Zoe's Reef - Coralife BioCube 32g + Pro Clear Fishtastic iTank 5g

[Zoe’s Reef]

NEW LIVESTOCK!

It's official... I now have livestock in my BioCube 32g!! After my second water change on Cycling Day 20, I continued to test and my numbers remained low and stable through Cycling Day 24 (you can see my water parameters at the bottom of this post). I was able to head to my LFS (shoutout to Tropicorium in Romulus, Michigan) and pick up some fish and a few CUC members to get me started!

I ended up going with two tiny ocellaris clowns, and three blue hermits! The clowns' colors are so vibrant and they seemed to acclimate very well without much stress, and were eating by the second day. I dripped them for an hour with approximately a 2 drop per second drip.

I actually have never had blue-legged hermits before, normally I go with scarlet hermits, and these guys are so cool! I didn't realize that they also have a bit of orange/red on their legs as well. I only started with three since my tank doesn't really have any algae yet, although a day after adding the fish I did notice that diatoms are starting on the top shelf rock... which is a good sign that my tank is finished cycling/continuing to mature, but also not that fun to look at. Oh well, more algae means that I can get more CUC! I have a whole list of all the inverts that I want, which I'll post eventually.

In other news, the supplies for my pico tank are arriving from BRS and Marine Depot today so I'll be sharing updates on that build soon!

BioCube 32g Cycling Update:
9/10 Day 1: Added DrTim's One and Only bacteria and ammonia drops
9/11 Day 2: pH = 8.23, NH3 = 0.25, NO2 = 0.1
9/12 Day 3: Added ammonia drops
9/13 Day 4: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 1.5, NO2 = 0.2
9/14 Day 5: pH = 8.2, NH3 = 1.4, NO2 = 0.4
9/15 Day 6: Added ammonia drops
9/16 Day 7: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 1.5, NO2 = 0.4
9/17 Day 8: pH = 8.0, NH3 = 0.5, NO2 = 0.3
9/18 Day 9: Out of town
9/19 Day 10: Out of town
9/20 Day 11: Out of town
9/21 Day 12: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0.2, NO2 = 0.2, NO3 = 100 (which may be an incorrect nitrate reading due to user error)
9/22 Day 13: pH = 8.15, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0.2, NO3 = 100, KH = 6.1, PO4 = 0, Ca = 470
9/23 Day 14: First water change, 20%
9/24 Day 15: pH = 8.3, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 1, NO3 = 100, KH = 7
9/25 Day 16: pH = 8.15, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0.4, NO3 = 50, KH = 6.7
9/26 Day 17: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 50, KH = 7
9/27 Day 18: pH = 8.15, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0.4, NO3 = 25, KH = 7
9/28 Day 19: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0.25, NO2 = 0.1, NO3 = 25, KH = 7
9/29 Day 20: Second water change, 30%
9/30 Day 21: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0.25, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 10, KH = 7
10/1 Day 22: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 5, KH = 7.3
10/2 Day 23: No tests
10/3 Day 24: NH3 = <0.15 or 0, NO3 = 5
10/4 Day 25: No tests
10/5 Day 26: pH = 8.0, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 5, KH = 7.3
10/6 Day 27: 20% water change

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Stunning clowns!

 

[chousecat]

now that is one gorgeous aquascape design. Looking forward to seeing this tank grow out

 

[Zoe’s Reef]

now that is one gorgeous aquascape design. Looking forward to seeing this tank grow out

Thank you! I hope you follow along!

 

[Zoe’s Reef]

BIOCUBE 32G CYCLING RECORD

So now that my tank is officially cycled, I wanted to make a post of all of my cycling parameters so it's easy to reference in the future. I've never tracked my water tests this closely before during cycling and it's interesting how you can actually see the different stages of the nitrogen cycle, and the peaks in the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

9/10 Day 1: Added DrTim's One and Only bacteria and ammonia drops
9/11 Day 2: pH = 8.23, NH3 = 0.25, NO2 = 0.1
9/12 Day 3: Added ammonia drops
9/13 Day 4: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 1.5, NO2 = 0.2
9/14 Day 5: pH = 8.2, NH3 = 1.4, NO2 = 0.4
9/15 Day 6: Added ammonia drops
9/16 Day 7: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 1.5, NO2 = 0.4
9/17 Day 8: pH = 8.0, NH3 = 0.5, NO2 = 0.3
9/18 Day 9: Out of town
9/19 Day 10: Out of town
9/20 Day 11: Out of town
9/21 Day 12: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0.2, NO2 = 0.2, NO3 = 100 (which may be an incorrect nitrate reading due to user error)
9/22 Day 13: pH = 8.15, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0.2, NO3 = 100, KH = 6.1, PO4 = 0, Ca = 470
9/23 Day 14: First water change, 20%
9/24 Day 15: pH = 8.3, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 1, NO3 = 100, KH = 7
9/25 Day 16: pH = 8.15, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0.4, NO3 = 50, KH = 6.7
9/26 Day 17: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 50, KH = 7
9/27 Day 18: pH = 8.15, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0.4, NO3 = 25, KH = 7
9/28 Day 19: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0.25, NO2 = 0.1, NO3 = 25, KH = 7
9/29 Day 20: Second water change, 30%
9/30 Day 21: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0.25, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 10, KH = 7
10/1 Day 22: pH = 8.15, NH3 = 0, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 5, KH = 7.3
10/2 Day 23: No tests
10/3 Day 24: NH3 = <0.15 or 0, NO3 = 5
10/4 Day 25: No tests
10/5 Day 26: pH = 8.0, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 5, KH = 7.3
10/6 Day 27: Third water change, 20%
10/7 Day 28: No tests
10/8 Day 29: pH = 8.15, NH3 = <0.15, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 2, KH = 7.3

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Have you happened to dose ammonia in the last few days to see that the system can process about 2ppm in a day's time? Then you will know you have an adequate population of nitrosomonas to handle the addition of a fish or other livestock.

 

[Zoe’s Reef]

Have you happened to dose ammonia in the last few days to see that the system can process about 2ppm in a day's time? Then you will know you have an adequate population of nitrosomonas to handle the addition of a fish or other livestock.

I apologize for the slow response! I did not dose ammonia, but tested often (and am currently testing often) and it's processing the ammonia great!

 

[Zoe’s Reef]

Hello, new Watchman Goby for the BioCube!

 

[Zoe’s Reef]

It's been awhile, but I'm back with a quick update! The BioCube 32g has been going great and as a next "I always need to be doing something" project, I purchased a Mini Complete Tank! It probably won't be here for another month with all the shipping delays these days, but of course I'm thinking ahead to what it's going to look like... and I might be going into the unknown territory (for me) of a freshwater planted super pico tank for this! I've just heard horror stories of the salt creep on Mini Complete Tanks, so I think I'm going to do a planted tank. Maybe I can find a super tiny snail to have in there as well? It's going to be fun learning this new side of the aquarium hobby! I'll keep ya'll updated as I go, and will update this thread with new BioCube pics eventually too, I promise.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Wow, that's like doing bonsai for aquascapes! I have been meaning to set up a 7.5 gallon cube (one foot on each side) for a FW planted aquascape for ages, have the equipment, but I just haven't found the time to pull the plug. Will be curious to see what you come up with.

 

[Zoe’s Reef]

Wow, that like doing bonsai for aquascapes! I have been meaning to set up a 7.5 gallon cube (one foot on each side) for a FW planted aquascape for ages, have the equipment, but I just haven't found the time to pull the plug. Will be curious to see what you come up with.

I'm curious too! Had a 5g that had the potential to be a lot of fun... was setting it up for some small softies, but of course the tank leaked. Returned and received a second one, also leaked, so that adventure didn't last long. Fingers crossed this new one is all good (also at less than one gallon, it's a lot less water to be leaking if it does haha)! Also, it's funny learning the FW hobby so far. At least in saltwater we have easy to remember, fun names like Jawbreaker mushroom, for example. Over there they just have the scientific names it seems haha.

 

[count krunk]

Yeah plant names are lame and hard to remember as it just scientific!

 

[Lowlandreef]

Nice tank! Any updates (& pictures)?