Aquatop 40g Recife ECO AIO(1st Saltwater Tank)

JL15219

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Hello everyone! I already have a 29 gallon build thread in the "Members Tanks" section, but last Thursday after trying to find a place to buy live rock I found a lfs that was around 45 minutes to an hour away that sold some. I was planning on just going to buy a couple of pounds of live rock, but instead I came home with an Aquatop 40g AIO. SO I decided to start an AIO thread here just in case I might need some advice from you more experienced AIO owners.

This is the link to my previous thread all the equipment will be the same except the tank obviously and not using the Seachem Tidal 55.

Here are some pictures from the same day I got it:
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And here are some pictures from yesterday night and this morning after transferring everything from the 29g....the light is the one that came with the tank. I also have a Reef Breeder photon 24-V2+
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I'm still in the process of cycling the tank I'm on day 14 of cycle still showing ammonia 1.5 after adding ammonia last night.
 
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JL15219

JL15219

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You might want to add some bacteria to that tank. To help kick start it more.
Just got the Instant Ocean Bio-Spira. I ended up getting the big bottle for 75g because the other one was for 30g only. I guess I need to use a little more than half or I could do a little math and figure the exact mL need. Tested today ammonia still the same at 1.5
 

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Just got the Instant Ocean Bio-Spira. I ended up getting the big bottle for 75g because the other one was for 30g only. I guess I need to use a little more than half or I could do a little math and figure the exact mL need. Tested today ammonia still the same at 1.5
You can't put too much in their really so half is probably fine or 2/3. Whatever.
 

CrimsonTide

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Okay cool....I wonder why the live rock didn't work. You think it wasn't enough or maybe not even live?
Yeah I cant speak on either of them. It might be trying to work and not enough or it might not really be live rock. Sometimes I think stores put dry rock in water for a little while and call it live but it might not have that much bacteria on it yet. Idk. You adding bacteria should help though.
 
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JL15219

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Yeah I cant speak on either of them. It might be trying to work and not enough or it might not really be live rock. Sometimes I think stores put dry rock in water for a little while and call it live but it might not have that much bacteria on it yet. Idk. You adding bacteria should help though.
Yeah that's what I kind of thought about the live rock. When I was there some of the rock looked really white so I asked how long it was in there the guy said months supposedly. I tried getting the rock with the most color on it, after I paid I walked by another tank and all that rock was purple and cost more. I asked about it the guy said it was the same but that rock was dyed purple. So it had me thinking if what I got was even live.
robert downey jr GIF
 

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Yeah that's what I kind of thought about the live rock. When I was there some of the rock looked really white so I asked how long it was in there the guy said months supposedly. I tried getting the rock with the most color on it, after I paid I walked by another tank and all that rock was purple and cost more. I asked about it the guy said it was the same but that rock was dyed purple. So it had me thinking if what I got was even live.
robert downey jr GIF
Yeah like I said. I cant speak on it but adding more bacteria is the best bet. Lol you'll make the rest of that rock live rock lol
 
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Hopefully it will work tonight or tomorrow.
Tested yesterday Ammonia was at around 1.25 so I decided to add the whole bottle. Tested today Ammonia at around <.15 or maybe less, Nitrite at 4 it was very chart only goes to 4, Nitrate around 50. So I guess I should add the ammonia again to see if it can take it down from 2 to.15 or should I do a water change?
 

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Tested yesterday Ammonia was at around 1.25 so I decided to add the whole bottle. Tested today Ammonia at around <.15 or maybe less, Nitrite at 4 it was very chart only goes to 4, Nitrate around 50. So I guess I should add the ammonia again to see if it can take it down from 2 to.15 or should I do a water change?
I would let the nitrite turn to nitrate then you should be cycled. I wouldn't add more ammonia until the nitrite drops down. Once the nitrite drops you can add ammonia and test to see if it will go away in a day or just trust that it is cycled. Whatever you want but I would let the nitrite spike and turn into nitrate. The nitrite eating bacteria take the longest to reproduce.
 
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JL15219

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I would let the nitrite turn to nitrate then you should be cycled. I wouldn't add more ammonia until the nitrite drops down. Once the nitrite drops you can add ammonia and test to see if it will go away in a day or just trust that it is cycled. Whatever you want but I would let the nitrite spike and turn into nitrate. The nitrite eating bacteria take the longest to reproduce.
Oh Okay I will wait to Nitrite is zero then thanks man!
 

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I think you're really close now. Nitrite isn't harmful in saltwater aquariums like freshwater so some would say if the ammonia is down you're good to go but the nitrite is still going to turn into nitrate so I would wait out the spike then you can do a big waterchange to get everything down to the low nitrate levels. I would let all the bacteria eat nitrite and multiply.
 
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I think you're really close now. Nitrite isn't harmful in saltwater aquariums like freshwater so some would say if the ammonia is down you're good to go but the nitrite is still going to turn into nitrate so I would wait out the spike then you can do a big waterchange to get everything down to the low nitrate levels. I would let all the bacteria eat nitrite and multiply.
Yeah I don't mind waiting....how long does it take for Nitrite to go down? Do I still test everyday?
 

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It could take a day or two for the nitrite to go down though. Bc the bacteria take longer to reproduce. It might happen gradually or one day its at 4 and u test and its gone. Mine stayed high a couple days and then I woke up nd it was all nitrate and cycled.
 

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I would test everyday still you can test ammonia to make sure its down and just test nitrite. The day you see the nitrite go down test nitrate. No need to test nitrate until you see the nitrites drop if you're gonna wait. IMO. You could still test if you just really want.
 

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