Needed Equipment?

[TheVoidReef]

Hello all.

I am currently in the nitrogen cycle of my tank and this is my first saltwater tank. I have the following equipment:

- Tideline Lagoon 31G AIO
- AI Prime 16HD Reef Light
- Weipro WH-1000 Sump
- Fluval Pre-Filter ceramic rings media

I’m using Fishless Fuel for ammonia and Seed bacteria also. I used Instant Ocean salt and CaribSea live sand. I also have two piece of large (10-15 pounds each) of dead rock, but plan on getting live rock soon. I do have a refractometer coming tomorrow.

Is there anything else needed for ‘chemicals’ or equipment?

 

[allof fish]

Hello all.

I am currently in the nitrogen cycle of my tank and this is my first saltwater tank. I have the following equipment:

- Tideline Lagoon 31G AIO
- AI Prime 16HD Reef Light
- Weipro WH-1000 Sump
- Fluval Pre-Filter ceramic rings media

I’m using Fishless Fuel for ammonia and Seed bacteria also. I also have two piece of large (10-15 pounds each) of dead rock, but plan on getting live rock soon.

Is there anything else needed for ‘chemicals’ or equipment?

Congrats on first tank!! There’s a million things you can dive in and need/want depending on situation. If you plan on adding corals you’ll need 2 part but water changes should be good for awhile. I would invest in a ato if you don’t have one, assuming you have a heater too. Skimmer can go 50/50 with a tank that size. I would recommend doing more research and the things you want to keep for water chemistry and what is needed. Test kits will be another thing too. Good luck!

 

[TheVoidReef]

Hello all.

I am currently in the nitrogen cycle of my tank and this is my first saltwater tank. I have the following equipment:

- Tideline Lagoon 31G AIO
- AI Prime 16HD Reef Light
- Weipro WH-1000 Sump
- Fluval Pre-Filter ceramic rings media

I’m using Fishless Fuel for ammonia and Seed bacteria also. I also have two piece of large (10-15 pounds each) of dead rock, but plan on getting live rock soon.

Is there anything else needed for ‘chemicals’ or equipment?

Congrats on first tank!! There’s a million things you can dive in and need/want depending on situation. If you plan on adding corals you’ll need 2 part but water changes should be good for awhile. I would invest in a ato if you don’t have one, assuming you have a heater too. Skimmer can go 50/50 with a tank that size. I would recommend doing more research and the things you want to keep for water chemistry and what is needed. Test kits will be another thing too. Good luck!

Thank you!

I do have a heater but I plan on getting something better as well as a controller here in the next week.

I have test kits but just the basic API master kit from a large chain store and plan on replacing that also once it’s a bit further along. I’m only Day 2 into nitrogen cycle.

 

[allof fish]

Thank you!

I do have a heater but I plan on getting something better as well as a controller here in the next week.

I have test kits but just the basic API master kit from a large chain store and plan on replacing that also once it’s a bit further along. I’m only Day 2 into nitrogen cycle.

Definitely will need a controller for heater. Also look into a ato. Salifert are easy for all parameters too. Do you have wave makers too

 

[Fish Fan]

Adding an Auto Top Off (ATO) is a solid suggestion. They go a long way to maintaining a stable salinity, which is important for coral health, but maybe even more importantly, topping up manually every day gets old, fast

Do you have test kits? Salifert is a solid choice. Don't bother with pH or nitrite, I'd have on hand ammonia and nitrate now while you're cycling, and phosphate sooner than later. Nitrate and phosphate relate not just to coral health, but also controlling unwanted algae that all new tanks develop.

I wouldn't worry too much about dosing coral additives. If, like most new reefers, your planing to keep some of the easy to grow softies and Zoas, they don't need the supplementations that stony corals often need. Just doing regular, partial water changes will keep parameters in line for these corals, no testing or dosing needed

When you get your refractometer, calibrate it following this guide. It's easy to make your own calibration fluid, and this way you know that your refractometer is reporting correctly:
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/reef-aquarium-salinity-diy-calibration-standards.956/

If you're brand new to reefing, I like to suggest this guide and this video series as a good introduction. If you have further questions, please ask!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cont...u58sIHB2aFXKuFgTe1tW4nhShToNaXQJylx1XSi4wzl-T

Good luck!

 

[TheVoidReef]

Definitely will need a controller for heater. Also look into a ato. Salifert are easy for all parameters too. Do you have wave makers too

I am definitely going to get an ATO hopefully soon. I do not have any wavemakers atm, but before I introduce anything live into the tank I will get one (possibly two). I've read that they aren't necessary in the cycling stages. I could have been misinformed though.

 

[TheVoidReef]

Adding an Auto Top Off (ATO) is a solid suggestion. They go a long way to maintaining a stable salinity, which is important for coral health, but maybe even more importantly, topping up manually every day gets old, fast

Do you have test kits? Salifert is a solid choice. Don't bother with pH or nitrite, I'd have on hand ammonia and nitrate now while you're cycling, and phosphate sooner than later. Nitrate and phosphate relate not just to coral health, but also controlling unwanted algae that all new tanks develop.

I wouldn't worry too much about dosing coral additives. If, like most new reefers, your planing to keep some of the easy to grow softies and Zoas, they don't need the supplementations that stony corals often need. Just doing regular, partial water changes will keep parameters in line for these corals, no testing or dosing needed

When you get your refractometer, calibrate it following this guide. It's easy to make your own calibration fluid, and this way you know that your refractometer is reporting correctly:
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/reef-aquarium-salinity-diy-calibration-standards.956/

If you're brand new to reefing, I like to suggest this guide and this video series as a good introduction. If you have further questions, please ask!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cont...u58sIHB2aFXKuFgTe1tW4nhShToNaXQJylx1XSi4wzl-T

Good luck!

Thank you for the info and links!

I do plan on getting a ATO for the exact reason you stated. My RO/DI system in on another floor of my house (easiest place to hook up being its out of the way) so that'll bring down the labor part some.

I do have a cheaper API Saltwater master kit for the time being. I'm currently sitting at roughly 7.8pH, 2.0 AM, 0.0 Nitrite, and 0.0 Nitrate. I will look into the Salifert test kit though as well as phosphates.

I don't want to go crazy as far as coral goes. I plan on softies and Zoas mainly and obviously the clownfish for a starter tank. I do have plans (way later down the line) to get a bigger tank with a more difficult setup.

 

[Fish Fan]

I do have a cheaper API Saltwater master kit for the time being. I'm currently sitting at roughly 7.8pH, 2.0 AM, 0.0 Nitrite, and 0.0 Nitrate. I will look into the Salifert test kit though as well as phosphates.

If you have it, that API kit is fine, just know that you don't need to test for nitrite at all - it is non-toxic in saltwater. And I would not worry too much about pH. Most hobby tanks run at a slightly lower than optimal pH, but they do just fine. I wouldn't worry about pH unless you are growing corals professionally or competitively.

I don't want to go crazy as far as coral goes. I plan on softies and Zoas mainly and obviously the clownfish for a starter tank. I do have plans (way later down the line) to get a bigger tank with a more difficult setup.

Yep, and there's no reason to go crazy with coral supplements, dosing and testing. You will do just fine keeping softies and Zoas just by doing regular, partial water changes

 

[TheVoidReef]

If you have it, that API kit is fine, just know that you don't need to test for nitrite at all - it is non-toxic in saltwater. And I would not worry too much about pH. Most hobby tanks run at a slightly lower than optimal pH, but they do just fine. I wouldn't worry about pH unless you are growing corals professionally or competitively.


Yep, and there's no reason to go crazy with coral supplements, dosing and testing. You will do just fine keeping softies and Zoas just by doing regular, partial water changes

Ok awesome! I'll stop testing / worrying about nitrites / pH every other day and focus more on Ammonia and Nitrates.

I do have a question as far as Ammonia / Bacteria. I'm using seed (blend of aerobic, anaerobic, facultative bacteria) and Fritz Fishless Fuel. I added the initial first day of seed (15.5mL) and fishless fuel (6.2mL). I then add 7.75mL daily for a week for seed. Are these decent brands for getting a nitrogen cycle going?

 

[Fish Fan]

Ok awesome! I'll stop testing / worrying about nitrites / pH every other day and focus more on Ammonia and Nitrates.

I do have a question as far as Ammonia / Bacteria. I'm using seed (blend of aerobic, anaerobic, facultative bacteria) and Fritz Fishless Fuel. I added the initial first day of seed (15.5mL) and fishless fuel (6.2mL). I then add 7.75mL daily for a week for seed. Are these decent brands for getting a nitrogen cycle going?

I'm not familar with "seed", is that a bacteria product?

The Fishless Fuel is a fine product to use for ammonia.

Honestly, you'll cycle your tank is about 3 weeks even if you don't add a bacteria-in-a-bottle product

 

[TheVoidReef]

I'm not familar with "seed", is that a bacteria product?

Yeah it's a bacteria product. It's what my LFS recommended to use along with the ammonia.

It reads 'seed contains both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria and contains facultative bacteria strains which are able to adapt to either aerobic or anaerobic conditions' and 'Synergistic blend of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative bacteria'.

 

[Fish Fan]

Yeah it's a bacteria product. It's what my LFS recommended to use along with the ammonia.

It reads 'seed contains both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria and contains facultative bacteria strains which are able to adapt to either aerobic or anaerobic conditions' and 'Synergistic blend of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative bacteria'.

All those bacteria cannot live in the same environment, but it's likely a fine product to use to get your tank going