# Starting a Salt water Aquarium



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

So two days ago i started setting up my salt water 14 biocube... So right now i have my tank with white sand and water.. Im just trying to get my salinity level right for right now... Im Instant ocean as my salt mixture.. So far i've been steadly going up in my salinityto try to get it to the correct level of around 1.019 - 1.022.. So far my salinity level is 1.010 and its steadly going up.. Equipment i have for my tank are a 50 watt aqueon heater, old school thermometer, biocube protien skimmer, and arcylic magnet algea cleaner.. Was wondering do u guys have any pointers for me since i am new to salt water aquariums... From what i read.. after i get the salinity of my tank all situated and my ph, nitrate nitrite and ammonia levels are ok.. then i should add my live rock and my official cycling of my tank begins right?

Thanks 
jeff


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

jeppun21 said:


> So two days ago i started setting up my salt water 14 biocube... So right now i have my tank with white sand and water.. Im just trying to get my salinity level right for right now... Im Instant ocean as my salt mixture.. So far i've been steadly going up in my salinityto try to get it to the correct level of around 1.019 - 1.022.. So far my salinity level is 1.010 and its steadly going up.. Equipment i have for my tank are a 50 watt aqueon heater, old school thermometer, biocube protien skimmer, and arcylic magnet algea cleaner.. Was wondering do u guys have any pointers for me since i am new to salt water aquariums... From what i read.. after i get the salinity of my tank all situated and my ph, nitrate nitrite and ammonia levels are ok.. then i should add my live rock and my official cycling of my tank begins right?
> 
> Thanks
> jeff


Get your Salinity down right away, no reason to raise it alittle at a time, you have nothing to harm if its brand new. Throw your rock in as soon as you get the salinity to 1.025( reef levels ) and let the Live Rock cycle your tank for you. Do you have any powerheads? Pumps to push the water around in the tank.


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

Ok i will right away... Even if my salinity gets way too high i can always add freshwater to bring it back down correct.. I just have the biocube power head that came with it.. should i consider getting one that creates greater water flow? What live rock do u recommend.. i thnk at my LFS they have Fiji ones.

thanks 
jeff


----------



## Caligirl330 (Jun 25, 2011)

Yes to maintain your salinity top off the tank with RO/DI freshwater, not regular tap water. You can put the rock in right away and fiji LR is good. When you buy the LR make sure it doesn't smell like rotting fish and you should be OK. There really isn't 100% cured LR so when you add it it will probably cause a nitrate or ammonia spike.
The amount of water flow sounds pretty good, check the surface of your water and if it isn't clear or if there are some dead spots in the tank then you could add another small pump. You don't want too much water flow though.


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

What RO/DI freshwater? Do u have to buy specific water at a LFS or are u able to create that using chemicals or filtrations?

THanks 
jeff


----------



## Caligirl330 (Jun 25, 2011)

I buy my water from a specific LFS that has good quality RO/DI water, with a consistent PH. RO/DI water is reverse Osmosis/ D Ionized water that has been stripped of large molecules and ions. Regular tap water contains chlorine, chloramines, copper, nitrogen, phosphates, silicates, etc. I think grocery stores also sell ro/di water but it is probably expensive. If you have a water supply store near you they might also sell it. You can eventually set up your own RO/DI water system as well! It really is beneficial to use


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

Oh ok.. I thnk i'll look into that when i go visit my LFS.. I want to get my tank set up nice and perfect before i add fish and LR.. THank you very much for the advise

Thanks 
jeff


----------



## Caligirl330 (Jun 25, 2011)

No problem I am happy to help out, I know how difficult it is start this hobby. I am so happy that you are asking these questions because you obviously care for the well being of your future occupants :thumbsup:


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

jeppun21 said:


> Oh ok.. I thnk i'll look into that when i go visit my LFS.. I want to get my tank set up nice and perfect before i add fish and LR.. THank you very much for the advise
> 
> Thanks
> jeff


 Adding Live Rock right away is part of the initial set-up. Fish kinda come last. Your Crabs and Snails, Shrimp will actually come before the fish do.


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

-Caligril330
Thanks!! I just want to make sure my tank will be well established before i start putting fish and inverts.. So yesterday i got some fiji live rock about 4 pounds... So my cycling has officially started  So i was wondering i have been reading a bunch on modifying tanks and since i have like a three chambers in my biocube for filtration.. i read that u can use live rock rubble instead of bio balls to create a better filtration system... Is that true?

Also i can continue adding live rock also right since i just started my cycling? The live rock that i bought was not enough.. so i want to do more aquascaping.lol

thanks
jep


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Yes, you can continue to add Live Rock to your system while its cycling to get it to the point necessary. Live Rubble is much better than Bio Balls, but in your case, using those chambers, debre will still collect and cause some issues with Nitrates, it won't be as bad as Bio Balls, but none the less they will still be there.


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

Thank you very much reefing madness
Was wondering should i let my tank cycle for about 1-2 weeks while checking ph,nitrate,nitrite, and ammonia levels and then should i add inverts...

Was wondering what fish or inverts are good starting fish?

Thanks
jeff


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Red legged hermits, blue leg hermits. Nassarus snails, BumbleBee snails. Emerald Crab. Small Oc clown fish. 
Options:
Snails
Shrimp
Crabs
Clownfish: Find Percula, Black Clownfish & More
Gobies: Find Clown, Engineer & Neon Gobies
Blennies: Find Midas Blennies, Canary Blennies & More
that should do ya for a 14g cube. Then of course there are the Corals.


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

Thanks.. Was wondering if all my tank levels are stable in about a week or two and all live rock has been added.. Do u thnk it'll be ok to add fish or do u thnk its to soon..

thanks jeff


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

On new tanks unless you have used fully cured Live Rock, your cycle will run roughly 4-6 weeks before your going to be able to add anything. You waiting for your Nitrates to fall below 20.


----------



## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

Reefing Madness said:


> Yes, you can continue to add Live Rock to your system while its cycling to get it to the point necessary. Live Rubble is much better than Bio Balls, but in your case, using those chambers, debre will still collect and cause some issues with Nitrates, it won't be as bad as Bio Balls, but none the less they will still be there.


i agree, your better off running the bio ball chamber empty, without rock and def. without the bio balls. in the original posters case i would just add the rubble rock to your display area of the tank and use the empty section to hide your heater if you can.



jeppun21 said:


> Thank you very much reefing madness
> Was wondering should i let my tank cycle for about 1-2 weeks while checking ph,nitrate,nitrite, and ammonia levels and then should i add inverts...
> 
> Was wondering what fish or inverts are good starting fish?
> ...


i suggest increasing your rock. about 15-20lbs of rock total, depending on how dense it is...


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

Oh ic ic.. The LFS told me that its 100 percent cured live rock but im not to sure.. So I'll probably check my levels in my tank later today but for right now i have about 4 pounds of live rock.. I just got a little cause i didnt knw how much live rock would cost.. The live rock is actually pretty pricey...lol But yeah i thnk i'll probably take out the bio balls.. and probably just keep it empty.. do u thnk i should keep put back my orignial filter and put my protien skimmer where the bio balls were at?

thanks 
jeff


----------



## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

never trust a fish store fully, look at it this way, thats their business to make business. dont get me wrong, there are great fish stores out there, but look at it from a business point of view first.

yes, live rock can be expensive... thats the beauty of being able to shop around. you can also buy dry rock and seed it yourself over about a 2+ month period. ( i say, 2+ because it wouldnt hurt to cure rock longer then it needs to be ) unless you add the dry rock to your tank now before anything else living goes in this will have to happen in a seperate tank/food safe container.

what is your "original filter?"

all you need for filtration is enough quality live rock with enough water flow, a skimmer, proper feed routine, proper water change routine.

not all the maintnance that needs to be done but thats your filter.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

jeppun21 said:


> Oh ic ic.. The LFS told me that its 100 percent cured live rock but im not to sure.. So I'll probably check my levels in my tank later today but for right now i have about 4 pounds of live rock.. I just got a little cause i didnt knw how much live rock would cost.. The live rock is actually pretty pricey...lol But yeah i thnk i'll probably take out the bio balls.. and probably just keep it empty.. do u thnk i should keep put back my orignial filter and put my protien skimmer where the bio balls were at?
> 
> thanks
> jeff


 Ditch the filter, no need for it as long as you have at lest 1.5lbs of LR in the tank. If you can throw the skimmer in there, sure go for it. Ask the LFS how long they've had the Live Rock in the holding tank, ask them to test the water parameters for you.


----------



## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

^ that would be your best bet with the fish store, ask how long its been there... which may only lead to an answer of how long the tanks been there FOR the rock... not how long the rocks been in the tank. ( stores usually get new shipments every week of livestock )


can you please post a picture of your tank so far?


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

The filter i have is the original one that comes with the biocube.. i guess its carbon based.. i had to take it out due to the protein skimmer having to be in the first chamber.. Ok i'll ask the fish store.. from what i knw from the other times i asked its been der for about 3+ weeks.. some are about a week old depending on when they get there shipments.. Yesterday when i was buying the LR the LFS was saying its a good idea to also get snails, it helps with the cycling process and i guess they said they are pretty hardy also.. The snail they were trying to sell me were saltwater nerite snails.. Is this true?


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

And also i'll post pictures of my tank once i get home.. im still currently at work. lol

thanks
jeff


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

I personally would not put anything in the tank while the first few weeks are cycling. The Ammonia is not kind to the creatures. But thats just me. And if he's only had it a few weeks, its not fully cured Live Rock, its still cycling Live Rock. They get it in bulk shipment, with newspaper over it to keep it moist, but fully submerged in saltwater, which means there is going to be some die off, and thus a cycle period.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Aquariums: Nerite Snail


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

*update*

So i went to my LFS and i got 9 pounds of fiji live rock... I also found out that they've had the live rock there for about 10 weeks including the other 4 pounds i bought.. So i have about 13 pounds of live rock in my tank... I checked levels..

14 Gallon biocube

White sand substrate
Fiji live rock

Ph:7.6
Temp:77
Nitrite:0.0ppm
Nitrate:0.0ppm
Ammonia:0.50ppm
Salinity: 1.024

Here are some pictures


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Very cool. You cycle might be less than predicted then.


----------



## jeppun21 (May 2, 2011)

Thanks  Any suggestions for how my tank is right now? 

thanks 
jeff


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

jeppun21 said:


> Thanks  Any suggestions for how my tank is right now?
> 
> thanks
> jeff


 Looks good!!


----------

