Re-establishing my previous Biocube 16 gallon LED tank.
I originally set this tank up in the fall of 2021, but then left due to divorce in June 2022. Just got the tank back and apparently it had been running all that time. Everything is bleached but there’s no algae, so I have no idea if the water is even saltwater. It had fish and corals but there’s no evidence of anything but the rocks and sand.
Sunday I thoroughly rinsed everything through multiple water changes with tap water, stirring the sand to get as much out as possible (it was very dirty). Since Sunday it’s been running with 32 oz. of vinegar in the tank which is a very light dilution – I’m hoping it loosens the coralline so that it’s easier to clean off the back wall as its plastic (tank went super cloudy yesterday).
My plan –
Rinse the tank tonight with tap water until it’s clean and remove the coralline from the back wall/powerhead. Clean the return pump, glass, heater and rinse the sand. Refill with tap water and chlorine remover.
Friday – drain the tank again and fill with RO and chlorine remover. Sunday drain and fill with fresh RO and add salt to 1.026. I’m supposed to pick up a little more rock on Friday, probably end up with 7 – 10 pounds total, and will likely bleach all the rock to ensure no pests (not interested in muriatic acid).
I’ve had tanks since 2003 and am going to get on the technology bandwagon with this tank – no live rock, no traditional cycling. In the past, I would have added live rock and monitored levels until the nitrogen cycle completed – this time I’m using Fritz.
Plan is to add Fritz then add 2x clowns within a few hours. Within a week or so I’ll add some biodiversity in a bottle and coralline in a bottle – interested to see how these work! I’m really trying to avoid aiptasia and bubble algae so trying the sterile tank option without live rock. I know there’s a risk with frags and chaeto adding hitchhikers, not sure if I’ll add chaeto, but for any frags I’ll probably re-mount before putting in the tank.
I originally set this tank up in the fall of 2021, but then left due to divorce in June 2022. Just got the tank back and apparently it had been running all that time. Everything is bleached but there’s no algae, so I have no idea if the water is even saltwater. It had fish and corals but there’s no evidence of anything but the rocks and sand.
Sunday I thoroughly rinsed everything through multiple water changes with tap water, stirring the sand to get as much out as possible (it was very dirty). Since Sunday it’s been running with 32 oz. of vinegar in the tank which is a very light dilution – I’m hoping it loosens the coralline so that it’s easier to clean off the back wall as its plastic (tank went super cloudy yesterday).
My plan –
Rinse the tank tonight with tap water until it’s clean and remove the coralline from the back wall/powerhead. Clean the return pump, glass, heater and rinse the sand. Refill with tap water and chlorine remover.
Friday – drain the tank again and fill with RO and chlorine remover. Sunday drain and fill with fresh RO and add salt to 1.026. I’m supposed to pick up a little more rock on Friday, probably end up with 7 – 10 pounds total, and will likely bleach all the rock to ensure no pests (not interested in muriatic acid).
I’ve had tanks since 2003 and am going to get on the technology bandwagon with this tank – no live rock, no traditional cycling. In the past, I would have added live rock and monitored levels until the nitrogen cycle completed – this time I’m using Fritz.
Plan is to add Fritz then add 2x clowns within a few hours. Within a week or so I’ll add some biodiversity in a bottle and coralline in a bottle – interested to see how these work! I’m really trying to avoid aiptasia and bubble algae so trying the sterile tank option without live rock. I know there’s a risk with frags and chaeto adding hitchhikers, not sure if I’ll add chaeto, but for any frags I’ll probably re-mount before putting in the tank.
