Starting a 20 gallon long saltwater aquarium tank

[oro50]

Hello,
I have been in the process of cycling my first saltwater aquarium tank.
Three weeks have gone by.

My ammonia and nitrite level today was very low, like .25 to .5 ammonia, and around .25 to .50 nitrite.

Here is my current setup as of today. For three weeks I've had 10lbs of cured live rock, and I've added extra nitrifiying bacteria as the weeks have gone by.
Today I added a entire bottle of live nitrifying bacteria to my tank, as well as five more lbs of live rock. I then added some more ammonia to the tank, (larger than I usually do per day) for the new bacteria to start eating.
Meanwhile during these last three weeks, I have had two filters running constantly. One hands on the back filter made by aquaclear, and a fluval 106 canister filter.
Now someone today at the shop I went to suggested something called a seeve, not sure if that's what it is called, but said that my filters would not be good for a saltwater environment. However as I live in a tight space, I can't have the same exact equipment I see in pet shops, since I do not make a living from selling fish (at least not yet).
This aquarium is meant for the home, and since I am doing a fishless cycle so far I don't see the real issue using these type of filters, especially since I am using two. This tank is also just meant for one clownfish and maybe two corals.
Other than that, I also have a substrate of live argonite sand. I am using a heater as well. The current temperature is (and for the most part has remained at), 82 degrees.

Any tips if I should keep adding a small amount or now larger amount of ammonia per day while I finish the cycle (since now I have more bacteria as well as live rock in the tank), is appreciated.
Any other tips or how much longer do you think it might take for my tank to become fully cycled is also appreciated.

Lastly, do i just eventually get rid of nitrates by doing water changes, once it seems that my ammonia and nitrites have reached 0, or do I have to keep monitoring nitrates to see if the denitrifying bacteria that is suppose to eat it, turns it eventually into harmless nitrogen gas?

 

[edd]

welcome to mr.
i would stop dosing ammonia, when amo and nitrites are zero then your tank is cycled.
i would add a small clean up crew first.
with the filtration you have i don't think you will get 0 nitrates but fish aren't that sensitive to them, but coral are.
as your tank matures and you get rid of the hang on filter your nitrates should start to drop. good luck
you will get a lot of good advise here.

 

[oro50]

Get rid of the hang on filter?
I was going to keep it?

Secondly I forgot to mention one thing. A employee at Manhattan aquariums who is very knowledgeable told me that I should remove the carbon media from both of my filters during the cycling process, since while I cycled the tank so far, it was busy taking out ammonia and nitrites from the tank, and thus I suppose inhibiting the growth or slowing down the growth of the strain of nitrifying bacteria that eats up nitrites and produces nitrates as a by-product.
If I stop dosing ammonia completely though, without a fish right now, won't a certain type of bacteria I need that serves as part of the biological filter die off?

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

canister filters arent' really used as much as the fw community. Reason being fluval canisters utilize bioballs which can become a nitrate factory. You don't want anything to settle.

I usually just add a piece of shrimp in the early stages and take it out after a few days. Wait until the end of the 3rd week then add my CUC. Week 4-5 I add my first fish. I don't test for all that but with the process I should be set and still have my black ice clowns today

The aquaclear is fine. What size is it and what are you running in it besides carbon? I run my mechanical filtration from the get go. So you know your water should be prestine from the start. Do not get nervous through the diatoms, red slime and all the bad algae you may experience. Don't forget to use RO/DI and change it when you see your ppm go above zero.

Carbon media is really cheap so it doesn't really matter?

GL!

 

[oro50]

The aquaclear hang on the back filter is for a 30 gallon tank. Yet my tank is 20 gallon long.
FW community?
I'm just concerned that a canister filter could not be used for a saltwater environment. Everything I've read online through other forums, and other employees from other stores have said this is not true. They said that a canister filter can be used for a saltwater environment. Yet this one guy I met was so adamant that using one would fail for a saltwater environment? Something to do with not getting enough oxygen on the top or something?

Yet my canister I feel performs more flow throughout the water I have than the hang on the back. The hang on the back is just like a secondary filter medium device.
My carbon as I said is currently out of both of my running filters now, as I finish off the cycle.
Secondly, today is the beginning of the fourth week. So I am now heading into the fourth week since I started the cycling process.
I have been using tap water. However I did use water conditioners to treat it.
RO/DI water just seemed to be too expensive?
Yeah I think now I might add a fish first to my tank then a few corals (most like 3) and only one at a time, eventually.
Lastly, I think I need to get a cleanup crew first though before the fish, just to see how they deal with the environment?

 

[Jlavine]

Hi there. I think we met today at the LFS (local fish store). I know I gave my 2 cents then and it's really great you posted here. The Manhattan Reefs community is really great and supportive.

Can you post a picture of your tank?

At 4 weeks you should be good to go. I recommend adding a small clean-up crew to start.

I recommend dropping your temp down closer to 78 degrees though everyone will have a different opinion. 82 is too high for me.

To further help everyone help you, I also recommend you post more about your set up. Such as what number aquaclear you are using (you may want to go as big as possible and convert the chamber to a fuge), what lights you are using and what you are using in the canister filter (nitrate factory and needs to go in my opinion).

Do not use tap water. RO/DI is worth every penny and NYC tap water will ruin your aquarium over time. I have someone who delivers it for $1 per gallon to my door if you need.

Do you have any other flow maker in the tank?

I think a 20g with freshwater lights (I think), hang on back filter, canister filter and NYC tap water is going to be very hard to keep as a beginner.

 

[oro50]

Convert the chamber to a fuge? What does a fuge do?
The lights I'm using is what came with the hood right now.
I have the two filters as I described earlier. The hang on the back filter meant for a 30 gallon tank, when I have a 20 gallon, and the canister filter unit.
Yes and I know you said that. Unfortunately, at this point in time, (though I am trying to work on it) I am not rich. I do not have the space right now for a larger tank for starters, and I have a limited budget.

 

[oro50]

I also do not live on the first floor. Thus I was concerned that even a 30 or 35 gallon tank would have been too much weight.
I do have though now 15lbs of cured live rock in the tank, and after I left that shop.
Your the guy who's tank crashed right?
Well I went and got some more nitrifying bacteria at Fauna on 86st. I added it all, and then the extra cured live rock.
so now I have that plus 15lbs of cured live rock in a 20 gallon tank.

 

[fredro]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=726185
Converting AC to refugium.
Ditch canister filter and stay on this forum for info and out of the LFS for advise. Every kid that keeps a goldfish at his grandmothers house is not a good source of reef advise. Most of us are on a budget too. Scour the marketplace for used stuff, fellow reef keepers are often generous to beginners and you may even get some freebies if you're lucky. If anything get another aqua clear and run that with mechanical filtration and the other as a refugium.

 

[fredro]

Someone just gave away t5 lighting assy and an aqua clear 20 in the freebie thread. You don't always have to spend a bunch. Just always keep an eye on the marketplace. Even throw out a want to buy and let everyone know what you need and your situation. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Sharkbait420]

The cainister filter is one of the greatest filters ever made. You can use anything in it not just bioballs. Bioballs are fine but they have tons of media you can use.

 

[Jlavine]

You may be better off getting a used biocube 29 or even 14 than using he tank, filter and lights you currently have. Do not worry about the weight. Check out the for sale, free and want to buy threads. I'm guessing you can get a used biocube all-in-one for less than you spent already.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

A canister filter bioballs are what concerns most people in SW. That's why even when they use wet/dry sumps you'll see that they remove them. It will constantly need cleaning etc. Easier to use filter socks for removing and replacing etc.

You could use what you'd like. This hobby is unique that one way of thought is the wrong way of the actual truth. It can be done but remember the SW there are exceptions to the rule. Most people speak in terms of experience and the ones who been around speak on terms of learning experience and probabilities through the obvious graph of success rate vs failure or decent results.

Either way, read, read, read and look throughout all the amazing tank threads and you'll see the % of people using a canister filter. You'll upgrade in the next 6 months guaranteed!

So supplement my food for thought: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2210490

Google is your friend. Even when your at a LFS and about to do your first of many impulse buys! **Note everything you read on the interwebz is the truth but you have to take more than a quick browse to get your answer like anything else!**

 

[oro50]

Does anyone know where I can go to buy a moderate lighting system for two corals I would like to buy? One looked like it had a-lot of diamond patterns green and red, and another two I had in mind at Manhattan aquariums well one was bubbly coral green, and the other looked green but had a-lot of spots scattered throughout it?

 

[cmantis]

Check ebay 'reef par36'

 

[Jlavine]

These are very vague descriptions of coral. It is important to know what coral you are getting so you can understand their required flow, lighting and feeding. I recommend starting with some basic soft corals from reefers on this forum. I can give you some mushrooms and zoas when you are ready.

 

[oro50]

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?

 

[oro50]

flow you mean enough air bubbles passing through the system it needs for oxygen?
Yeah I am aware that different corals need different light requirements?
All have to be within the blue, red, or ultraviolet range?
Intensity is also important in lighting?
Feeding do you just mean spread feeding versus targeted feeding, or do you mean I should know exactly when I am suppose to give it regular feedings?

 

[oro50]

Again I am first going to just try 2 corals. I also plan to introduce them one at a time.
I don't mind going slow in this process. Yes I am a beginner, but I like to learn new things, including this stuff.

 

[Jlavine]

OMG.... You can PM me if you'd like my number to review some basics over the phone.

You can also check out the frag swap this month and come to a few lectures and meet some reefers.