Help For A Newb

[Mr Miagi]

Have a look here: Nano Reef Faq Section!

Especially this thread: "Cycling with Live - Rock"

 

[steelhealr]

Try my thread...step by step for a nano cube. SH

 

[fishheaded]

Ok, so correct me if I'm wrong. When starting a tank, you add the liverock first, then livesand second, and then SW third. After that you wait until the ammonia and nitrite goes to 0 and then the tank has completed cycling? -Please help! Just making sure I got cycling process down correctly.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Ok, so correct me if I'm wrong. When starting a tank, you add the liverock first, then livesand second, and then SW third. After that you wait until the ammonia and nitrite goes to 0 and then the tank has completed cycling? -Please help! Just making sure I got cycling process down correctly.

Your almost there! You add your live rock, onto some sand. It doesnt really matter what sort, depends on your personal liking. I like Aragonite sand. You wont have to fork out fortunes for live sand. Over time, your live rock will "seed" your sand bed. You should have saltwater in the tank before you add your Live rock though.

Your right about the cycling. Wait till Ammonia and NItrite are zero, and the nitrate should be detectable at 0-40ppm but shouldnt be harmful to any inhabitants. As close as you can get nitrate to 0-20 and you should be right.

Goodluck

 

[fishheaded]

Mr Miagi

 

[nano man]

Something cool I read on liveaquaria is that you can get a bicket filled with SW and raise the SG to 1.04 then put the live rock in for about 1 minute and all of the hitchiker crabs, bristleworms, etc. will come out of the rock, and you can choose which one you want to keep.

 

[fishheaded]

Yeah nano man, I came across that too, I found it very informative and interesting.

 

[JJ1234567]

I would add the water first.....


-edit-
would think there would be less die off on the live rock that way....thought I should clarify so i didnt sound like smart ass

 

[fishheaded]

Ok I just read some threads, which lead me to having some questions:

-For powerheads in a 10g, 2 Maxi-Jets 400 (106gph) or 2 Maxi-Jets 600 (160gph)?

-When stacking liverock, how would I go about this, just stack em? (I would like to have a rainbow type shape so my fish can swim through it)

-When cycling, I read that lighting is NOT needed because it will cause algae bloom. I also read that lighting IS needed to prevent die off on LR. Which one is correct??

If anyone could please answer these questions...I'm so newb, and I really want to start my aquarium, but I am refraining from doing so until I know what I am doing, so I am just going to take it nice and slow so help would be great. Thanks guys.

-FishHeaded

 

[SkiFletch]

You keep askin, we'll keep answerin

If it were me, I'd go with 1 maxi 400 and 1 maxi 600.

When stacking the rock, try and arrange it so that its somewhat stable on its own. Make SURE it rests on the glass and not the sand. If it rests on the sand, it will settle and topple over time. Then, for your somewhat precaroius rainbow top rocks, superglue them with superglue gel to each other for a little extra security. Finally, fill with sand around the rocks, add water, and go.

Go ahead and use your lights. LIghting is RARELY ever a cause of algae blooms and keeping the good algaes alive on your rock is what you need to do.

 

[fishheaded]

Thanks for the advice Ski, it's very helpful. As for starting the tank, I shall start as soon as I move to my new house, I'll just gather up all the equipment for now. Also for this 10g, what kind of clean up crew? I was thinking more along the lines of 2-3 snails, 2 hermit crabs, and 1 shrimp...is this too little of a clean up crew??

-FishHeaded

 

[SkiFletch]

I'd prolly go with 3 Cerith, 3 Nassarius, 2 scarlet hermits, and if you want a shrimp, get a blood shrimp. Coral banded or skunk cleaners may get too big.

 

[fishheaded]

Instead of having so many snails, would I be able to just have 2 turbos?

 

[SkiFletch]

I'm not a fan of turbos myself for 2 reasons. #1, they dont do well in high summertime temperatures, and #2 they tend to bulldoze rockwork.

 

[fishheaded]

Really? wow, never knew that...thanks Ski for all the info you've been helpin me with. How do you feel about hermits?