NEW TANK

[SaltyShel]

I’ve already got a build thread on here but I’m making a new one since this is a new tank! It’s a BioCube 16 LED and I got it completely dry, with nothing but the tank, pump, and a couple unopened filter cartridges. I did not know it was a used tank, but it is, and I found out after the fact - but it’s okay!

So far what I’ve done is clean off the pump the best I could and I ran the tank empty (pump only) with some water and vinegar and I let it go for about a week or two. I just drained it, rinsed it really well (with tap water) and I also just removed the false floor in chamber 1 so I can fit my heater.

i built my aquascape already, all dry rock, with some gorilla glue gel and then epoxy after it was all glued together.

my main issue now - I don’t know exactly what I wanna do with it. I plan to just get it set up and start cycling, but my filtration is non existent at the moment and I don’t even know if my lights work (I just posted about it, water got inside of the splash guard casing).

any suggestions are welcome!! I really need help lol I’m so lost with what to do for filtration.

also, can I cycle a tank with water conditioner in it? I rinsed it very well but I don’t know if I can just add SW, conditioner, and then let it be? It’s been wiped dry but idk if it’s fully gone of tap water chemicals. My water breaks my skin out after a shower so I know it’s heavily treated. Also there is still some gunk I just can’t get out. I hope it won’t cause an issue other than maybe some crazy cycle nutrient spikes.

as a side note, there’s condensation inside the screen on the top of the hood. I guess from the water inside of the splash guard? I’ll include pics.

anyway, sorry this is long!!!! Here’s some pics (all post vinegar/cleaning) ~

 

[blaxsun]

Good luck with the new tank! Water conditioner does work, although many prefer to use RO instead.

 

[dmsaw]

Cheers!

 

[SaltyShel]

Good luck with the new tank! Water conditioner does work, although many prefer to use RO instead.

I do have RODI water and I never put tap water in my tanks, but this time I used it because I had to clean this new (to me) tank and it just wasn’t feasible for me to run with a vinegar & RODI solution, then rinse with RODI. It just made more sense to use tap water for all this and then condition my saltwater (if needed) afterwards.

Cheers!

Thank you! I am definitely excited to see how it all turns out.


- side note -

I was told by someone at my LFS that since I rinsed it very well with tap water, wiped it down and then air dried it, that I didn’t need to condition anything because the plastic & acrylic doesn’t absorb anything from tap water. I would like to know if this is true, or do I need to condition the saltwater when I fill my tank to cycle?

 

[blaxsun]

I do have RODI water and I never put tap water in my tanks, but this time I used it because I had to clean this new (to me) tank and it just wasn’t feasible for me to run with a vinegar & RODI solution, then rinse with RODI. It just made more sense to use tap water for all this and then condition my saltwater (if needed) afterwards.

Tap water is definitely fine for cleaning.