Just checking to see if o.k.

[ogx3og]

Hey all. New to the whole reef aquarium thing. Purchased a bio-cube 29 on the weekend. So far i have 20 pounds of live sand in it and 30 pounds of live rock. I have removed the filter that came with the setup on suggestions from a couple people that i know. I still have the bioballs in. I just tested my water for various things and am just wondering if it is o.k. to start adding animals to the mix. I would like to have coral and fish in the tank.

PH - 8.0ppm
Ammonia - .25ppm
Nitrite - 0.00 ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm
Gravity is at 1.025
temp is 77.9

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You

 

[rob28]

You just set it up?
If so it has to cycle..This may take as little as 3 weeks and as long as5 weeks....Any ammonia is bad and is a sign of the cycle starting.
Read lots here and learn,its a test of patience and will be rewarding in the end if you do your reaserch and go slow....
NO YOUR NOT READY FOR LIVESTOCK other than the live rock and sand you already have...

 

[Psychojam]

Don't add anything until ammonia and nitrites go up, and then back down. When this happens, i would add a clean-up crew first - snails and hermitcrabs, maybe a brittle star.

Don't worry, just watching what comes to life on your live rock will keep you interested for the next few weeks.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Ammonia is deadly to most all aquatic life. Wait as advised above.

Also, you have enough filtration with the Live Rock and Sand Bed. Remove the bio balls ... Bio balls have proven to produce nitrites since they remain in a high o2 area. Nitrification will take place in the less aerobic areas of the sand bed and in the live rock.....Remove the bio balls........

 

[mr_o98]

Patience is a key in this hobby especially when settnig up a new tank. Waiting about 1 month for your tank to cycle may prevent loss of fish and money down the road. Like Psychojam said, your live rock will come to life during the cycling process and you may find some "hitchhikers".

 

[drummereef]

ogx3og


[welcome]

 

[DaltonJames]

take it slow

 

[ogx3og]

thanks for all the feedback. I have no intentions of rushing things. I know rushing these kind of projects is like setting money on fire then flushing it down the toilet.