32g Biocube start up-questions

[Judi M]

Hello!

Sorry for the long post but so many questions!

Years back I successfully had a 14g biocube with both fish and coral (3-4 yrs until heater went while gone over weekend) but feel like I've forgotten most of the cycling process.

4.5 wks ago I started up my 32g biocube with dry rock, biosphera, live sand and lights on for 4-5 hrs. Sporadically put a pinch of food in (maybe 1x week?) I am using stock lights, and purchased a Cobalt 15o W heater. I also bought a Hydor circulation and wave pump I need to add to tank this week. (also bought a refractometer and back up battery operated air pump)

Last weekend tested and A=0 and N=5 so we added 2 clowns. I was using my old API kit but LFS confirmed these results. I have new tests (red sea & seifert arriving tmrw)

Now brown spots (diatoms?) have started to develop over the past 24 hrs and I am starting to worry that maybe the first cycle/month didnt really do anything/cycle?

I jumped the gun on a online auction and have 2 ricordea shipping out in 1.5 weeks :-( (I know I know-Ive been so patient until this!) I ordered CoralRX to have on hand too.

I feel like every question I have, I feel like I keep reading different answers-so coming here for help.

1. Any way to tell if the tank really cycled (1st stage) the first month?
   
2. How often should I be feeding and how much? I am feeding Hikari Marine 1-2x daily with about 12 pellets ea time. I also have mysosis frozen shrimp to feed every 2-3 days? Recommendations on a good flake to add to rotation?
   
3. I also extended my lights to 10 hrs (too long?)
4. We bought some Caribsea Life rock to add to tank. It has "fake" coraline but is supposedly infused with good bacteria. Will this cause any negative impact to take? (suppossedly it is a good thing to add at this point?
5. I have a media rack and fuge rack arriving this week. My plan is to have the heater in Chamber 1, Chamber 2: next to chamber 1-first the media rack with top-down: floss (may use up the old biocube filters i have on hand), then Chemipure, then purigen. Next to this in refuge, I will be adding chaeto (arrive in a week) with small LED light on all the time once in place...and possible dry rock rubble. Last Chamber has my pump with stock sponge. (Currently, I am not planning on a skimmer as previous experience, I didn't feel like it helped at all) Does this all sound ok?
6. Testing: I have the following kits (Salifert kit arrives tmrw) API=Amonia, Red Sea=NO3, PO4, Salifert=Ca, KH/Alk, Mg. Can you tell me how often I should be testing for each of these at my current state? Is there someplace you recommend to read about actions to take if one of these parameters is off?
7. I bought a bucket of Instant Ocean salt (not opened yet), but have been reading that some salts will work effectively enough to reduce the need of much additives for corals. Is Instant Ocean good for this? If not, any supplements you recommend I pick up asap? (and brands if there is a preference?)
8. Anything else you think I should be considering or am missing?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Hello!

Sorry for the long post but so many questions!

Years back I successfully had a 14g biocube with both fish and coral (3-4 yrs until heater went while gone over weekend) but feel like I've forgotten most of the cycling process.

4.5 wks ago I started up my 32g biocube with dry rock, biosphera, live sand and lights on for 4-5 hrs. Sporadically put a pinch of food in (maybe 1x week?) I am using stock lights, and purchased a Cobalt 15o W heater. I also bought a Hydor circulation and wave pump I need to add to tank this week. (also bought a refractometer and back up battery operated air pump)

Last weekend tested and A=0 and N=5 so we added 2 clowns. I was using my old API kit but LFS confirmed these results. I have new tests (red sea & seifert arriving tmrw)

Now brown spots (diatoms?) have started to develop over the past 24 hrs and I am starting to worry that maybe the first cycle/month didnt really do anything/cycle?

I jumped the gun on a online auction and have 2 ricordea shipping out in 1.5 weeks :-( (I know I know-Ive been so patient until this!) I ordered CoralRX to have on hand too.

I feel like every question I have, I feel like I keep reading different answers-so coming here for help.

1. Any way to tell if the tank really cycled (1st stage) the first month?
   
2. How often should I be feeding and how much? I am feeding Hikari Marine 1-2x daily with about 12 pellets ea time. I also have mysosis frozen shrimp to feed every 2-3 days? Recommendations on a good flake to add to rotation?
   
3. I also extended my lights to 10 hrs (too long?)
4. We bought some Caribsea Life rock to add to tank. It has "fake" coraline but is supposedly infused with good bacteria. Will this cause any negative impact to take? (suppossedly it is a good thing to add at this point?
5. I have a media rack and fuge rack arriving this week. My plan is to have the heater in Chamber 1, Chamber 2: next to chamber 1-first the media rack with top-down: floss (may use up the old biocube filters i have on hand), then Chemipure, then purigen. Next to this in refuge, I will be adding chaeto (arrive in a week) with small LED light on all the time once in place...and possible dry rock rubble. Last Chamber has my pump with stock sponge. (Currently, I am not planning on a skimmer as previous experience, I didn't feel like it helped at all) Does this all sound ok?
6. Testing: I have the following kits (Salifert kit arrives tmrw) API=Amonia, Red Sea=NO3, PO4, Salifert=Ca, KH/Alk, Mg. Can you tell me how often I should be testing for each of these at my current state? Is there someplace you recommend to read about actions to take if one of these parameters is off?
7. I bought a bucket of Instant Ocean salt (not opened yet), but have been reading that some salts will work effectively enough to reduce the need of much additives for corals. Is Instant Ocean good for this? If not, any supplements you recommend I pick up asap? (and brands if there is a preference?)
8. Anything else you think I should be considering or am missing?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!

32 Biocube here as well. It sounds like you cycled and it does sound like diatoms. Let's see a pic.
Im personally not a flake food fan, others may have a different opinion but I view it as potatoe chips for fish. I feed mine lrs and the fish devour it. Reef frenzy and fish frenzy, emerald reef, mysis and pellets (alternate).
With your light on after cycling you will experience a diatom bloom, it's normal, you will probably experiance several stages of ugly.
Your system is probably to new for cheato, you will need time for the tank to mature, you probably won't have enough nutrients to support it.
Weekly water changes will help with your trace elements. No need for the purigen at this point IMO. You chose nice test kits, I test and water change every Sunday. Water changes on the Biocube are simple. I agree on the skimmer. I do recommend a ato, I installed the tunze nano and love it. This is a good time to seed pods. But most important, take things slow.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Oh, and some kind of controller for your heater. Inkbirds are inexpensive and there are better ones out there, but they are better than nothing. I run them on all 3 tanks with no issues.

 

[Judi M]

Thank you for the feedback! I am expecting (trying to prepare for) the "uglies" lol and hope my clowns don't feel disappointed in their new home when it happens LOL
What is lrs?
I have cheato on order-I can try to cancel as it hasn't shipped yet-thank you for the advice. And I will hold off on adding the purigen for now.
How much do you change on Sundays? 5-10%?
How often do you recommend testing for where I am at?
I will look into the ato. (thinking that an ato and auto feeder might be needed for mini vacations)
I am adding a day 1 pic and a current picture, but we bought 10 lbs of Caribsea Life rock we are adding and will be changing up the scaping a bit in the next day or so.

 

[Judi M]

I need a controller even with the cobalt? I have another digital thermometer to collaborate and confirm?

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I'm using cobalts as well, all heaters can fail, it's a cheap insurance policy. We do 4-5 gallons. It's simple with a gallon tea pitcher, 4 out then 4 in. Tank looks nice! Testing once a week should be fine, consistency is the key. I recommend starting a build thread so you can post your parameters, new additions or changes. Then if you ever need help you have a point of reference and we can all watch your tank grow.

 

[Hemmdog]

I'm using cobalts as well, all heaters can fail, it's a cheap insurance policy. We do 4-5 gallons. It's simple with a gallon tea pitcher, 4 out then 4 in. Tank looks nice! Testing once a week should be fine, consistency is the key. I recommend starting a build thread so you can post your parameters, new additions or changes. Then if you ever need help you have a point of reference and we can all watch your tank grow.

That is so funny! I use a gallon tea pitcher for my 32 biocube as well! Small world lol

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Obviously great minds think alike! Lol

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Welcome to R2R by the way, I didn't realize this was your first time posting.

Time to introduce you to some GREAT folks that will be more than happy to help you along the way.

#welcometor2r

 

[Hemmdog]

Ah yes, welcome to reef2reef!

 

[Judi M]

Is there a specific thread for starting a "build thred"?

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Yes, if you look under my signature it will have a link.

 

[Judi M]

I feel like such a dork but I can't seem to find what you are referring to? I clicked on your username, tried clicking on your tags, and see nothing at the bottom where I would think a signature statement would be? :-(

 

[hdsoftail1065]

No worries! I always use my phone and never could figure out what people were talking about when they mentioned their signature, until they told me to rotate my phone. Here is the link to make it easier.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks.52/