Coralife BC29 Build

[TBLDiver]

Got a really good deal on a Biocube 29 with a ton of extras. LED Upgrades w/ bluefish controller, upgraded fans, upgraded pump, tunze skimmer, dry rock, powerheads, test kits, etc. This will be an upgrade from my 20 gallon long that looks like crap with all the retrofitted lighting, HOB skimmer, HOB filter, etc lol. I really like the look of the all in ones.

This is day 3 of the cycle and I have all my live rock and dry rock setup. I used live sand and also dosed with the bottled bacteria cycle starter stuff. Don't know if it works, but it came with the tank so I gave it a shot. Put fish food and a few drops of ammonia in the tank on day one, and tonight I am getting a reading of 4 ppm on the ammonia. Hopefully nitrites will come this week.

 

[y4ngel]

Looking good, keep it up!

 

[TBLDiver]

Help! A lot has changed in the past few days. I am getting what I think is a diatom bloom, with air bubbles and some brown hair algae? Anyone know what's going on? Is this normal? Today's levels:

1.026
83.5 F (keeping increased temp during cycling)
Ammonia 2ppm
Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 40 ppm

Should I do a water change and add filter media and skimmer??

 

[TBLDiver]

[/url] post a picture[/IMG]

 

[TBLDiver]

From my research, it looks like it may be dinos instead of diatoms :O

I've cut off the lights, added filter media (GFO and Carbon), and installed the skimmer.

 

[TBLDiver]

Update: Brown stuff, whatever it was, has died off after keeping the lights off for 3 days. Ammonia is down to .25, so I think that part of the cycle is almost over. Will test again in a couple days.

 

[Idoc]

Seems like it is going through a normal cycle. Just run with it... The cycle could last a few weeks or more.

 

[TBLDiver]

Update: This morning's testing was 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 5 Nitrate. Did a 10% water change and am now getting 0 all around. Turned the lights back on and will add the CUC within the next few days!