A bunch of Nano Questions!

[JustinReef]

OK...I have a few questions. First I will explain how it was set up and when. A week ago, I set up the Nanocube 24 with new caribsea aragonite sand substrate, 35lbs cured LR (From my larger tank), a calcium supplement, PH buffer and a few hermit crabs. I quickly had a golden brown algae problem which has still not gotten much better (sand and some live rock are so brown you can see nothing!). I removed all the filter media except a sponge (which I will either remove or clean every week) and I added Purigen and a nitrate sponge. What else would you recommend I add to the filter? I didnt add LR rubble because I dont feel it will do much good since I already have 35lbs LR...Any other ideas, I may buy the Nanoskimmer from sapphire but Im not sure yet? I have not upgraded the powerhead yet but probably will. Which one is recommended for this? Lighting is also stock but I think fine since I am only keeping softies in this set up...

So, it has been a week and besides the algae bloom that will not go away, everything seems on track. I tested the water for the first time today and found, amm. 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, PH 8.2, sg. 1.024, calcium 500, phosphate <0.1...Any ideas on why everything would be 0? Should there not be at least a bit of nitrates? Or is that 0 because of the lack of bio-load? What would you recommend I do now? Ive never cycled a tank this quick but also never used fully cured LR before...So kinda lost on where to go from here?

I plan on keeping 2 clowns and a few softies as I said...May move one of my Mandarins over there too (he is eating frozen foods, so pods will not be an issue...). I am thinking I should get a clean up crew going soon. When would you recommend I add the first few corals, will be xenia I think. I may add the clowns shortly after that...

Anyways I hope someone has the time to respond to all this...

Thanks

Justin

 

[Illuminati]

It is possible to start a tank without a cycle or a very brief cycle, having the cured LR & the substrate helped.

Diatoms are a part of life in new tanks, get a good cleanup crew (hermits, Nassarius, Cernith & Nerite snails are a start) and they will work their magic.

I upgraded to a maxijet1200, flow is awesome.

If you can find a cheap frag of xenia I'd add it soon, I have mine directly under the return nozzle on the right, just about anywhere else and it will get knocked around by the flow.

I also use purigen and a product called chemi-pure.

Good Luck

 

[GobyJohnKenobi]

No worries. Sounds like you are off to a good start!

I'd go with colinadams advice on the clean up crew. You might want to wait on the nassarius snails until a little while after you add the fish. They are great at scavenging uneaten food. You might skip them since I'm sure your liive rock should have a good population of bristle worms. Ceriths will do a great job on your sandbed.

If it was my tank, I'd upgrade the pump as colinadam recommended, and I'd use poly filter instead of the sponge.

 

[JustinReef]

OK well I will not be moving one of my mandarins ...Was just talking to a friend who advised strongly against it!

 

[JustinReef]

Anyone have anymore advice? I still have a whole lot of ugly brown algae growing daily on the sandbed and some LR. I also have noticed that a lot of the coralline algae has faded a lot! What would be a reason for this? I have tried to keep removing the brown algae off of the coralline with a turkey baster and that seems to be working...Also I am getting a lot of stringy brown algae growing where I remove the golden brown stuff...Any ideas? Should I add some snails?