Help with my 12gal nano

[clownfish45]

I just started up the tank yesterday and was wondering if I should keep the lights off or keep them on. Befor in the pasted, that I had said that the sand that is in the nano came from a 5+ year tank and the live rock is allready cured. The water I put in it was about 5 gal that I got out of another reef tank and the rest of the 5 or 6 gal I put in allready mixed water called blue water. Do I still have to wait for the tank to cycle or can I just dive in. And should I start with fish or coral first?

 

[clownfish45]

Hey another thing with that question do I really need to run a heater in this little tank.

 

[sperry]

I would keep the lights on a short cycle until you put corals in there. Wait a week, test you water, if ammonia, nitrate and nitrite are 0 your ready to go. I link to get corals in first, that way your not rearranging stuff with fish in there. Many a goby has died due to a rock slide. A heater will help keep the temp stable between lights on and lights off. I keep mine set at 79F.

 

[clownfish45]

When you say a short cycle do you mean 6 hours more or less?

 

[tk1360]

sounds about right. you could slowly ramp up the time if yu have nothing better to do. With my timer/powerbar (I have a Coralife one) I was able to preprogram a number of settings that I can switch to as required.

As before mentioned your cycle is done when ammonia, nitrite and nitrates test to zero until then just bide your time. Remember nothing in reefkeeping happens quickly

 

[clownfish45]

Adding sand form another tank that was set up for awile and water does it still have to cycle. And should run my lights for 6 hours and what every week add a hour untill I get to the full 12?

 

[clownfish45]

One other thing check out my pic and tell me what you think?

 

[gerwen]

Looks nice, but it's gonna be tough cleaning the side glass with the rock right up against it.

 

[clayton07]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9523568#post9523568 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gerwen
Looks nice, but it's gonna be tough cleaning the side glass with the rock right up against it.

i had to learn the hard way on that... =\

 

[gerwen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9526946#post9526946 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clayton07
i had to learn the hard way on that... =\

I'm just glad someone pointed that out for me while things were still easy to rearrange.

 

[Rosseau]

If you add sand, live rock and water from another tank that has already cycled will significantly cuty down, or completely remove your tank cycling process.

The cycle is caused partially as dead organisms and bacteria break down in your tank.

Some of these organisms usually die when you transfer sand, or stir up sand that has settled for a while and will cause a small cycle.

I used ready to go rock, water and sand in my nano and successfully had a clown and clean up crew within a week.



In the end, as is always said around here, only bad things happen fast. So, be patient, really.

 

[clownfish45]

I thought about running my lights for 10 hours a day so that I wouldent loose the coraline alge is this a good idea?

 

[clayton07]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9530948#post9530948 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clownfish45
I thought about running my lights for 10 hours a day so that I wouldent loose the coraline alge is this a good idea?

not a good idea. you will get a bunch of other BAD algae. run them for maybe 4-5 hours a day. Add some biozyme too.
http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=3317&Nav=1&N=0&Ntt=biozyme&sku=131270&familyID=5626&