New Tank

[FRESH]

I just started my first salt reef tank (35 gal.) about 1 week ago I have :sand, live sand crushed coral a few peices of lace rock and one live rock (figi) and a cleaner crew in it already. My Ph, ALK ect. are all good what should I do next? add a few fish? add soft coral? or wait till it cycles??????any good ideas

 

[Bainic]

Don't rush, take it slow, yes let your tank cycle. Take one step at a time, and fully research each step prior to taking it. Good luck and welcome to RF!!

 

[tdgates10]

You really should wait for the tank to cycle! You should start by looking around the forums and doing some research. If you don't have test kits, I would go buy some quality ones. Right now you need to worry about your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. That's your cycling calculator.

I also would like to know about your set up. It's a 35 gallon. Does it have a sump? protein skimmer? how much rock? what's the lighting? If you do have good test kits, what're their readings?

The best advice I can give you is to do your research and don't rush into things. This site is a wealth of information! Use it to your advantage

 

[returnofsid]

I'd start by getting rid of the crushed coral. It'll only cause headaches. Because of it's larger grain size, detritus gets trapped in it, quickly becoming a nitrate problem. Also, because of it's larger grain size, it allows oxygen to circulate through it easier. we don't want our substrate oxygenated. Because of this, you need a much deeper crushed coral bed, than you would a fine grain, aragonite sand bed. Finally, Aragonite sand will start to dissolve at about 8.0pH, becoming a buffer, which we want. CC won't start dissolving until your pH drops to about 7.6, which is much too low.

So, that's the first step.

Next, don't add anything...I mean NOTHING. No more clean up crews, nothing, until your tank is completely cycled. Otherwise, whatever is in there will be very stressed and maybe dead, by the end of the cycle.

Get test kits for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates. This will allow you to follow the cycle.
Get good test kits, not all in one boxed kits or strip tests. Invest in Elos or Salifert. They're a bit more expensive, but more accurate and worth it.

Next...read, research, ask questions and then do it all over again. Slow WAY down. Research everything BEFORE you do it.

Finally, Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!! That part shoulda been first.

 

[FRESH]

You really should wait for the tank to cycle! You should start by looking around the forums and doing some research. If you don't have test kits, I would go buy some quality ones. Right now you need to worry about your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. That's your cycling calculator.

I also would like to know about your set up. It's a 35 gallon. Does it have a sump? protein skimmer? how much rock? what's the lighting? If you do have good test kits, what're their readings?

The best advice I can give you is to do your research and don't rush into things. This site is a wealth of information! Use it to your advantage

My PH=8.3, ALK=2.3 Hydro meter=1.021, and temp=81 deg. I have also added Iodide, Strontium & Molybdenum, and Liquid Calcium. I added a little of each (followed the instructions) also using a 36' 96 watt 50/50 coralife light for now until I get a MH also have a cascade 700 canister filter.(no sump yet) I have a cleaning crew in the tank;few snails, crabs, and a shrimp. I have 2 inches of sand, 1 1/2 live sand, and 2 -3 inches crushed coral. Two lace rocks (1 big and 1 small)and 1 live rock(figi) already covered with red/purple alge. (plan on getting good testing kit Thurs)

 

[returnofsid]

I would also stop dosing anything, unless you're testing for it, know the Natural Saltwater levels of it, know the WHY behind what that trace element actually accomplishes in our reef tanks and know WHY you need to dose it.

I would also recommend getting much more live rock, BEFORE your cycle starts or completes. Otherwise, adding more live rock could start the cycle all over again.

 

[tdgates10]

First, don't dose anything until you test for it! What are you running in your canister filter, because they tend to be a nitrate factory if anything but carbon is be ran in them, no sponges or bio balls in them! (kind of a waste IMHO). Do you have a skimmer yet? If not, that is a must!

I keep my salinity at 1.025. What salt are you using? Most salts should be providing your tank with enough trace minerals for now, that's why you shouldn't be dosing also. I agree with Sid on tossing the CC.

What are you doing for circulation?

 

[FRESH]

thanks for all the advice I will stop dosing and get a good test kit also a protein skimmer and more live rocks. how do I get rid of the cc?? with out screwing up what I have so far? oh and in my filter you said get rid of the white sponges

 

[FRESH]

with a 35g tank do I have to rig up a sump to grow coral?

 

[tdgates10]

You don't have to get a sump, but I love having one. None of your equipment are in your display tank, and also the tank has a larger water volume. I would get rid of the sponges and only run carbon in the canister. Some might have a different opinion, but sponges build up nitrates and create problem. This is why you want to get more rock so that the rock act as your biological filter, not a crapy canister filter. You should have a 1 to 1.5 lbs of live rock to every gallon of water.

Do you have the CC all mixed up with the arrogate sand?

 

[FRESH]

ok, and no I have sand on bottom and cc on top

 

[tdgates10]

I would just scoop it out with a slotted spoon

 

[FRESH]

thanks for all the info. talk you guys later and let it cycle before I do anything