yorkieUK's 4ft Glass Box (170 ltr UK / 45 gal US)
- Thread starter yorkieUK
- Start date
Please can someone check the results of my water parameters taken after the first 24 hours. Some readings are missing as I am still waiting for my full test kit to be delivered.
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Thanks,
YorkieUK. :sinking:
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Hey Wayne,
So the best advice is to add a mushed up raw deli shrimp to the tank. This will be the kick start to your cycle. What you will see is a rise in ammonia, followed by a rise then fall of Nitrites, followed by a large spike in Nitrates. Take a look at this picture and it will be a good guide to how the cycle works. You need to be testing for Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates.
So the best advice is to add a mushed up raw deli shrimp to the tank. This will be the kick start to your cycle. What you will see is a rise in ammonia, followed by a rise then fall of Nitrites, followed by a large spike in Nitrates. Take a look at this picture and it will be a good guide to how the cycle works. You need to be testing for Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates.
Thanks for the chart Greg. It makes the process much easier to follow.
I'll be getting my rock from my LFS which is Crystal Clear Waters http://christalclearwaters.webs.com/
They are only 10 miles away from me and have a good selection.
However, for advice, you can't beat RS because it's not bound by sales targets and profit margins.
Cheers,
YorkieUK. :apint:
I'll be getting my rock from my LFS which is Crystal Clear Waters http://christalclearwaters.webs.com/
They are only 10 miles away from me and have a good selection.
However, for advice, you can't beat RS because it's not bound by sales targets and profit margins.
Cheers,
YorkieUK. :apint:
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Hi Greg,
Do I need to remove the remnants of the prawn at some point or does it stay in the tank in order to complete the cycle?
My water was much clearer this morning, but since cleaning the glass it has clouded up a bit.
I also seem to have quite a bit of surface detritus, which I assume is from the prawn and the glass cleaning?
Will I need to invest in a surface skimmer or will the livestock sort that out after they have been added?
Do I have to wait until after the nitrate spike before I put any CUC in there?
Regards,
Wayne.
Do I need to remove the remnants of the prawn at some point or does it stay in the tank in order to complete the cycle?
My water was much clearer this morning, but since cleaning the glass it has clouded up a bit.
I also seem to have quite a bit of surface detritus, which I assume is from the prawn and the glass cleaning?
Will I need to invest in a surface skimmer or will the livestock sort that out after they have been added?
Do I have to wait until after the nitrate spike before I put any CUC in there?
Regards,
Wayne.
| Water Parameters So Far. | |||||||||||||
| Date | Day | Time | Temp 'C | Chlorine Cl2 | Phosphate pH | Calcium KH | Carbon' Hard's CH | Nitrates NO3 | Nitrites NO2 | Magnesium Mg | Alkalinity KH | Ammonia NH3 | Gravity |
| 11/01/2014 | Sat | 1200 | 24 | Nil | 6.6 | 20 | 16 | Nil | Nil | 1025 | |||
| 13/01/2014 | Mon | 1100 | 25 | Nil | 6.8 | 20 | 18 | Nil | Nil | Prawn in today | 1024.5 | ||
| 14/01/2014 | Tue | 1200 | 25 | Nil | 6.8 | 20 | 18 | Nil | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 15/01/2014 | Wed | 1300 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 16/01/2014 | Thu | 1230 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 20 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1024.5 |
YorkieUK.
Wayne, did you add your rock to your tank to cycle with it? It's good to get the beneficial bacteria from at least one piece of matured live rock if you have a LFS that will sell you one from a display tank. Didn't see a picture of your rockscape, so I was wondering. 
Hi Diana,
I can't get to my LFS until this Thursday.
I'll be getting 15-19kg of rock (probably a mix of live and dry Fiji, it's bloody expensive over here).
I chucked the fresh king prawn in the tank and the only piece of live-rock I have with some red coraline on it for now.
I know it will have to cycle again when I add the new rock in a couple of days time, but it's given me a chance to get used to the water testing kits and the water has cleared-up nicely since putting the sand in. It took the best part of a week to clear and my little Fluval skimmer has done me proud (I had to empty it daily).
I'm hoping to start adding the CUC towards the end of Feb' if the cycle is complete and some livestock by the end of March.
More photos below, I know it doesn't look very clear but that's due to my poor quality camera (still got to sort that out as well).
Wayne.
:swmfish:
I can't get to my LFS until this Thursday.
I'll be getting 15-19kg of rock (probably a mix of live and dry Fiji, it's bloody expensive over here).
I chucked the fresh king prawn in the tank and the only piece of live-rock I have with some red coraline on it for now.
I know it will have to cycle again when I add the new rock in a couple of days time, but it's given me a chance to get used to the water testing kits and the water has cleared-up nicely since putting the sand in. It took the best part of a week to clear and my little Fluval skimmer has done me proud (I had to empty it daily).
I'm hoping to start adding the CUC towards the end of Feb' if the cycle is complete and some livestock by the end of March.
More photos below, I know it doesn't look very clear but that's due to my poor quality camera (still got to sort that out as well).
Wayne.
:swmfish:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thanks for pointing that out Greg! :whyyoulittle:
You're right, it does look a bit sad at the moment :cry1: but it did the trick with my water parameters though.:smack:
I'm going for my rock tomorrow and I'll post some more updates on the tank next week.
Just for now though, I'll put my latest readings below.
Wayne.
You're right, it does look a bit sad at the moment :cry1: but it did the trick with my water parameters though.:smack:
I'm going for my rock tomorrow and I'll post some more updates on the tank next week.
Just for now though, I'll put my latest readings below.
Wayne.
| Water Parameters | |||||||||||||
| Date | Day | Time | Temp 'C | Chlorine Cl2 | Phosphate pH | Calcium KH | Carbon' Hard's CH | Nitrates NO3 | Nitrites NO2 | Magnesium Mg | Alkalinity KH | Ammonia NH3 | Gravity |
| 11/01/2014 | Sat | 1200 | 24 | Nil | 6.6 | 20 | 16 | Nil | Nil | 1025 | |||
| 13/01/2014 | Mon | 1100 | 25 | Nil | 6.8 | 20 | 18 | Nil | Nil | Prawn in today. | 1024.5 | ||
| 14/01/2014 | Tue | 1200 | 25 | Nil | 6.8 | 20 | 18 | Nil | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 15/01/2014 | Wed | 1300 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 16/01/2014 | Thu | 1230 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 20 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 18/01/2014 | Sat | 1200 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 20 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 20/01/2014 | Mon | 1330 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1024.5 | |||
| 22/01/2014 | Wed | 1400 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1024.5 |
Hi Di,Thanks for keeping an eye on my thread.
:bow:Without you lot over the other side of the pond, I'd be useless with this.
:nopity:This was the first time that I'd joined a forum of any kind after nearly thirty years on the internet.
I couldn't have wished for a better group of people to find.:hug1:
Should I increase the temperature a bit from 25.5`C and am I right to think that 15-19kg of rock should be enough for my tank?
Cheers Greg. :apint:What about the temperature?
| Water Parameters | |||||||||||||
| Date | Day | Time | Temp 'C | Chlorine Cl2 | Phosphate pH | Calcium KH | Carbon' Hard's CH | Nitrates NO3 | Nitrites NO2 | Magnesium Mg | Alkalinity KH | Ammonia NH3 | Gravity |
| 11/01/2014 | Sat | 1200 | 24 | Nil | 6.6 | 20 | 16 | Nil | Nil | 1025 | |||
| 13/01/2014 | Mon | 1100 | 25 | Nil | 6.8 | 20 | 18 | Nil | Nil | Prawn in today. | 1024.5 | ||
| 14/01/2014 | Tue | 1200 | 25 | Nil | 6.8 | 20 | 18 | Nil | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 15/01/2014 | Wed | 1300 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 16/01/2014 | Thu | 1230 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 20 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 18/01/2014 | Sat | 1200 | 25.5 | NIL | 7 | 20 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1024.5 | |||
| 20/01/2014 | Mon | 1330 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1024.5 | |||
| 22/01/2014 | Wed | 1400 | 25.5 | Nil | 7 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1024.5 | |||
| 24/01/2014 | Fri | 1345 | 25.5 | Nil | 6.8 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 2 | 1025.6 |
Mr.Reeefer
Member
Hi Yorkie,
Just caught up on your thread man, Nice Tank!!:bluenod:
Going to look great with your LR, then the fun begins!!
What's your plans for the tank stock wise?
Are you getting ammonia, nitrate and nitrite test kits while getting your LR? Sorry dude, I didn't know it slid across!
Talk soon...
Just caught up on your thread man, Nice Tank!!:bluenod:
Going to look great with your LR, then the fun begins!!
What's your plans for the tank stock wise?
Are you getting ammonia, nitrate and nitrite test kits while getting your LR? Sorry dude, I didn't know it slid across!
Talk soon...
Hi Everyone,:hug1:
The rock is in (mixture of live-rock, inc' some dry).
The water is still slightly cloudy but the skimmer is sorting that out.
After a few attempts to rockscape it, I've settled on the following layout.
I've added another 120" strip of R/G/B/W LED's that can offer me the full light spectrum via a remote control.
Coupled to my other white and blue LED's, these run through my inline dimmer/timer unit.
Once I put a black background on the rear glass, the heater and wires shouldn't stand out so much.
I'm aiming for mostly corals and invertebrates, 4 - 6 small fish and a couple of micro-brittle stars.
The framework under the tank is still to be boxed-in and shelved so I can fit a QT tank, as well as tidying the electrics.
All feedback, positive
and negative 
(if constructive 
) most welcome.
YorkieUK.
The rock is in (mixture of live-rock, inc' some dry).
The water is still slightly cloudy but the skimmer is sorting that out.
After a few attempts to rockscape it, I've settled on the following layout.
I've added another 120" strip of R/G/B/W LED's that can offer me the full light spectrum via a remote control.
Coupled to my other white and blue LED's, these run through my inline dimmer/timer unit.
Once I put a black background on the rear glass, the heater and wires shouldn't stand out so much.
I'm aiming for mostly corals and invertebrates, 4 - 6 small fish and a couple of micro-brittle stars.
The framework under the tank is still to be boxed-in and shelved so I can fit a QT tank, as well as tidying the electrics.
All feedback, positive
and negative (if constructive ) most welcome.YorkieUK.
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