New 32 LED Biocube

[GaretMac]

Hey all!

I have a 'new to me' Biocube 32 LED. I am cycling the tank now with Fiji live rock 20 pounds and live sand 20 pounds. I am working on more live rock though closer to a pound to pound and a half a gallon. I will place a hardy chromis or two after the cycle. Then a clean up crew. Then eventually some lower maintenance beginner corals. I saw a couple of posts of people in the same process and thought I'd be interesting to compare/ share.

I set up the tank Monday the 14th. I am ghost feeding. Ammonia has stayed at .25 ppm. My nitrate rose to 5 ppm. And nitrite just raised to .25 ppm. We bought water from our local fish store. SG 1.025 and pH 8.2.

I have the stock lighting l, tunze pump, a protein skimmer, and filter floss in the chambers. All my research has suggested purigen and chemipure in the media basket under the filter floss.

Any advice appreciated!!

 

[Diesel]

I think you doing great so far.
Just keep on cycling your tank that you read 0.0 on ammonia and nitrite, don't worry about your nitrate on the moment.
Get some more rock as you mentioned and it will cycle with the rest.

 

[Katrina71]

Nice rockscape!

 

[xjiang7]

keep an eye on temperature

 

[Mikedawg]

Nice rockscape!

+ 1

 

[GaretMac]

Temp has been running between 75.8 and 77.2. I have a digital probe that logs high and low and sounds an alarm outside parameters.

 

[GaretMac]

pH is holding steady at 8.2
Ammonia is now 0
Nitrite is up to .5
And nitrate spiked to 40
Temp holding steady 75.1-76.4

 

[GaretMac]

All the parameters have stayed the same. I do have a bloom of diatoms though. Planning a water change for the nitrates. Will a hardy fish handle .5ppm of nitrites? I had a tank back in the 90's-00's but it was a domino damsel cycle with dry rock as that was the norm then.

 

[GaretMac]

Ammonia 0
Nitrite .5
Nitrate 40
Sg 1.023
pH 8.1

Huge diatom bloom. Got two more pounds of live rock. Did a 16% water change today to get nitrates down. Took a plunge and bought a clown, hermits, and snails. Added purigen to the back media basket with the filter floss.

 

[GaretMac]

I added purigen yesterday and the tank got super cloudy.

Parameters are better today than yesterday: Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrites 0.25 ppm
Nitrates down to 30 ppm after a water change
Specific gravity 1.023
The pH did drop to 7.9-8.0 though

Bacterial bloom? How many of you Biocube user have a UV Sterilizer? Also the water change yesterday ~20% the water was slightly yellow.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Diatom bloom is normal for a new tank, just keep an eye on things and do regular water changes as things start to stabilize. Looks good so far, that ugly brown stain from the diatoms won't matter once you get some corals going!

 

[GaretMac]

Thanks a ton! I am desperately trying to start on the right foot here.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Thanks a ton! I am desperately trying to start on the right foot here.

You're doing great so far! This tank build will be a great reference for other reefers and you will also be able to easily look back and see all of the progress you've made!

 

[GaretMac]

Thoughts on:
ATO
UV sterilizer
Heater (been running 74.8 lowest to 77.1 highest went first set up)
Koralia nano circulator (I eventually want softies)

 

[GaretMac]

Water seems to have cleared; an employee sent a picture. Will test tomorrow. Luckily, Austin did not lose power where the tank is. I'm flooded in Bastrop at my home.

Ordered a heater, UV sterilizer, and a koralia circulator. They will be here Wednesday.

 

[GaretMac]

Installed everything and it's going well!! Water still has a yellow tinge but is more clear. Levels:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20 ppm due for a water change
1.023
8.2 pH
Temp more steady at 76 with new heater

 

[GaretMac]

Chamber 1: heater and protein skimmer still dialing in on the later
Chamber 2: carbon filter, purigen, and phosguard
Chamber 3: return pump with UV Sterilizer
In tank: koralia nano and thermometer probe

 

[GaretMac]

Getting some great clarity in the tank! Did a 20% water change yesterday. Parameter have been holding steady
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate down to 10 after water change
pH 8.2
Sg 1.023
Temp 75-76

Looking into alk, phos, ca testers. And iodine supplements for lps corals.

 

[GaretMac]

Did a water change 5 gallons.
Parameters
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
5 nitrate
8.2 pH
1.024 sg

Tested phosphate, kh, and calcium today. I am a bit puzzled by the numbers.

0 phosphate (no surprise there running phosguard in chamber 2)
520+ calcium I and not dosing at all so not sure why so high
1 dkh so super low I buy my water from the local lfs

I know I'll need to dose to get the dkh up. I though calcium and kh had more of a direct correlation. Button polyp doing very well with new polyps. Put a bit of gsp in today. Clowns are fat and happy. Thinking of adding a starry blenny and calling it a day with fish.

 

[GaretMac]

I was testing dkh wrong! 9-10.
Calcium over 520

Got a starry blenny!

Tank total:
3 fish- back and orange ocellaris with new blenny
3 turbo snails
3 blue legged hermits (only seen one recently)
Two button polyps
One gsp
One feather duster that came with the live rock