cleaner. It should not effect the cycle.

 

[hecterma]

Do you have a power head?

 

[James Hammett]

I do my students were donated an Eflux system from a wonderful community member here. We have not yet installed it due to Parent Teacher Conferences and my unexpected trip out of state.

 

[Mikedawg]

Usually live sand comes with a flocculent to bind particles together and mitigate "dust." Like HE said above, just wipe it/blow it off, but you'll probably want to remove and clean your return pump once the water clears to rid your system of this particulate matter.

The Biocube 32 is designed to be run as a wet/dry filter I believe, even though many ignore such advice and have very successful tanks. Might be interesting since you've discussed nitrogen cycle with your class to ask students how different filter media systems are supposed to work to establish beneficial colonies if you haven't already done this - not like my biology class where hard questions from students were "answered" by our teacher showing a movie, ha ha.

Also, students might find this useful: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[James Hammett]

First full water test today with kiddos. Tank has been up two weeks I think, 'have to check dates. Added the 20 pounds of live sand on the 17th. These are the parameters we came up with. Sorry no pics of kids doing testing I got distracted and didn't take any. What do these Numbers tell me? I have not seen any of the expected brown algae as of yet. Want to be sure we are ready before adding any thing living I.E. CUC

 

[James Hammett]

After confirming my students test numbers by taking a sample to the LFS the guy at the store and so decided our tank is likely “mid cycle” at this point. Which he says is good since I essentially started with dry rock “no life on it” another week or so we should be ready for a CUC

 

[James Hammett]

This guys wasn’t in my tank when we set up. I didn’t use live rock. I since added one small piece of live rock attained at Petco and 20 pounds of live sand from the same so he must have been in or on one of those. Any Idea what it is.... looks like some kind of flat worm to me maybe???

 

[Reef Box]

Doesn’t look like a bristle worm. I can’t ID for sure but anytime you have live rock you will have critters (hitchhikers) that come with it. Most will be harmless and add to the ecosystem by eating waste/uneaten food etc. Unless someone IDs it as something to remove I’d let him stay.

 

[hecterma]

Checkout this website, it has helped me out a lot with id's.

https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

 

[vector824]

Looking good! Waiting on the cycle is the worst part, but it's really cool to watch the levels change as the bacteria build up. Keep us updated!

 

[James Hammett]

So I originally set the tank up on February 12. with snow days and m heading down south for a funeral it has sat a bit with nothing done. We tested the parameters on Friday the 23 as well as had a LFS retest that evening. Our numbers and theirs matched. The guy at the store said he thought we were about half way through a cycle. My question. SHould we set the lights now? We haven't turned lights on for more than 4 minutes at a time (demo length) since setting the taank up because somewhere i read or heard that lights to early would lead to a algae bloom?

 

[James Hammett]

HAving trouble deciding which structure we like better. We had to rebuild structure after putting in new sand a couple weeks back. half the class wanted to go higher the other half like the sprawled out version. Is there a benefit from one to the other?

 

[Reef Box]

HAving trouble deciding which structure we like better. We had to rebuild structure after putting in new sand a couple weeks back. half the class wanted to go higher the other half like the sprawled out version. Is there a benefit from one to the other?

I’d go with the lower spread out version. Less likely to create dead spots in flow and more area for corals. Just my .02

 

[hecterma]

I’d go with the lower spread out version. Less likely to create dead spots in flow and more area for corals. Just my .02

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