New to Reefkeeping!

[LAgirlKath]

Hi All,

As I browsed online this past weekend, this website definitely struck me as the most informative and nicest! And being a newbie, I do believe I'll need a lot of help.....I have a lot of experience in planted freshwater tanks, but this will be my first reef tank. I'm so excited!

I just recently purchased a JBJ 12g Nanocube. I'm getting ready to set it up this weekend, and being new to this all, I just wanted to make sure that I'll be doing it correctly. From what I've read and from people I've talked to, I will start by running the tank with live rock and live sand. I've heard different variations of the amount to put in. What do you all recommend? The general concensus I'm getting is 20 lbs sand and 10 lbs rock. My second question is on how long I should let the tank cycle and when will I know when the cycle is complete? What will be the step I should take after that? Get a clean-up crew?

I really appreciate any and all info you all can provide. Thanks for your time in reading this!

Kathy

 

[Len]

And welcome to a wonderfully addicting hobby I can fully appreciate your excitement.

20 lbs of sand and 10 lbs of live rock is a good. If you want a deeper sand bed, 40 lbs of sand will be better.

Nitrogen cycling takes anywhere from 0 days to 8 weeks. Most of the time, it'll take about a month. You'll know when the cycle is complete by testing the water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. Ammonia and nitrite will be zero and nitrates will be on the gradual climb once the cycle is finished ("established" is a better word for it.).

After that, you can begin to add your critters slowly, a few pieces at a time (giving the biological component time to adjust to every new addition). Clean-up crew is commonly where people start with.

Hope that helps. You'll love this hobby, Kathy.

 

[LAgirlKath]

Thanks for your advice, Len! I'm going this weekend to pick out the live rock...I imagine I'll be at the fish store for quite a while.

Once the tank is established, what is your recommendations on how much livestock I can actually stock the tank (12g) with? I fully understand that I need to wait and add in stages, but I just want a general idea of how much stuff I can actually put in it. I have been studying the compatibility chart on this site and it's been super helpful.

Thanks!
Kathy

 

[hdtran]

It's a largish nano.

One small fish, maybe two very small fish would be my recommendation.

 

[Len]

I agree with Hy: one or two small fish is all I'd get for your nano. Nanos are extremely fun, but they do have their limitations. In terms of corals, you stock it pretty full without problems IME. I would start with a small population of mixed clean-up critters and add more if you deem necessary.

 

[LAgirlKath]

All All,

When you suggest 1-2 fish, are you talking about the clean-up crew themselves, or 1-2 fish along with the clean-up crew?

Thanks,
Kathy

 

[Len]

1-2 fish, not counting the clean up critters (which should be a pretty small population anyhow). One fish is recommended, but two if you really have the itch

 

[Anonymous]

a psuedochromis or gramma would probably look really nice in a 12g...possibly even a percula...youll run outta room(biologically speaking) really fast when you start adding corals and clean up critters...Being a freshwater guy myself, the whole 1-2in of fish per gallon doesnt really apply here...

 

[Anonymous]

I recommend getting a book, like The New Marine Aquarium, that is geared toward setting up a new marine tank. This kind of book will go a long way toward telling you things you wouldn't even think to ask here.

Good Luck



To answer your question about cycling, it can take as little as a week or longer than a month, depending on how cured your rock is. The only way to observe the cycle in progress is to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ammonia will first spike as life on the rock dies. THen nitrite will spike as the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite grows. Then you will see nitrate building (Maybe not if your lucky :wink: ). Once there is no ammonia and no nitrite, then the cycle is complete and you can add snails and hermit crabs to start eating the algae that should be growing.


Your lucky because you're in an exiting phase of getting into this hobby.

get out while you still can!