new to reefing and fish tanks in general have a 32g bio cube and 13.5g fluval evo just want to make sure im doing everything right.

[Dknight43]

started with my biocube about two weeks ago with dry live rock and carib sea sand doing 20% weekly water changes.
as of yesterday, water tests showed the following using hanna checkers:
salintiy 1.025
ph 7.9
alkalinity 9.9
phos 0.00
nitrates 1.03
temp 78.1
I added a damsel yesterday as I was told it helps with tank cycling (feeding daily with frozen brine shrimp)

the evo was just set up today using 5gal of the water from the biocube to help get it started and the rest was fresh mix.

if y'all have any suggestions to make sure I'm doing this correctly or if I'm doing anything wrong here pls let me know.

 

[Mark Novack]

Changing water during the initial nitrogen cycle (4 weeksish) is probably counter productive. Wait until nitrites are zero and it will establish a better base. Pay attention to Alk, Mg, and Ca in that order. Two weeks is very soon to concern with nitrate or phosphate. At this stage its food for diversity.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

sorry but you should not have added a damsel to cycle the tank, using a fish to cycle is cruel, you can just buy bottled bacteria for $5 to cycle the tank and no need to hurt the fish. Damsels are also extremely territorial and aggressive, if the fish survives the cycle, it might not allow you to add anything else to the tank. The poor fish usually end up getting flushed afterwards.

The best method for success in this hobby is lots of reading, in advance, before anything is purchased. Good luck.

 

[Mschmidt]

Since the tanks are so young you should be testing ammonia too. With a fish in one, of a 50% water change when ammonia gets about.5. I'd add bottled bacteria to speed up the cycle too.

 

[Dknight43]

sorry but you should not have added a damsel to cycle the tank, using a fish to cycle is cruel, you can just buy bottled bacteria for $5 to cycle the tank and no need to hurt the fish. Damsels are also extremely territorial and aggressive, if the fish survives the cycle, it might not allow you to add anything else to the tank. The poor fish usually end up getting flushed afterwards.

The best method for success in this hobby is lots of reading, in advance, before anything is purchased. Good luck.

yea I found this out after the fact, the plan is to use the evo for my damsels as I know they are aggressive with most other fish but i like them and want to have 2-3 of them, in the evo I'm using stability to help with the cycle. is there anything else that would help?

 

[Dknight43]

Since the tanks are so young you should be testing ammonia too. With a fish in one, of a 50% water change when ammonia gets about.5. I'd add bottled bacteria to speed up the cycle too.

Are there any specific bottle bacteria that you would suggest? I currently only have stability for helping cycling
also i did an ammonia test today and it showed zero or close to zero with strips

 

[Dknight43]

Changing water during the initial nitrogen cycle (4 weeksish) is probably counter productive. Wait until nitrites are zero and it will establish a better base. Pay attention to Alk, Mg, and Ca in that order. Two weeks is very soon to concern with nitrate or phosphate. At this stage its food for diversity.

ok when should water changes start, I was under the assumption that weekly water changes were necessary even in the beginning. I've been trying to read as much as possible but it's a lot to take in lol

 

[Mschmidt]

Are there any specific bottle bacteria that you would suggest? I currently only have stability for helping cycling
also i did an ammonia test today and it showed zero or close to zero with strips

with it testing zero, you're probably ok. I have no particular allegiance to one brand over another. Stability will work fine.

 

[Mark Novack]

I wait until nitrites have dropped to zero and then a 50%. Afterwards, 10 to 15% per week is fine. Sometimes a 25 or 35 is good, perhaps every 6th change or so. The aquarium will teach you its rhythm. Go slowly with stocking fish. Better to not stock until nitrites are gone but with live sand the damsel might make it. If not, remove the cadaver and just let the cycle continue. You're probably half way through the first part.

 

[Dknight43]

I wait until nitrites have dropped to zero and then a 50%. Afterwards, 10 to 15% per week is fine. Sometimes a 25 or 35 is good, perhaps every 6th change or so. The aquarium will teach you its rhythm. Go slowly with stocking fish. Better to not stock until nitrites are gone but with live sand the damsel might make it. If not, remove the cadaver and just let the cycle continue. You're probably half way through the first part.

ok thank you for the help I appreciate it, hopefully he makes it but ill update in a week or so