Cycling first reef tank... need advice

[coffeeisforclosers]

Hi Folks,

I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I am also setting up my first reef tank and need some advice on whether or not what I am doing and witnessing is normal?

I have experience with fish only salt water tanks in the past, but it has been a few years. Anyway - I have been reading alot on reefs, and decided to give it a try by starting small with a 12g nanocube. If I am successfull I will try my next reef on a larger scale.

I setup the nanocube on 2/20/05 with live rock, live sand, and real oceen water from the very start. I eventually want the tank to house only a mated pair of adult ocellaris clowns and a host anemone like a riteri or carpet anemone plus corals, some snails/hermit crabs, live rock and live sand, etc.)

Following are the data on my tank and some of my observations:
*Tank = 12g Nanocube DX with an additional 90gph rio powerhead, 50w heater, I am using all supplied filtration media stored in the back compartment (sponge filters, carbon bag on top of ceramic cylinders, and bio balls)
*10lbs of live sand
*Approx: 20lbs live fiji rock
*Filled with actual ocean water I purchased from my local fish store
*Tank is located in a place where it gets little (if any) direct sunlight

My water tests and observations on 2/25 (5 days after setup on 2/20)*Amonia = .50ppm total (.071ppm toxic)
*Nitrite = 0ppm
*Nitrate = 0ppm
*Temp = 80F
*Specific Gravitry = 1.0225
*pH = 8.5
*Alkalinity = 1.7
*Phosphate = 1.0

I am starting to notice VERY faint signs of brown algae on the substrate and the plexiglass. I also believe I am starting to see little white creatures which fit the descritpition of copepods and amphipods in the water. Finally I have seen some forms of tiny life on my live rock (e.g. really tiny feather dusters). I have been running my lights about 14 hours a day.

I am worried about the algae as well as the little white critters. I really want this tank to be a healthy environment for my future anemone, corals, and clownfish. Are my water specs out of line for this stage of the cycle? Is what I am witnessing normal? Am I "on target" or "on a crash course to ruin?" Also - are my goals for this tank realistic?

Knowledgable advice would be kindly appreciated.

Regards,
Dennis

 

[Anonymous]

What you're seeing is perfectly normal the begining of cycling and life. Your cycle will probably take a few more weeks and then you may see various stages of algae blooms from the brown diatoms you see now to hair algae etc. I'd cut back on the lights to 12 hrs and adjust your SG to 1.025 to 1.026 this is close to natural sea water.
As far as keeping a carpet anemone in that size tank, forget it, a 12gl is way too small.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[coffeeisforclosers]

Thanks David. Should I be worried about the algae... or just live with it? When can/should I introduce snails or hermit crabs? Will they help control algae? I really think algae on the glass/substrate is unattractive, but will live with it if it is necessary for a proper biological environment. What about a small riteri anemone?

Regards,
Dennis

 

[Jolieve]

You don't mention your lighting for this system. Anemones need a lot of light, and for a first time anemone keeper, a ritteri would absolutely not be my choice. Experienced reefkeepers have a hard time keeping ritteri anemones alive. (I know, I like them too! They are so beautiful!). Also remember, that anything that starts out small gets bigger, this anemone is no exception to that rule. It gets fairly large, if it makes it in your system.

As far as the algae on the glass... You could wipe down the sides of your tank with a piece of filter pad and do a water change immediately afterwards if you want to keep it looking nice. Doing it right before a water change minimizes the release of the algae back into your system's water.

Hope this helps!
J.

 

[coffeeisforclosers]

The lights in my tank are two 24watt compact flourescent lights with 50/50 bulbs. I believe these are high output lamps... they have an external balast and dual fans integrated into the hood to keep them cool. Will this be adequate for an anemone and coral? Any recommendations on an anemone that I could keep in this small 12g enviroment ... that would host the 2 ocellaris clowns?
Specs on my tank can be found at http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_12gdx_nanocube.html
I have the 12g nanocube deluxe.

Thanks,
Dennis

 

[Jolieve]

My best recommendation for you is to avoid an anemone for the time being. I'm not entirely sure that's enough light (though it may well be, you should do some research on anemones in nano reefs to see if this is sufficient).

Still, anemones are hard to keep in reef setups, they knock things over, and you do have some time you need to wait (a year please) before your system is ready to add an anemone to it. However, there are many cool alternatives to anemones that ocellaris will host in. Mine have hosted in caves in the rock, hair algae, and are currently hosting in a colt coral. I do think you have enough light for most of the alternatives to keeping an anemone, and I would definitely look into these to start off with before trying an anemone.

Hope this helps!
J.

 

[Chemical_Whore]

till, anemones are hard to keep in reef setups, they knock things over, and you do have some time you need to wait (a year please) before your system is ready to add an anemone to it.

There goes my hopes for having one by summer

 

[Reefer_man]

I've heard of Clowns taking to a Pulsing Xenia before, which if at the top of your reef might do quite well. They are a very hardy but beautiful soft coral that will spread rapicly. I'm hoping my clowns will take to my Xenia, which was my first coral.

 

[Jolieve]

Clowns will host in just about anything.. they might take to your xenia eventually.

J.

 

[Reefer_man]

you have any tips on how to get them to take to the xenia quicker? Should I move the Xenia closer to them? Feed them near it? Sorry for hyjacking the topic.

 

[Anonymous]

Get a large or a couple small turbo snails to clean your tank of algae. They work great. The brown crap will vanish in time. All new tanks get it. When I get hair algae I just turn the rock over and it dies. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Jolieve]

As far as that goes, no. It takes a while for clowns to want to host in something. Just give them some space, don't stress about it and they will find their own way. It's entertaining to see what they will host in

J.