Cycling a new Biocube 32

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,481
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes for sure can run the chaeto it's great for a new tank. You get to add everything but fish right up to your chosen stopping point. I'll be happy for you later on this morning when lights come on maybe fspawn will open up a bit on his first day

After that brain is added that's plenty good balanced start for it all, run a couple weeks getting them used to feed + water changes they'll seat
in nicely

10 cuc members is perfect, watch in case any are weak and die, pull them out if so. A dead snail is powerful rot but I think they're tough and should be ok.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes for sure can run the chaeto it's great for a new tank. You get to add everything but fish right up to your chosen stopping point. I'll be happy for you later on this morning when lights come on maybe fspawn will open up a bit on his first day

After that brain is added that's plenty good balanced start for it all, run a couple weeks getting them used to feed + water changes they'll seat
in nicely

10 cuc members is perfect, watch in case any are weak and die, pull them out if so. A dead snail is powerful rot but I think they're tough and should be ok.
Thank you, I will keep an eye on them. I actually have a nice update picture for you! My chaeto will come in on Tuesday. I will be picking up the Favia this weekend and if I see a good deal maybe another type.

ECAAEDA8-48E4-4D67-BE97-26F183104EC3.jpeg 0478069A-751A-476E-A57F-1E73CC6196B5.jpeg
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,481
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You are in your final proofing stage of cycle closing too, using biology.

zero corals will open in bad water if thats the case for some reason, he opened fast. Corals will open in low calcium or nitrate or alk water, those have long term implications not burning sensations, but the other params are tied to not being cycle ready / inability to handle ammonia and the end result is burning, they won’t open.

the cuc has been pumping trace ammonia all nite.



all the steps and order so far is designed to limit water clouding. Early feeding, nitrate or phosphate media, harsh sandbed access can cloud and those are not harmful clouding events but they mask harmful ones.

inability to control ammonia will 100% result in cloudy water by end of day today with ten cuc members in place and if the tank was not cycled the clouding/ammonia will kill it all by tomorrow.

we have prevented clouding by means other than pending doom lol so now today she just runs heavy blue, corals getting used to things and tomorrow when opened up turn off pumps, shoot a lil feed it’ll catch a tiny bit and eat. Some feed but not too much will pass off into the tank and begin supporting food webs and mushroom w eventually feed on compounds in the water.
the brain coral will eat directly too, like the fspawn

if for some reason I jinxed it, the large water change is the offset to clouding or bac blooms of any type, pouring in slowly to not kick up sand and get interference cloud in place. For the first few weeks we are feeding pea sized portions so it all gets used to digesting pure proteins without going cloudy. The feed landing around the coral being degraded by bacteria is the most powerful source of ammonia in the tank while it’s this new.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You are in your final proofing stage of cycle closing too, using biology.

zero corals will open in bad water if thats the case for some reason, he opened fast. Corals will open in low calcium or nitrate or alk water, those have long term implications not burning sensations, but the other params are tied to not being cycle ready / inability to handle ammonia and the end result is burning, they won’t open.

the cuc has been pumping trace ammonia all nite.



all the steps and order so far is designed to limit water clouding. Early feeding, nitrate or phosphate media, harsh sandbed access can cloud and those are not harmful clouding events but they mask harmful ones.

inability to control ammonia will 100% result in cloudy water by end of day today with ten cuc members in place and if the tank was not cycled the clouding/ammonia will kill it all by tomorrow.

we have prevented clouding by means other than pending doom lol so now today she just runs heavy blue, corals getting used to things and tomorrow when opened up turn off pumps, shoot a lil feed it’ll catch a tiny bit and eat. Some feed but not too much will pass off into the tank and begin supporting food webs and mushroom w eventually feed on compounds in the water.
the brain coral will eat directly too, like the fspawn

if for some reason I jinxed it, the large water change is the offset to clouding or bac blooms of any type, pouring in slowly to not kick up sand and get interference cloud in place. For the first few weeks we are feeding pea sized portions so it all gets used to digesting pure proteins without going cloudy. The feed landing around the coral being degraded by bacteria is the most powerful source of ammonia in the tank while it’s this new.
Thanks for the explanation. The frogspawn did open up pretty quickly and I have another picture of it to show. My water is looking clear so far. I will be hopefully adding my Favia today!

99672CDE-C959-43BC-949E-8D10F4926DAC.jpeg
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,481
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The favia will certainly open up nicely and will eat in the morning I bet. When you shoot feed onto it, some will stick around the mouth area of each polyp/lined with stinging feeder tentacles

id let them all open up nicely like that after lights on tomorrow, then still tank and shoot feed on the two

pumps back on in ten mins
 
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The favia will certainly open up nicely and will eat in the morning I bet. When you shoot feed onto it, some will stick around the mouth area of each polyp/lined with stinging feeder tentacles

id let them all open up nicely like that after lights on tomorrow, then still tank and shoot feed on the two

pumps back on in ten mins
Alright, Will do. I might see if I can add one more coral this weekend but i will keep you posted. My snails are roaming the whole tank and so are the crabs.
 
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Finally got my Favia, I couldn’t cut the plug so I had to made due while I find a way to cut it. Is this placement okay? I have not fed them yet as I was at work I will wait till they open up and then I will feed or should I wait till tomorrow?

A7FCA423-517A-4780-B00A-60C4D443AD7F.jpeg
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,481
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let’s feed em just a tad for intros thats good spot it’ll be a nice welcome you don’t have to change water, maybe on next round do a spot feed and few gallons change
 
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let’s feed em just a tad for intros thats good spot it’ll be a nice welcome you don’t have to change water, maybe on next round do a spot feed and few gallons change
I fed them for 10 minutes and they both ate! Pumps are back on. They’re looking good also my supplies got here
 
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Update! My tank is doing swell and I started my refugium. I purchase two clownfish and they are doing great and exploring. Thanks to Brandon I was able to start my tank without weeks of waiting. I am currently on the lookout for more corals and a cleaner shrimp. I am going to slowly add more fish throughout the months but I’m starting mostly on corals and inverts along with a shrimp. Here are some pics
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,481
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I had messaged that in my opinion clowns can be coaxed into health with good feed and a good environment/clean non stagnant and usually get by just fine even without 80 days wait. I was using the example that even though fallow is best preps for multi fish loading, a couple clowns usually do fine in 90% of nano reefs we can find currently running in the world, and these look to be off to a great start.


Daniel proved this tank was cycled on the date we knew it was cycled.
 
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey team really curious about updates, this thread is used lots as an example thread
I got an update just haven’t had time to post. Everything is looking great I now have (1) mushroom coral disco type is what they told me, (1) dragon soul Favia, (1) red and blue blasto, and (2) Duncan corals. I am going to buy some more hermits and snails today as I have diatoms coming in. I also have algea on my glass that is hard to scrub off and looks like small green patches (not filmy or slimy). My fuge is growing well and I also plan to do a water change this weekend of about 4-5 gallons. I also received my Jebao Wavemaker and the fish seem to love it! I did end up receiving a fire fish as a gift and he’s doing well too. I made sure to tell my friends not to buy melee fish as gifts explaining that I do not want to overstock with fish so quickly. I have stable salinity of 1.025 and temp from 78.6-79 at all times. I’ve been feeding reef roids and rods feed for the corals and they love it, they will occasionally catch stray Mysis that I feed my fish. The fish are eating frozen Mysis and I will try to get them and the corals some dry food also. Any ideas on the algea on the glass? It’s hard to scrub off even with me mag float.

156BF4D1-B0F9-423A-A4DD-B6EC077377E2.jpeg 99193F51-075C-4179-B654-2E1A489522D0.jpeg 9791385B-1C29-4109-8302-6AE8EA3A8B2E.jpeg 549CAA01-AF4F-442B-8448-67DE5A31C091.jpeg
 
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got an update just haven’t had time to post. Everything is looking great I now have (1) mushroom coral disco type is what they told me, (1) dragon soul Favia, (1) red and blue blasto, and (2) Duncan corals. I am going to buy some more hermits and snails today as I have diatoms coming in. I also have algea on my glass that is hard to scrub off and looks like small green patches (not filmy or slimy). My fuge is growing well and I also plan to do a water change this weekend of about 4-5 gallons. I also received my Jebao Wavemaker and the fish seem to love it! I did end up receiving a fire fish as a gift and he’s doing well too. I made sure to tell my friends not to buy melee fish as gifts explaining that I do not want to overstock with fish so quickly. I have stable salinity of 1.025 and temp from 78.6-79 at all times. I’ve been feeding reef roids and rods feed for the corals and they love it, they will occasionally catch stray Mysis that I feed my fish. The fish are eating frozen Mysis and I will try to get them and the corals some dry food also. Any ideas on the algea on the glass? It’s hard to scrub off even with me mag float.

156BF4D1-B0F9-423A-A4DD-B6EC077377E2.jpeg 99193F51-075C-4179-B654-2E1A489522D0.jpeg 9791385B-1C29-4109-8302-6AE8EA3A8B2E.jpeg 549CAA01-AF4F-442B-8448-67DE5A31C091.jpeg
Forgot to mention my frogspawn!
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,481
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
hey that is all looking exactly to spec, the rock pigmentation will shift and take on some various growths, keep em in check but do expect quite a few months until purple gold, you get really nice control over your possible invaders using this type of rock, and we can steer clear of dinos invasions (the real risk in dry rock starts) by feeding well like you are doing and not stocking waste producing fish too quickly, and by not running gfo and biopellets currently. the nitrate and phosphate generated in feeding is useful here to establish food webs that suppress dinos.
 
OP
OP
Daniel266jz

Daniel266jz

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
278
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
hey that is all looking exactly to spec, the rock pigmentation will shift and take on some various growths, keep em in check but do expect quite a few months until purple gold, you get really nice control over your possible invaders using this type of rock, and we can steer clear of dinos invasions (the real risk in dry rock starts) by feeding well like you are doing and not stocking waste producing fish too quickly, and by not running gfo and biopellets currently. the nitrate and phosphate generated in feeding is useful here to establish food webs that suppress dinos.
So the algea bloom and the algea on my glass is an indicator of which type of algea? Coralline? I know the Bourne is diatoms and I will be stocking some more CUC. No more fish for a whillleeeee. I am going to scrape off what’s on my glass is that recommended? The rest I’m going to let run it’s course. What exactly is preventing Dino’s?
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top