First BC 29

D

DustanT

Active member
Hello everyone this is my first tank ever. I've never had a tank before but have been looking at it for years and reading, reading and reading. My LFS has help me out to. I picked up a new BC 29 and built a stand for it. 28lb of dry rock and 20lb of live sand, 100 watt heater and a PP4/RW-4 wavemaker. I used egg crate under the rock then set the rock and laid the sand then filled the tank. It was very murky for hours. I mixed the salt in my RO water and 5gal buckets first. I started my cycle with a dead minnow and its been 10 days running. I used the reefthuz filter idea of the sponges and filter floss( I guess that's bad) So i'm now wondering what to do everything is stock, I took the bioballs out and have this failed filter in chamber 2 in the middle of a cycle. So Just wondering what you guys would do in my situation to fix my problem and start getting my tank straight. Chamber 1 is the heater, chamber 2 is the failed filter setup, chamber 3 is my temp prob and return pump(stock).

Day 10 tests

Ammonia is .50
Nitrite is .50
Nitrate is 10
PH 8.0
Salinity 1.025
temp 79f

Not sure how to upload pics yet
 
I've been running without any filter media at all, and recommend it for others as well. Makes it easy to siphon out any detritus that settles back there.

I would also remove the minnow now that your ammonia has been creeping up. If you let it break down entirely, that is all just nutrients that will ultimately fuel algae.

I wouldn't run filter floss during the cycle, no reason to, and longer term I don't run it, but many people do, but if you do make sure to change it almost daily. I would also remove all sponges so they don't pick up detritus.
 
If i take all the filters out what do you do to stop all the water noise? I took the minnow out on day 3 or 4 since i started to see ammonia and nitrite. I also used smart start on day 4
 
I don't get water noise, because I fill up the back two left chambers up to the top of the plastic partition between chambers 1 and 2, so I never hear any noise, and I have a 3+ gallon buffer if needed of water.
 
So how much water changes do you do? do you run a skimmer? carbon and chemi pure elite/chemi pure blue. I see a lot of people like the Intank media basket and the 115 skimmer. Some use refuge over skimmer in chamber 2. I guess it's all personal preference but just starting out I would like to be properly equipped. The LED mod is on my list but I would like to concentrate my efforts on the filtration and water quality before the lights then I'll start stocking after that.
 
I do 5 gallons every week. I also run the AL115 skimmer with an InTank media basket. In the basket I run filter floss(change every other day), Purigen, and Seachem matrix media. I only have the matrix media to seed either a QT or right now my new tank. 99% of your filtration happen within your live rock and sandbed. Everything else is either chemical or mechanical filtration.

You can run carbon in the bottom of the media rack in a filter sock, but it's way more effective in a reactor.

Have a read through Reefwreak, Soulpatch, or myself's build threads as we all have 29G biocubes and all run them slightly different.
 
Ok thanks.

I just check the tank and today really noticing what appears to be very small air bubbles coming up from the rocks and sand bed and the power head is blowing them all over, is that the nitrogen cycle? or just air escaping? Now that i'm just staring at it some are coming from the surface to.
 
Wondering what ATO you guys use in your biocubes?

here is my setup

20160305_124545.jpg
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Well i took out the 2 foam blocks and the floss and added water so there was no noise. I can see now why the foam is bad, it collects everything.
 
It's just air escaping. The nitrogen cycle will never show bubbles in my experience. You just have to trust it and check your numbers.
 
Ok, I just ordered a Tunze Nano Osmolator ATO, Salinity Refractometer, and an Aquatic Life 115 skimmer. Will be here tomorrow, I should wait till the cycle is over to add the skimmer right?
 
With all my equipment getting installed soon i did some painting in prep for the ATO, controllers, lighting ect...
20160311_123058.jpg
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I think over time you'll get a seal from biological growth and bacterial growth, but skimmers are expected to take a few weeks to break in.

My skimmer is in the back of the tank, so I don't really see the sides of it, so i can't really speak to whether it leaks bubbles or not. I just know to expect bubbles for a few weeks.
 
also, yes, I would check your refractometer against a known salinity, whether the LFS has calibration solution or a known reference.

Is your hydrometer a float or a swing-arm type? The swing arm ones are always quite off.
 
Ok, so got a few things done and figured out, first my refractometer was spot on, the swing arm hydrometer was way off, second I found the skimmer had case alignment issues and a cracked cup, also the motor was working sporadically. So its getting replaced and will be here Tuesday. So being I'm a bit OCD its been crazy for me with all the small issues lol. I have them all worked out tho including the right salinity, temp and water level with the ATO in place and working. Now just to get the skimmer done and the media basket installed, then I will address the lighting. No if the tank would just cycle already.

Ammonia .50
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 10
 
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