# Is it ok?



## Shaun843 (Jun 7, 2013)

*New tank, Alot of questions..plz help*

*saltwater* CYCLE START DATE AUG 3rd

So I finally got my 30 gal jbj rimless setup and I added 20lbs of live sand and only 1.6lbs of live rock. I currently have 15lbs of dry rock on order should be here by the end of the week. I'm going to seed the dry rock with live rock another 15lbs(currently do not have yet). Im not sure if Id even be able to have beneficial bacteria in the tank until I get the other 15lbs of live rock...ugh

I will be also throwing in my koralia evolution 550 in the tank tuesday night...the powerheads up top are just not enough. DO you think the 550 will be enough current and movement in my 30 gal?

I currently have a nanozap 3 watt uv sterilizer, I was thinking maybe I should wait until after the cycle completes and after adding live stock before running this...IS that right?

So another question is I have a bag of chempure elite in the back filtration area, is it ok to leave it there or should I take it out considering Im starting my tank cycle process. Its been in there for 2 days now.

Also with little amount of live rock and 20 lbs of live sand is the tank still going to cycle ok? Also when I add the live rock down the road, I expect to have another ammonia and nitrite and nitrate spike right?

Also should I start adding anykind of KH buffer now during the cycle as well as any trace elements? Just kind of weiry through this process...

So many questions and dont know what to do!!!!??? lol Any advice would be great!


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## Shaun843 (Jun 7, 2013)

Bump for a few answers..lol I think Im more on a freshwater site than anything, oh boy! lol


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## colmanh (Jul 10, 2013)

Shaun843 said:


> Bump for a few answers..lol I think Im more on a freshwater site than anything, oh boy! lol


First of all, *w2*w2*w2*w2*w2*w2

Not true, aquarium forum is great at helping people with all kinds of questions. Just wait patiently and i'm sure that someone with experience in setting up marine aquariums will help you soon enough. *w3


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Beneficial bacteria will start to take over the rock that you put in the tank, no worries there, its the amount that we hav to worry about, that why the additional rock is needed. If you add the rock a bit at a time your tank will not cycle again, or if you used fully cured rock. If you were to add it all at once, yes, your tank would go through a mini cycle, won't see alot from the numbers, and it would be short.
You can wait on the UV install until the cycle has completed. 
550gph powerhead is good flow. You may end up with dead spots if your just using one, you'll have to wait and see. Should be enough flow for you though.
No reason to run a buffer in the tank yet. You aren't aerating it correctly yet. No reason to add anything to the tank at this point. Watching the cycle run out is about the only thing to do.
If you do water changes weekly you won't need to add any Trace elements or Cal or Alk or anything in the beginning. Once your tank is full of LPS and SPS then you'll more or less have to Dose.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

Beware of the commonly spewed advice that suggests it's wise to select aquarium equipment, including live rock, based on tank-size and/or GPH. Instead, make choices based on the needs of the unique marine life YOU keep. One example would be the misconception that a protein skimmer needs to be rated for twice the size of it's tank. Who started that rumor? My guess is someone using a poor quality skimmer. That said, just like a skimmer, one should choose a power head intelligently, based on the needs of the marine life they keep or intend to keep. Just one component of that should be the power heads ability to circulate water, and the most consistent directive I've been provided is around 10 gallons per hour, per gallon. So in that respect only, yes, IMO a 550 GPH Koralia will more than service the utility needs of a 30-gallon tank...even one with high resistance (live rock, HOB filter splash etc). IMO a single 550 GPH will not keep your corners and nicks-n-crannies completely free of detritus. But will it be a strong enough current for your marine life? Your fish will love it. Will a single direction 550 GPH blast your particular corals to smitherines? Maybe, maybe not. For me, unless I could find a sweet spot...one single-direction 550 GPH power head, in a 30-gallon tank, would likely shred some of my pieces. My coral and sessile inverts clearly prefer a subtle to brisk multidirectional current 

I recently installed a Jebao WP-40 in my 55-gallon reef. It's a true wave maker. It's now the only power head I use. It replaced 4 separate Hydor power heads that were running concurrently. It clearly does a better job of meeting the needs of the life in my reef. Everything about it is adjustable, so when flow-needs change, so can the flow. And it was under $100. Hands down one of the best investments I've made...right up there with a UV sterilizer.

I'm certain your UV sterilizer isn't going to inhibit the colonization of beneficial bacteria during the initial cycle, but I'm uncertain if it will help it much either. That said, even though UV is mostly thought of as a tool to control parasites and nuisance algae, it's oxidation abilities will also enhance the constant cycling process too...essentially speeding it up. Remember high school science class...the chapter on redux? I'd personally install the UV right away. Why not?

It seems logical to me, to keep filter media in place during the initial cycle. But Chem Pure specifically? I dunno, I'm pretty sure I'd keep it in there... but I'd be one to seek directive from others who've actually cycled with it, and I haven't. Maybe check out the product website? Or email them? Definitely leave it in there for now...don't go pulling it out yet. With that, ironically, I recently ordered that same media only in bulk. It arrived in 5 separate little mesh bags sealed in a large zip-lock bag without a label. What does your media look like? When you rinsed it, did the water run brown? And with all the media available, what made you select that particular media? I'm genuinely curious to know your thoughts.

Your tank is going to cycle despite having minimal live rock and sand. Keep in mind though, that the rock/sands ability to filter will be in proportion to it's surface area. It seems you already understand that though. I'll add that the "2 pounds of Live Rock per gallon" is another example of unintelligent reef keeping. Clearly, some rock is lighter in weight but more porous nature therefore richer in surface area. Clearly, the bioload management demands of all tanks are not the same. Beyond that, in the future, if you add live rock that has not been properly cured, you may experience a mini-cycle. It depends on how much you add at one time. I've added several pounds of uncured live rock to my tank and sump over the last 2-years, and it's never caused a mini-cycle. I suspect that's because I added it slowly, one small to medium piece at a time. That said, each time it still no doubt had a taxing effect on the nitrogen cycle, thus, marine life. FYI: A great way to add live rock in the future, is to select coral pieces that are growing on it. By doing that alone, I've significantly increased the rock in my tank. Little by little. 

The water chemistry is going to swing all over the place during the initial cycle, so I personally wouldn't buffer it during this time. I'd wait to see what things looked like at the end of the initial cycle. I also don't see a benefit to adding trace minerals during the cycle. Your salt mix should have balanced the water initially. In the future if you find that a supplement is appropriate, it will be after you confirm that the elements have been consumed/deplete by the marine life etc.


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## Shaun843 (Jun 7, 2013)

Thanks reefing Madness! Appreciate that! 20lbs of live sand would be alright right? I mean its about 1inch to an inch and a half deep.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

Shaun843 said:


> Thanks reefing Madness! Appreciate that! 20lbs of live sand would be alright right? I mean its about 1inch to an inch and a half deep.


1.5" is a perfect sand depth.


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## Shaun843 (Jun 7, 2013)

Goby said:


> Beware of the commonly spewed advice that suggests it's wise to select aquarium equipment, including live rock, based on tank-size and/or GPH. Instead, make choices based on the needs of the unique marine life YOU keep. One example would be the misconception that a protein skimmer needs to be rated for twice the size of it's tank. Who started that rumor? My guess is someone using a poor quality skimmer. That said, just like a skimmer, one should choose a power head intelligently, based on the needs of the marine life they keep or intend to keep. Just one component of that should be the power heads ability to circulate water, and the most consistent directive I've been provided is around 10 gallons per hour, per gallon. So in that respect only, yes, IMO a 550 GPH Koralia will more than service the utility needs of a 30-gallon tank...even one with high resistance (live rock, HOB filter splash etc). IMO a single 550 GPH will not keep your corners and nicks-n-crannies completely free of detritus. But will it be a strong enough current for your marine life? Your fish will love it. Will a single direction 550 GPH blast your particular corals to smitherines? Maybe, maybe not. For me, unless I could find a sweet spot...one single-direction 550 GPH power head, in a 30-gallon tank, would likely shred some of my pieces. My coral and sessile inverts clearly prefer a subtle to brisk multidirectional current
> 
> I recently installed a Jebao WP-40 in my 55-gallon reef. It's a true wave maker. It's now the only power head I use. It replaced 4 separate Hydor power heads that were running concurrently. It clearly does a better job of meeting the needs of the life in my reef. Everything about it is adjustable, so when flow-needs change, so can the flow. And it was under $100. Hands down one of the best investments I've made...right up there with a UV sterilizer.
> 
> ...


My tank came with straight carbon pellets, white bio rings, and a mechanical sponge for filtration. But when I got my tank some areas needed re silconed as some compartments werent fully sealed. I used the wrong silicone and it nuked my tank, thus having to remove all the old silicone clean the whole tank, remove the old carbon and scrub the mechanical filtration boxes, that way theres no more contaminents that could ruin my tank again...so I actually replaced the original carbon with chempure elite. I actually rinsed it with distilled water before placing in my tank, you have to rinse it until most of the black residue or brown residue has cleared in your hands before going in the tank. MY media(chempure elite) was in there for the 1st two days I started cycling then decided I probably dont need it until after the cycle is complete, as I DO NOT HAVE LIVESTOCK in the tank. 

As far as the uv light, I just wasnt sure about adding it yet bcuz id hate to kill anything off hence it is the first stage of my tank..Havent heard anyone using one during their cycling process. Have you, yourself tried this?

I totaly agree with you on the protein skimmer issue. Hell I bought a oceanic nano protein skimmer and It seems to work great on my jbj 30 gal....Its just the skimmer I noticed isnt pulling out really any protein yet as the water has been clean in the cup..So I decided to wait to run the skimmer about half way during the cycle. The tanks just to clean right now to run it....


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

Shaun843 said:


> My tank came with straight carbon pellets, white bio rings, and a mechanical sponge for filtration. But when I got my tank some areas needed re silconed as some compartments werent fully sealed. I used the wrong silicone and it nuked my tank, thus having to remove all the old silicone clean the whole tank, remove the old carbon and scrub the mechanical filtration boxes, that way theres no more contaminents that could ruin my tank again...so I actually replaced the original carbon with chempure elite. I actually rinsed it with distilled water before placing in my tank, you have to rinse it until most of the black residue or brown residue has cleared in your hands before going in the tank. MY media(chempure elite) was in there for the 1st two days I started cycling then decided I probably dont need it until after the cycle is complete, as I DO NOT HAVE LIVESTOCK in the tank.
> 
> As far as the uv light, I just wasnt sure about adding it yet bcuz id hate to kill anything off hence it is the first stage of my tank..Havent heard anyone using one during their cycling process. Have you, yourself tried this?
> 
> I totaly agree with you on the protein skimmer issue. Hell I bought a oceanic nano protein skimmer and It seems to work great on my jbj 30 gal....Its just the skimmer I noticed isnt pulling out really any protein yet as the water has been clean in the cup..So I decided to wait to run the skimmer about half way during the cycle. The tanks just to clean right now to run it....


When I finished my initial cycle I never tested for silicates and phosphates etc so I don't know what those levels were at that point. That's where my thinking was going with regards to cycling initially with the Chem Pure in the tank...better water quality at cycle's end...less diatoms etc. Not sure where I stand on that quite yet. I started thinking about it last night after reading your post and couldn't find much if anything with regards to Chem Pure specifically. I've researched a lot of media though and Chem Pure is the one I'm going with at this point. I've been using it for a couple months and thus far I'm super pleased.

As far as UV light goes...the beneficial bacteria colonizes on surfaces and UV sterilizers are made to pull stuff out of the water column. So while I don't believe it would hurt anything, I still can't wrap my mind around what it would help either...initially anyway. The radiation will eventually promote chemical changes within the water column that will enhance the ongoing nitrogen cycle though. I did not cycle with UV...I got my UV sterilizer shortly thereafter.

Good idea to get the skimmer going part way through the initial cycle...IME it takes awhile to get them broke in.


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## Shaun843 (Jun 7, 2013)

Goby said:


> When I finished my initial cycle I never tested for silicates and phosphates etc so I don't know what those levels were at that point. That's where my thinking was going with regards to cycling initially with the Chem Pure in the tank...better water quality at cycle's end...less diatoms etc. Not sure where I stand on that quite yet. I started thinking about it last night after reading your post and couldn't find much if anything with regards to Chem Pure specifically. I've researched a lot of media though and Chem Pure is the one I'm going with at this point. I've been using it for a couple months and thus far I'm super pleased.
> 
> As far as UV light goes...the beneficial bacteria colonizes on surfaces and UV sterilizers are made to pull stuff out of the water column. So while I don't believe it would hurt anything, I still can't wrap my mind around what it would help either...initially anyway. The radiation will eventually promote chemical changes within the water column that will enhance the ongoing nitrogen cycle though. I did not cycle with UV...I got my UV sterilizer shortly thereafter.
> 
> Good idea to get the skimmer going part way through the initial cycle...IME it takes awhile to get them broke in.



Yeah I used chempure elite in my 12 gal and my 14 gal nano cubes when I had them running and it helped tremendously! Really didnt have any phosphate, ammonia or nitrite and nitrate spikes ever with this product....I just always made sure I replaced the media every month or 2.


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