Cycling my 12G

cburns32 · 02-25-2006, 02:11 AM

Here's the Nano Cube I've been waiting on, I finally put the live sand, live rock, and water in there...Tell me what you think of the aqauscape and how it looks. I'm wondering whether I should keep the light on (a normal day/night schedule) or should I just leave it off during the cycling process? What should I do with the output, should I leave it how it is or attach that Y-connector (seen below)? Any suggestions or ideas for me...?

cburns32 · 02-25-2006, 02:13 AM

Here are the pictures of three compartments and what I have in each
Compartment 1 (Left)
Sponge - Bag of Chemi-pure - Sponge
Compartment 2 (Middle)
Live Rock Rubble
Compartment 3 (Right)
50-watt heater - Maxi Jet 900

Woodstock · 02-25-2006, 12:53 PM

Nice aquascaping! You could add the "Y" later if the flow isn't what you want but it will reduce it a bit.

Using Liverock rubble will be labor intensive. Be sure to remove the rock and vacuum out the diterus from the chamber. I would suggest using carbon periodically and phosban instead.

cburns32 · 02-25-2006, 01:23 PM

Aight, I gotta get a vacuum/syphon sometime in the future, espcially because I want to be vacuuming my sandbed soon. And I think after the cycle I'll remove the LR.

What about water changes, I heard no, because it may remove necessary bacteria for the cycling process, so I heard until the process is over, don't water change. What do you guys suggest?

Woodstock · 02-25-2006, 01:56 PM

I would just wait until after the cycle to begin your water changes.

cburns32 · 02-25-2006, 03:52 PM

What about a vacuum/syphon, what kind should I get or should I wait until after the cycle for that too?

Woodstock · 02-25-2006, 08:09 PM

I just use a clear 1/2" vinyl tubing for my water changes. I vacuum (via gravity) the water into 5 gal bucket.

cburns32 · 02-28-2006, 03:19 PM

Yeah, that's what I'll prolly end up doing...Any other suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.

Joe69 · 03-01-2006, 09:28 PM

I like your aquascape, there is room on all sides for good flow and cool looking caves.

If you really want to use a sponge, I would only use one and clean it twice a week. When I removed my sponge from the system my algae problem went away, you may have better luck though. So far it looks like its off to a great start.

RANDY · 03-02-2006, 01:37 PM

I Noticed That You Have Added Boyd's Chemi Pure. You May Have Problems Acquiring Accurate Test Results For Your System As Chemi Pure Is An Ion Exchange Resin That Tends To Skew Readings. Standard Activated Carbon Suffices As A Water Polisher. Just Something To Think About!

cburns32 · 03-02-2006, 03:24 PM

Aight, I have a bag of activated carbon should I just replace that with the chemi-pure, to have better test results...?

cburns32 · 03-03-2006, 12:17 PM

Day 8 Test Results

pH - 8.2
Ammonia - 3.0 ppm
Nitrite - +5.0 ppm
Nitrate - +160 ppm
Specific Gravity - 1.032
Salinity - 42
Temperature - 80.2 degrees F

The reason the specific gravity is so high as well as the salinity, is because I haven't done a freshwater top-off yet, that'll bring it down, I lost about 1 1/2 cm, since it has been up so I'll replace that today, and test the SG and S again. Ammonia has been around 3.0 ppm for a few days, hope it goes down sometime soon. The temperature reaches 80.9-81 at some points and in the night goes down to about 80 is that OK?

Woodstock · 03-03-2006, 12:51 PM

Looks like yoiu have a good cycle going

You should get into the habit now of topping off any evaporated water DAILY. Salinity swings are very stressful on inverts, fish, anemones, and corals! 80-81 is fine. That is a mild temp shift and should not cause any problems in the future with the inhabitants.

cburns32 · 03-06-2006, 12:43 AM

Aight, but how do I keep that salinity down? It's seems super high.

daveat · 03-06-2006, 06:24 PM

add water!!!! you should top off with freshwater daily. since the salt doesn't evaporate you should be equalizing it all out.

your salinity is just a ratio of salt to water. if you add more water it will go down, if you add more salt it will go up! once you get your salinity/sg set all you should have to do is freshwater top offs. rarely should you ever add saltwater unless you are doing a water change and only then should you add the same amount of saltwater that you take out

get it????

02-25-2006, 02:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Cycling my 12G Here's the Nano Cube I've been waiting on, I finally put the live sand, live rock, and water in there...Tell me what you think of the aqauscape and how it looks. I'm wondering whether I should keep the light on (a normal day/night schedule) or should I just leave it off during the cycling process? What should I do with the output, should I leave it how it is or attach that Y-connector (seen below)? Any suggestions or ideas for me...? Last edited by Woodstock : 02-25-2006 at 12:46 PM.

02-25-2006, 02:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G Here are the pictures of three compartments and what I have in each Compartment 1 (Left) Sponge - Bag of Chemi-pure - Sponge Compartment 2 (Middle) Live Rock Rubble Compartment 3 (Right) 50-watt heater - Maxi Jet 900 Last edited by Woodstock : 02-25-2006 at 12:49 PM.

02-25-2006, 12:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,654 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Cycling my 12G Nice aquascaping! You could add the "Y" later if the flow isn't what you want but it will reduce it a bit. Using Liverock rubble will be labor intensive. Be sure to remove the rock and vacuum out the diterus from the chamber. I would suggest using carbon periodically and phosban instead. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

02-25-2006, 01:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G Aight, I gotta get a vacuum/syphon sometime in the future, espcially because I want to be vacuuming my sandbed soon. And I think after the cycle I'll remove the LR. What about water changes, I heard no, because it may remove necessary bacteria for the cycling process, so I heard until the process is over, don't water change. What do you guys suggest?

02-25-2006, 01:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,654 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Cycling my 12G I would just wait until after the cycle to begin your water changes. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

02-25-2006, 03:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G What about a vacuum/syphon, what kind should I get or should I wait until after the cycle for that too?

02-25-2006, 08:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,654 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Cycling my 12G I just use a clear 1/2" vinyl tubing for my water changes. I vacuum (via gravity) the water into 5 gal bucket. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

02-28-2006, 03:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G Yeah, that's what I'll prolly end up doing...Any other suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.

03-01-2006, 09:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
Joe69 Fire Coral Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 73 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G I like your aquascape, there is room on all sides for good flow and cool looking caves. If you really want to use a sponge, I would only use one and clean it twice a week. When I removed my sponge from the system my algae problem went away, you may have better luck though. So far it looks like its off to a great start.

03-02-2006, 01:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
RANDY Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G I Noticed That You Have Added Boyd's Chemi Pure. You May Have Problems Acquiring Accurate Test Results For Your System As Chemi Pure Is An Ion Exchange Resin That Tends To Skew Readings. Standard Activated Carbon Suffices As A Water Polisher. Just Something To Think About!

03-02-2006, 03:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G Aight, I have a bag of activated carbon should I just replace that with the chemi-pure, to have better test results...?

03-03-2006, 12:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G Day 8 Test Results pH - 8.2 Ammonia - 3.0 ppm Nitrite - +5.0 ppm Nitrate - +160 ppm Specific Gravity - 1.032 Salinity - 42 Temperature - 80.2 degrees F The reason the specific gravity is so high as well as the salinity, is because I haven't done a freshwater top-off yet, that'll bring it down, I lost about 1 1/2 cm, since it has been up so I'll replace that today, and test the SG and S again. Ammonia has been around 3.0 ppm for a few days, hope it goes down sometime soon. The temperature reaches 80.9-81 at some points and in the night goes down to about 80 is that OK?

03-03-2006, 12:51 PM	#13 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,654 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Cycling my 12G Looks like yoiu have a good cycle going You should get into the habit now of topping off any evaporated water DAILY. Salinity swings are very stressful on inverts, fish, anemones, and corals! 80-81 is fine. That is a mild temp shift and should not cause any problems in the future with the inhabitants. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

03-06-2006, 12:43 AM	#14 (permalink)
cburns32 Bryozoan Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 41 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G Aight, but how do I keep that salinity down? It's seems super high.

03-06-2006, 06:24 PM	#15 (permalink)
daveat Sea Pen Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 322 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cycling my 12G add water!!!! you should top off with freshwater daily. since the salt doesn't evaporate you should be equalizing it all out. your salinity is just a ratio of salt to water. if you add more water it will go down, if you add more salt it will go up! once you get your salinity/sg set all you should have to do is freshwater top offs. rarely should you ever add saltwater unless you are doing a water change and only then should you add the same amount of saltwater that you take out get it????

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