Second Hand Set Up -- Cycling?

[DebsR]

Hi there

I have just bought a 2nd hand set up.

36" x 15" x 12", with Deltec MC500 skimmer, Hydor Prime 30 external filter (with floss and carbon in it), 1 powerhead (another coming tomorrow) new lighting coming tomorrow, double ASL compact lighting unit with reflectors with 2 x 55 w bulbs


Set up tank with coral sand (provided) 25% mature water (provided) and 30kgs live rock.

I have filled the tank up with RO water and I have had to put the livestock that came with the set up in.

1 clownfish, 2 hermit crabs (one with red legs, one with maroon legs and blue eyes) 2 snails.

Since setting up on thursday I have seen loads of bristleworms (I think!) a CRAB! brownish coloured and a little shrimpy thing.

My water tests are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, PH 8.2 but nitrate 80ppm. SG 1.022.

Will this tank have to CYCLE like a new tank?

And will the nitrate level subside when things start to grow?

Any help and advice would be gratefully received......
Thanks

 

[daneeboy]

It must be a bit cramped in there with 30 Kilo of LR, my tank is same size and 20 Kilo was too much to get in the display tank without it looking too full.

cant comment too much on your water as im still learning myself.

good luck!

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, the nitrate level is totally dependent on how much of a bio load (feeding) you put in, your tank's ability to fix nitrates into gas or plant food, and of course your source of water that you put in. Thats a pretty high nitrate level which I can only assume is coming from a couple sources (since you're using RO). First, you could have an old bad test kit and if you dont know how old it is, have a shop verify the test for you . Second, the previous owner didnt care about nutrient export and you're dealing with his/her mistakes. Or third, moving the tank has stirred up a lot of detritus which has cycled out to produce a large nitrate load. Either way water changes will help a lot since your level is so high. Also, feed your clown sparingly over the next couple days to keep the bio load and nitrate level down.

As far as a cycle goes, the only way you'd have much of a mini cycle would be if your rock was out of water for a long period of time. Otherwise you might get some trace ammonia and nitrite from increased decomposition of stirring everything up, but usually not enough to spike for more than a day or so. Monitor your chemistry to be sure, but dont loose sleep over it

HTH

 

[Navarre]

You should be fine.
Not sure why you have such high nitrates though. As was mentioned, you might have a faulty test kit or detrius etc. You might also have an old membrane in the RO unit which might not be giving out pure water as you would imagine.

WHen you do the next water change i recomend that you do a test on the mix before you add to the tank, ths way at least you can remove one possibility from the equasion.

 

[DebsR]

Hi there

thanks for your replies - it is very reasurring! I did test the RO water before adding and the nitrate level is 0 so that is okay. I will take a sample to the fish shop tomorrow and get it checked out. I got my new lights today and it now looks amazing!!! 30kgs is just fine in the tank and it doesnt look too cramped. I have put my 2nd powerhead on and it does seem like there is a lot of movement in the tank!! I havent overdone it have I? 1 is 1000l/h and the new one is 1200l/h then I have the skimmer and the filter going too!!

The crab is out tonight he is browny coloured with bristles all over his body and legs - any ideas?

 

[SkiFletch]

Well if my calculations are right you're around 100 liters of capacity and that would give you about 22 to 30 times the flowrate (2200lph = 22 times 100L). Might be a s high as 30x with the filter on there and thats pretty much where you want to be aiming if your keeping corals. 20-30 times. Just make sure that the flow gets to all parts of the tank and that there are no "dead spots" and you should be all set

 

[DebsR]

thanks, I have only got one thing growing in my tank and I have now identified it as a glass anemone (aiptasia spp) and it is a pest apparently!!!!

I will have to remove it wont I?

I have read that you squirt boiling water onto it..... once I do that will it die back and then should I remove it or just leave it

 

[hutsler]

I have not had any but I beleive you inject them with the water there is also something called joes juice that you can get if the water doesnt work or you can try vinegar. I would take it out once it is dead

 

[SkiFletch]

All you need to know about Aiptasia and Mojano

 

[pipatic]

since you have no corals in yet, you could take the rock out, and remove it, making sure all of the aiptasia spp is gone ,you dont wont bits of it going back into your tank,
i have in the past used a screwdriver and gorge into the rock abit to get all off it out, then rinse hole with a bit of r.o water,

and as already mention fed very lightly over next few weeks, just enough for the clown

 

[DebsR]

since you have no corals in yet, you could take the rock out, and remove it, making sure all of the aiptasia spp is gone ,you dont wont bits of it going back into your tank,
i have in the past used a screwdriver and gorge into the rock abit to get all off it out, then rinse hole with a bit of r.o water,

and as already mention fed very lightly over next few weeks, just enough for the clown

unfortunately there are a few of them - one big one about 1 inch one small about 1cm and about another 5 tiny tiny ones all on different rocks, I think I will try and get Joes Juice....