New Tank Cycling Question

Riggs · May 16, 2009

Hi All,

i'm completely new to this so please bear with me...

7 days ago I bought a new tank (Orca 450) with 6kg of live rock for it.
Everything seems to be going according to plan and I'm monitoring levels however in the last 2 days i've been seeing alot of brown algae start to cover the rocks and the live sand.
The lights are on 10hrs a day and it's not in direct sunlight.
I did notice a crab emerge after 4 days - he's v. shy (he hides under a rock) and i haven't seen him for a while so today i had a peek under incase he had died and i couldn't find anything - not even a shell - should i be concerned?
Levels wise I've got the following today.
Alk: 2.8
Ph: 7.8
NH3: 0.75
N03: 25
NO2: 0.5
Sal: 1.025
Will my cleanup crew take care of the algae?
Also, my temperature is at a constant 28C - i know that's a little high but the heater is working overtime possibly (as it's set to the lowest setting and switched off whilst the lights are on) or the ambient room temp. keeps it high?

Anyhow - thanks for any responses

seffieuk · May 16, 2009

Riggs said:
Hi All,

i'm completely new to this so please bear with me...

to the salty side

7 days ago I bought a new tank (Orca 450) with 6kg of live rock for it.

Congratulations - a nice little tank

Everything seems to be going according to plan and I'm monitoring levels however in the last 2 days i've been seeing alot of brown algae start to cover the rocks and the live sand.

Diatoms, part of a normal cycle we all get them and yes your cuc will do a good job on them

The lights are on 10hrs a day and it's not in direct sunlight.

Thats fine, I have my main lights on about the same amount of time with the moonlights on until bed time

I did notice a crab emerge after 4 days - he's v. shy (he hides under a rock) and i haven't seen him for a while so today i had a peek under incase he had died and i couldn't find anything - not even a shell - should i be concerned?

Well, what colour was he and did he have big pincers?

Levels wise I've got the following today.
Alk: 2.8
Ph: 7.8
NH3: 0.75
N03: 25
NO2: 0.5
Sal: 1.025

Excellent, you are well in to your cycle

Will my cleanup crew take care of the algae?

As long as you buy enough - but not too many

Also, my temperature is at a constant 28C - i know that's a little high but the heater is working overtime possibly (as it's set to the lowest setting and switched off whilst the lights are on) or the ambient room temp. keeps it high?

Yes it is too high - I doubt it is set to the lowest setting! Which country are you in (is it warm?) if you are in the UK what temp. do you keep your rooms at? Is the tank new or secondhand - if second hand, go buy yourself a new heater if you are in a hot country, go buy yourself a clip on fan

Anyhow - thanks for any responses

You are very welcome

What are your plans for the tank?

And

Can we have some photos please

Seffie x

Riggs · May 16, 2009

Hi Seffie - thanks for the response :good:

Yep - I'm joining the salty side! Actually this is my first fish tank and i'm 33!
Hopefully I'll be going for corals that are on the hardy side and a couple of small clownfish (i can't help it I know they're popular) but also a boxer crab as they look funky!
I'm in the UK (Surrey) - to be honest I don't even have central heating on because it's a well insulated flat.
It's a brand new tank so the heater will be under warranty - I've got it currently set to v. close to the bar on the dial (I guess OFF switch) next to 16 deg's and tank temp is 81.
The heater is plugged into a timer unit which is set to off during the lighting hours and on at night - so far i've noticed 81F during day and 80F at night. I bought two thermometers to be on the safe side.
Unbelievably the little critter must have moved recently - he's been hiding in a little cave in another rock :hyper:

Unfortunately as soon as you go near for a photo he runs away so i can't grab a decent snap.
He's got pincers - unbelievably well camouflaged as he blends right into the live rock so no major identifying colour and has little hairs. Eventually I'll grab a decent pic i'm sure.
Here's a pic of the tank on day one and one of a couple of things that I can't identify - maybe you can help?
Cheers!

2 poster as there is a limit on file sizes...

BigC · May 16, 2009

All part of a natural process I'm afraid bud!
You'll just have to wait it out, The water stats will be all over the place and not stable as the tank is in its infancy and is still cycling and has not had time to mature.
The brown algae is a natural thing and is perfectly normal condition for a tank to be in at this point. You are still not ready for your CUC yet and they sometimes don't do a good a job as you would expect.
Let you Parameters settle and keep posting your questions as you go. I take it you know the course the cycling process takes and what to do when it has.
ATB

seffieuk · May 16, 2009

Riggs said:
Hi Seffie - thanks for the response
Yep - I'm joining the salty side! Actually this is my first fish tank and i'm 33!

My sister started last year and she is, cough - no, had better not but certainly older than you

Hopefully I'll be going for corals that are on the hardy side

There are quite a few nice corals that you can put in the Orca 450

and a couple of small clownfish (i can't help it I know they're popular)

Your tank has 54 litres if i'm not mistaken, which is just under 12 gallons - with displacement say 11 gallons. The marine fish rule is one inch per 2 gallons, your pair of clowns will add up to 6 inches (make sure you buy the smallest juvies you can get), so on the very limits of what you should be keeping, but it is do-able as long as you keep up regular weekly 20% water changes and don't have any other fish (mind you, wouldn't mind betting that within a year you will be upgrading to a bigger tank)

but also a boxer crab as they look funky!

Yes, otherwise known as Pom Pom crabs

I'm in the UK (Surrey) - to be honest I don't even have central heating on because it's a well insulated flat.
It's a brand new tank so the heater will be under warranty - I've got it currently set to v. close to the bar on the dial (I guess OFF switch) next to 16 deg's and tank temp is 81.

Phew, best get yourself a clip on fan, before we get any really warm weather
The heater is plugged into a timer unit which is set to off during the lighting hours and on at night - so far i've noticed 81F during day and 80F at night. I bought two thermometers to be on the safe side.

Unbelievably the little critter must have moved recently - he's been hiding in a little cave in another rock
Unfortunately as soon as you go near for a photo he runs away so i can't grab a decent snap.
He's got pincers - unbelievably well camouflaged as he blends right into the live rock so no major identifying colour and has little hairs. Eventually I'll grab a decent pic i'm sure.

Take a look at teddy bear crabs, if so he will need to be caught

Here's a pic of the tank on day one and one of a couple of things that I can't identify - maybe you can help?
Cheers!

Oh dear, did that rock come from an established tank - looks very much like Aiptaisia and a mojano - can we have a closer picture please? If they are these pests, don't worry, as you have nothing in there yet, except Mr Crab you can easily take out the rock and stick a soldering iron in to them, sizzle, pop!

2 poster as there is a limit on file sizes...

Get yourself a photobucket account, it's free then upload your photos (it will resize them for you) and copy and paste the img tag under the picture and then paste on to TFF

Seffie x

ps just noticed you don't seem to have a powerhead in your tank - if you haven't got one, you need one, try fleabay for a Korallia nano - also, ensure that spray bar is pointing upwards to give you as much surface agitation as possible

:fish:

Riggs · May 16, 2009

thanks guys!
As far as i'm aware I have to wait till ammonia levels drop to 0 and then nitrites hit 0 then i can read for nitrates and make sure they're not too high?
I'm finding it difficult to take accurate readings (using the RedSea Marine Lab kit) as it's done by the eye and also i'm not sure how long it's going to take to cycle?
Can you confirm once the cycle is complete that i do a large (50%) water change?
I'm going to try to source an RO unit (once i get paid! :angry:

) like Ro-Man but hopefully in central London so i can pick it up with a washing machine adapter so i don't have to worry about the plumbing and it'll save me the grief of carrying the water in my rucksack!
He doesn't look anywhere near as hairy as a teddy bear crab - will try to count the legs next time i see him.
I've read there are chemical methods (lemon juice) and physica (red hermit) but for the moment i'm going to wait it out and see - got a feeling it is Aiptaisia not sure about the Mojano yet - seems ashame to get rid of them but I know they are pests. that's the best photos i could do (Canon Ixus 50) with the lens set to Macro.
Thanks alot for the help :good:

seffieuk · May 17, 2009

Riggs said:
thanks guys!
As far as i'm aware I have to wait till ammonia levels drop to 0 and then nitrites hit 0 then i can read for nitrates and make sure they're not too high?

Ammonia will spike
then Nitrite
and then Nitrate

do a 50% water change and test again after 24 hours - if your Nitrate is below 10 then you can get your cuc

I'm finding it difficult to take accurate readings (using the RedSea Marine Lab kit) as it's done by the eye and also i'm not sure how long it's going to take to cycle?

Yes we all struggle to begin with can't say how long the cycle will take, can be anywhere between days and weeks - but if your lr is from an established tank it will be quicker if the rock wasn't out of the water long

Can you confirm once the cycle is complete that i do a large (50%) water change?

Yes indeed

I'm going to try to source an RO unit (once i get paid! ) like Ro-Man but hopefully in central London so i can pick it up with a washing machine adapter so i don't have to worry about the plumbing and it'll save me the grief of carrying the water in my rucksack!

RO do a small unit which would be suitable for you but check out fleabay and UR (there is one on there at the moment, not sure where it is located though) for bargains - just make sure the membrane has been kept wet and that it is fairly new - otherwise your bargain will will not be a bargain as you will have to buy a new membrane, try also to get one with a DI unit on

He doesn't look anywhere near as hairy as a teddy bear crab - will try to count the legs next time i see him.

ok

I've read there are chemical methods (lemon juice) and physica (red hermit) but for the moment i'm going to wait it out and see - got a feeling it is Aiptaisia not sure about the Mojano yet - seems ashame to get rid of them but I know they are pests.

They are major pests and will sting anything that comes in to reach, including you! Don't bother with lemon juice and no red legs will not touch the stuff go straight for either heat or aiptaisia X - my prefered form of torture is heat what ever you do though, make sure you do it out of the tank, don't try pulling them out either - they will just reproduce and you will end up with loads of the b***ers - but, do it now, don't wait.............

that's the best photos i could do (Canon Ixus 50) with the lens set to Macro.
Thanks alot for the help

No problem

Seffie x

Riggs · May 17, 2009

cheers Seffie - will be ordering aiptaisia X tomorrow.

Latest results: (Day 8)

Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 0.1
pH: 7.8

Brown Algae now moved on back wall of tank...

With heater turned off it's 81F - could something else be pumping out the heat? Will check the temp. again in 12hrs.

I tried to turn the spray bar up but it seems really tightly on and i didn't want to break it - when i do my large water change i'll give it another go.

Is it worth me rescaping the rocks as I'm not completely happy with it? was hoping to push them back a bit against the wall so there would be more space at the front?

seffieuk · May 17, 2009

Riggs said:
cheers Seffie - will be ordering aiptaisia X tomorrow.

Latest results: (Day 8)

Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 0.1
pH: 7.8

Nitrates? Moving along as expected

Brown Algae now moved on back wall of tank...

it's yuck isn't it

With heater turned off it's 81F - could something else be pumping out the heat? Will check the temp. again in 12hrs.

Are the fans running?

I tried to turn the spray bar up but it seems really tightly on and i didn't want to break it - when i do my large water change i'll give it another go.

My sister's was tight on her 550 - just be firm

Is it worth me rescaping the rocks as I'm not completely happy with it? was hoping to push them back a bit against the wall so there would be more space at the front?

Don't push them too far back, you need circulation round the back

Did you get a powerhead in there?

Seffie x

Riggs · May 17, 2009

Just realised I have a soldering iron - is it simply a matter of taking the rock out and just putting the iron on it for 10secs? also - do i wash off with RO water the remains? Thanks!

Gives me a chance to do some aquascaping... hehe

Riggs · May 17, 2009

no powerhead yet.. pay day :-(

Fans are definitely on.

so the rock shouldn't rest up against the back wall then?

NitrAtes: 2.5

seffieuk · May 17, 2009

Riggs said:
no powerhead yet.. pay day

know the feeling

Fans are definitely on.

strange the temp should be so warm

so the rock shouldn't rest up against the back wall then?

A little of it can but there must be good flow around the back

Yeah, get out the soldering iron take the rock out of the water, burn the devils and then sluice with salty RO water and put straight back in - chance to play with the rock They might pop or spit, don't drop the rock if it makes you jump

NitrAtes: 2.5

Excellent - looks like you are on the way woo hoo

Seffie x

Riggs · May 17, 2009

Cheers Seffie - All done with the soldering iron - I found 3 more at the back of the rock! Hopefully that'll be the end of that. :unsure:

The worst bit was actually the rescaping... no matter what i do there is always a cave at the back - nice hiding place i just hope it's not too big - all in all not a bad job as there is plenty more surface area just hope i didn't kill the crab in the process! Also, the algae that was on the sand has gone/buried during the process hopefully that won't be detrimental to the cycling process?

seffieuk · May 17, 2009

Riggs said:
Cheers Seffie - All done with the soldering iron - I found 3 more at the back of the rock! Hopefully that'll be the end of that.

The worst bit was actually the rescaping... no matter what i do there is always a cave at the back - nice hiding place i just hope it's not too big - all in all not a bad job as there is plenty more surface area just hope i didn't kill the crab in the process! Also, the algae that was on the sand has gone/buried during the process hopefully that won't be detrimental to the cycling process?

No, will be fine :good:

Photo of new scape?

Seffie x

:fish:

Riggs · May 17, 2009

Doesn't seem like much of a change but on a small tank its quite significant - its a fair bit higher with alot more of the caves in the larger piece of rock now visible (this piece used to be at the front).
The piece of LR on the right is different from the others in that it's covered in a green algae/substance - this piece I wanted to put underneath but it's just not possible :crazy: