GobyWanKenobie
New member
There's nothing like the excitement of a new reef tank! I wish you luck, and I hope the enthusiasm never ends. Just remember reefing is like playing the stock market. Never invest more than you can afford to lose. lol
Gettijg Ready To Setup My First Reef Tank!!
- Thread starter Stepho725
- Start date
Stepho725
New member
Hola - so I read that I could use frozen brine shrimp to get things started in the tank and that's exactly what I did. Added about half a teaspoon to the tank...maybe a little less than half.
Should that be enough or will I have to continue putting more in daily?
Going to try to get a picture up tonight - have to sign up for photobucket later.
Set my heater at 78 or 79 initially cuz the water sat overnight and was a cool 63 degrees. So anyways after running things for about 6 hrs it went up to 78 but then realized my lights weren't on so I turned down the heater to 77ish and turned on the lights and when I left this AM (about 5hrs of running the pcs) I was at 80.5 so then turned heater down to 76 or 75 and lights off and will See where I'm at when I get home. Can someone tell me a good range cuz I've seen ppl from 76 to 82.
Thanks folks!
Should that be enough or will I have to continue putting more in daily?
Going to try to get a picture up tonight - have to sign up for photobucket later.
Set my heater at 78 or 79 initially cuz the water sat overnight and was a cool 63 degrees. So anyways after running things for about 6 hrs it went up to 78 but then realized my lights weren't on so I turned down the heater to 77ish and turned on the lights and when I left this AM (about 5hrs of running the pcs) I was at 80.5 so then turned heater down to 76 or 75 and lights off and will See where I'm at when I get home. Can someone tell me a good range cuz I've seen ppl from 76 to 82.
Thanks folks!
FishWrangler
New member
We set the heater at about 79.......and it adjusts its self when the lights go on.
Also, I switched the fans to run when the white lights are on instead of the blues....cuts down on the noise a a little and I don't think it's affecting much as far as keeping heat out.
Also, I switched the fans to run when the white lights are on instead of the blues....cuts down on the noise a a little and I don't think it's affecting much as far as keeping heat out.
Stepho725
New member
I kind of agree with ya there wrangler. It gets warmer than I had anticipated but still nothing terrible and I really am not sure whether the fan is actually helping or not.
Okay so I will keep my heater around 77 and see how that works out.
I will have to Google the whole switching the fan to the white light thing.
Next question (and quite possibly the most important) what should my light schedule be like? I saw a $20 GE powerstrip with digital timer at Home Depot but...it says NOT FOR USE WITH AQUARIUMS....is there a reason for that? I thought they were all the same except for how its marketed.
Okay so - no one has mentioned the sand being a problem so I guess that is fine.
The brine shrimp I will add a teensy bit more daily till I start reading ammonia levels (today will be my first test)
Oh also - how often are biocube owners finding they need to top off?
I think that's it for now! Thanks a million again and again friends!
Okay so I will keep my heater around 77 and see how that works out.
I will have to Google the whole switching the fan to the white light thing.
Next question (and quite possibly the most important) what should my light schedule be like? I saw a $20 GE powerstrip with digital timer at Home Depot but...it says NOT FOR USE WITH AQUARIUMS....is there a reason for that? I thought they were all the same except for how its marketed.
Okay so - no one has mentioned the sand being a problem so I guess that is fine.
The brine shrimp I will add a teensy bit more daily till I start reading ammonia levels (today will be my first test)
Oh also - how often are biocube owners finding they need to top off?
I think that's it for now! Thanks a million again and again friends!
FishWrangler
New member
I just exchanged the bulbs (switch the blue and white) so now when the white comes on the fans do as well....
My schedule ( on timers):
actinics 7am - 9 pm (14 hours/day)
whites noon - 8pm (8 hours/day)
moon light are always on......thinking about putting them on a timer for 6 am - midnight
My schedule ( on timers):
actinics 7am - 9 pm (14 hours/day)
whites noon - 8pm (8 hours/day)
moon light are always on......thinking about putting them on a timer for 6 am - midnight
FishWrangler
New member
I top off maybe 3 times a week....and it's only a couple cups per top off. I'm reading others have much much more evaporation and need to do it daily.
This may change now that I have the skimmer going.....skimmers seem to like consistent water levels and I ended up putting mine next to the media basket which will vary as water evaporates. From what I've read the aquaticlife 115's aren't as sensitive than the tunze one though.
Good biocube reference:
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/180788-the-biocube-resource-guide/
This may change now that I have the skimmer going.....skimmers seem to like consistent water levels and I ended up putting mine next to the media basket which will vary as water evaporates. From what I've read the aquaticlife 115's aren't as sensitive than the tunze one though.
Good biocube reference:
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/180788-the-biocube-resource-guide/
Last edited:
GobyWanKenobie
New member
I add about a cup of water each day to keep the noise level down. I do have one more light because of an upgrade, but I don't think that adds much to the evaporation. You don't need to run the actinics that long. I do one hour before the whites and one hour after. My lights don't come on until 4:00 p.m. when I am home to enjoy my tank.
Not that it matters, but I cycle my tanks with raw shrimp from the grocery store.
Not that it matters, but I cycle my tanks with raw shrimp from the grocery store.
Collinrb
New member
Pictures in that one please!!!
firstlight10
New member
As far as timers go I use 2 of the cheap non digital timers any hardware store sells, these work fine.
