Starting a 20 gallon long saltwater aquarium tank

[oro50]

PM you?

So I just did a ammonia test after adding some pure ammonia to the tank 36 hours ago.
My reading now was 8ppm but I suspect it was even higher?
My main question now is should I stop adding pure ammonia to the tank, until future tests show me 0ppm or yellow instead of the dark green I just obtained?
Secondly, I just did a nitrite test and it seems that it is high too. I got a reading ranging from 2.0 to about 5.0 ppm? I think it's closer to the 5.
Again I should stop adding pure ammonia and just let the cured live rock I have, which is 15lbs for a 20 gallon tank to just finish off the cycle?

Lastly, did I harm the live cured rock bacteria colonies by adding too much pure ammonia at one time?
When future tests reveal that ammonia and nitrites are back to 0, should I just remove nitrates from the water, by doing a water change? Reason I ask is a manhattan aquariums employee said I shouldn't change the water during the cycling phase at all. (I did a few days ago) I changed 50% of the water.
Anyway so it's done already.
I don't think I need a water change maybe then until after the first week the fish I get is in the aquarium
Yes again to make it clear I am doing a fishless cycle, because I did not want living things to stress out during this cycling process.

 

[ReefWreak]

Hnnng the only thing worse than cross-posting between forums is cross-posting in the same forum

other thread

I'm going to stop replying to the other thread, let's keep the conversation in here.

 

[ReefWreak]

Zoas are the ones with Zooplankton in their tissues? Or all corals have zooplankton in their tissues? I do know that the Zooplankton provides food to the coral, while the coral provides a safe refuge for the zooplankton? A coral begins to bleech, when it get's stressed and expels it's zooplankton? If a coral begins to bleech it will most likely die?

You've got the process down, but the actors wrong. You're thinking of zooxanthellae, not zooplanton

 

[oro50]

Yeah then what are the spots all over my cured live rocks? I've had them from the start, meaning they were there serving as a biological filter for the tanks that hosted them until I bought them from petland discounts.
I thought these were bacterial colonies? THEY RANGE FROM purple to red, and there is also this kinda hard white film that seemed to develop on some of them.
Again I have 15lbs now of cured live rock.
What does a mushroom coral look like?
Again if I have to remove the hood later to help support corals, what type of device should I get to prevent the fish from jumping out?
Again I plan now on having at most three corals, and I will introduce each one slowly, at a time into the tank

 

[oro50]

Lastly, just wondering if there are strap along the back of the tank special lights for corals?
I can't drill holes into the roof of where I live for hanging lights, that would get my neighbor upset.

 

[oro50]

Thank you for your help btw

 

[ReefWreak]

The spots on your liverock in different colors are algae. Green algae, coralline algae (purple, some green, some red). Not bacteria.

Mushroom corals CAN look like this. This happens to be a mushroom coral being hosted by a clown:

There are many different looking mushroom corals (actinodiscus) though, the one in the picture is a furry/fuzzy mushroom (common name). This is a good list of a few different types for sale. Mushroom corals are also very hardy and do not require much light.

If you remove the hood of your tank, you can use fish netting or screening to cover the top of the tank. People make a DIY frame out of wood or some other material, your imagination is the limit. Here is an example of what someone is using.

Corals themselves require almost no resources, so you could likely fill your tank with coral without any nutrient problem (corals do fight with each other though when close together, so that is a consideration; They also spread quite quickly in a stable aquarium).

Lastly, you can either use a bracket to the back of the tank to hold up a light fixture, or many of them are "bar" style, that go across the tank, and have feet/brackets on either end of the tank that hold it up above the water like this:

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Look up diy electrical conduit piping. If you are handy with welding, I would do a nicer square tube for hanging your light.

Please take a picture of your "spots" on the rocks for better identification.

Corals require different type of needs. Start with zoas/palys or soft corals. I wouldn't get too expensive until you have more knowledge of the hobby. It'll just save you money in the long run.

 

[oro50]

I attached a picture that shows some of my live rock and the red stuff on it?
Which you said was algae?

Lastly, yes so my ammonia level is high of today. I will not put in anymore at all until I start to see a serious drop.
My nitrite test also tested high today.

With this said, a employee at manhattan aquariums said that I should not use carbon filters during the cycling process.

So I took both of them out?

He said they were sucking in ammonia and nitrite or nitrates, and I want the bacteria to do this job specifically?

Is this what you guys have done?

He also said later on when the cycle is finally complete, that I should just use the hang on the back filter as a phosphorous container?

 

[oro50]

Here are some more pictures of the live rock I have now.
I also changed the hood.

I took a lizard hood and modified it for fish.

So now heat will be able to escape out, while at the same time not allowing the fish to get out.

Condensation should also not build up anymore

 

[ReefWreak]

So first of all, I'm happy to help, glad you appreciate it.

Secondly, I can't tell in the pics whether it's cyanobacteria or coralline algae. Take a look at those two links and let us know which one more closely matches. It looks like it's coralline algae (a good thing).

Yea for the initial cycle you should probably remove all filtration media, except maybe a filter pad for catching debris. Once the cycle is complete, you'll need to change out any filter media, like pads anything that catches debris every few days or it will continue to create nitrates.

Also, one of the reasons I asked about the pic of the tank was to verify that you have plenty dense rock. That maybe tonga branch rock, but you will have PLENTY of deep crevices and other nooks for anaerobic bacteria to live in those rocks.

That last part, he didn't mean a phosphorous container, but as something to hold a phosphate binder, GFO (granular ferric oxide, i.e. rust), like Phosban, ROWAPhos, or Phoslock.

Hopefully that makes sense. I would stop the ammonia, remove all filtration for now, just let the HOB filter keep water circulating, and ride out the cycle. This is the hardest part (I know, I'm going through it now too!) and takes forever.

 

[oro50]

I found the type of coral I'm looking for.

 

[oro50]

As this picture shows. This is the type I would like to keep? I don't know the name but it seems to consist of diamond shaped patterns of green and red.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Do some research on the following:

Coralline algae - that's what it looks like to me. You would normally see cyano on your sandbed but it looks pretty clean right now.

Run your hob with filter floss to clean up any cloudiness or debri.

Suggest running chemiclean and carbon instead (easier to come in bags and put it in your hob filter). GFO particles tend to be smaller and you want to wash it out pretty good. The reason why most people use a phos reactor to perform the process and keep it in your reactor and not into your display.

Probably look into painting the back of your tank so the unsightly view of your equipment in the back takes up less viewing pleasure.

Add CUC in a week, you should be fine.

You had live rock which acts as a source of ammonia from the get-go. You get a slight die-off from LR which will then turn around and drop your levels appropriately after X time. No need to dose anything at this time unless you wanted to do more "bacteria" driven setups. **KEEP IT SIMPLE** you will learn and upgrade soon enough. Learn first then upgrade after you stare at all these wonderful tanks.

If you plan to stick with your 20L based on your situation for a 9-12month period. I'd get a decent light, not too expensive since again you will probably upgrade and light won't be efficient for the upgrade.

Cheap good starter options: Reefbreeders (leds), OK T5 AquaticLife 4bulb or MH but read before you decide.

I don't see a powerhead? What are you using for water movement? Cheap but powerful Jabeo wp10/rw4

 

[oro50]

Yeah this is starting to get insane with price. I was told with 2 filters I should be better than fine. I have a fluval canister filter 106 for the aquarium and a hang on the back filter. Two filters instead of 1. For one fish? I feel there is enough flow going around the top of the tank, where most of the oxygen carbon dioxide exchanges of gas are taking place?
Yet I saw a powerhead, and thought maybe this price was reasonable? If I did get one, and I'm still not sure if I will, but if I did where would I place it in the tank? Are these things just placed down somewhere in the aquarium and plugged in? How do they help the saltwater environment this fish is going to live in exactly?

 

[oro50]

Someone wants to sell me a sao nano light for 180 dollars? She says it dims and has three types of colors, blue, royal blue and something else?
I would use brackets to hold this light above my 20 g long?

 

[oro50]

One other reason I have a 20 L gallon tank instead of something bigger is.
Yeah one, I have limited space, but the other was that the larger the tank the much more heavier it is, due to extra water per gallon adding 8 pounds of weight. I didn't want to get such a big tank, since I first off do not live on the first floor or basement, and thus crashing into someone else's apartment.

 

[Jlavine]

Stop worrying about the weight.

The flow is for more than just gas exchange on the top of the water. Have you been swimming over a coral reef? Plenty of current there for a reason.

If you think a 20g long with a fresh water light, hang on back and canister filter is too expensive, you may be in the wrong hobby. I'm not saying you have to spend to have a good tank, just that the hobby will grow on you, set backs can be expensive and maintenance takes time and money as well.

I have an old current extreme pro with 4 T5s that would fit on your tank and be all you need for now. PM me if you want it.

In terms of coral, I will give you some zoas and mushrooms. These are the corals you put in your picture.

 

[fredro]

The powerhead will help to alleviate "dead spots" in the tank, meaning places where stagnant water cause crap to settle and increase all the negative parameters of your water. You want all these areas between rocks and in corners behind things to have good water movement through them, keeping the entire tank clean and constantly circulating. When you get corals, certain corals like certain amounts of water flow. A powerhead will allow you to keep them happy too. Don't get frustrated. Patience is key. You'll find a good light thatll work for you for now (I see your post in te wtb section), it'll be cheap enough and you'll see a positive effect from it. Just be patient and don't jump the gun.
I have a BRAND NEW $39 Aqueon 700 powerhead that I was looking to sell yo someone that could use it. PM me and I'll make you a deaknuou can't refuse.

 

[Jlavine]

You might want to ditch your set up and buy one that's ready to go like this:

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/sale-trade/173033-jbj-nano-cube-24-gallon-need-gone-asap.html