Filtration in new setup

F00jin · 10/18/2010, 01:23 AM

Hello, I am pretty much a newbie still to the hobby. I have had my 24 gal nano cube for about a couple of years but I just decided to start it back up after about a year of it being out of service.
I have just set the tank back up and am currently in the process of curing my live rock in it that has been just sitting in a bucket for a year with no water or anything else in it. I also have in it, mixed sand from some I recieved out of a friends tank and new sand i bought at the LFS and started the cycle process with water from the friends tank also.
My question would be, what all types of filtration should i be using in this time of establishing my biological fiter or cycle?
Right now, all I am using is some live rock fragments that I threw in the back left chamber of my nano, my protein skimmer in the middle chamber, and my pump and heater in the back right chamber. It has been cycling like that with my lights off for about 2-3 weeks now and I just came across a little bag with some ceramic rings in it I think my buddy threw in with the tank when he sold it to me. Should I try to find some room in one of the compartments in the back to toss them into? Or maybe some feedback on what my chambers are suppose to consist of would help me out greatly. Thanks all.

AaronM · 10/18/2010, 01:58 AM

IMO cyclings a blancing act if you're using Live rock esp, and live sand too. The more you have alive on the rock, the less of a cycle you want. Ofcourse, the more you have alive on the rock/sand, the more cycle will occur because of dye off from reef to tank, or from tank to tank.

If you're using dead rock, i think its about seeding your rock.

If your live rock has been sitting in a bucket for a year its no longer LR!

I wouldn't be too worried about filtration during your cycle as theres no showy life to preserve, nothing really dying off, and ammonia and nitrite spikes will boost/spread the nitrifying bacteria thats already in your sand, LR rubble and water.

Probably add the ceramics if they fit and can become part of your ongoing bio filter...more surface area for bacteria never hurt.

I might even think about feeding the tank a little shrimp or som'n...to help seed the system. But thats in theory...never done that...maybe someone else can comment on that thought...

BTW cycling for 3 weeks, close to done?

Maybe after your cycles done shove some GFO and GAC in bags in your compartments...

F00jin · 10/18/2010, 02:39 PM

Thank you for your feedback and sorry for my newbiness, but...If LR died and turns into dead rock, could it ever be cured to turn back into LR? Whats the difference between curing and seeding? Also, what does GFO and GAC stand for? Thanks.

F00jin · 10/18/2010, 04:37 PM

Also, I have been cycling it with my lights off because i am trying to stear clear from algae until my tank is ready. I have heard someone say thats not a good idea because the bacteria is photosynthetic and needs the lights to produce. What are your thoughts?

streak · 10/18/2010, 04:45 PM

If its been tottaly dead you might need to "cook it again" to clean off the old stuff and let it restablish itself... by cooking it you put it in saltwater put in a heater with a powerhead removed the good rock you have and livesand and try to get all the dead stuff of the rock via water changes and maybe a tooth brush..

F00jin · 10/18/2010, 04:52 PM

I know I probably should have brushed off some of the dead stuff and rinsed it good before I put it in my tank but is it worth doing that now thats it has been in there for about 3 weeks?

AaronM · 10/20/2010, 05:09 AM

Yeah the dead rock still has to cure and in doing so will turn into LR. In contrast to LR, i think curing dead rock is about spreading the bacteria throughout the rock. You've seeded/impregnated/inoculated your system with live sand, rubble and water. The bacteria from these will spread through your system. I wouldn't filter at this point, actually maybe think about doing the opposite and feed the system a little, to provide food for the bacteria and increase/speed up the spread (not sure on that...ANYONE ELSE??).

Seedings just a term i'm using btw...

GAC = granulated activated carbon, it absorbs organic material and toxins from the water. If you can find room for it, i'd go it.

GFO = granulated ferric oxide, it binds phosphate which reduces algae and helps out coral.

Could add both after cycle...

The bacteria you wanna increase during your cycle aren't photosynthetic. I think ppl talk about light scheduele and filtering during cycle when they have proper LR with lots of levels of life already on it, like algae, hitchhiker crabs, worms, shrimp, coral, whatever, some of which need light. If they didn't get it during cycle, you'd end up with less cool stuff after cycle, plus their die off would add to the severity of the spikes...balancing act.

No don't do that now.

You just put a fellow newb through his paces!

Chris27 · 10/20/2010, 08:12 AM

Your main filter is of course the live rock and water movement, do a little reading on the Berlin Method. The back chambers should be used for supplemental filtration (chemical and mechanical) using the items listed above (carbon and phosphate media) combined with perhaps some filter floss and most definitely a protein skimmer (mechanical).

10/18/2010, 01:23 AM	#1
F00jin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Roanoke, TX Posts: 8	Filtration in new setup Hello, I am pretty much a newbie still to the hobby. I have had my 24 gal nano cube for about a couple of years but I just decided to start it back up after about a year of it being out of service. I have just set the tank back up and am currently in the process of curing my live rock in it that has been just sitting in a bucket for a year with no water or anything else in it. I also have in it, mixed sand from some I recieved out of a friends tank and new sand i bought at the LFS and started the cycle process with water from the friends tank also. My question would be, what all types of filtration should i be using in this time of establishing my biological fiter or cycle? Right now, all I am using is some live rock fragments that I threw in the back left chamber of my nano, my protein skimmer in the middle chamber, and my pump and heater in the back right chamber. It has been cycling like that with my lights off for about 2-3 weeks now and I just came across a little bag with some ceramic rings in it I think my buddy threw in with the tank when he sold it to me. Should I try to find some room in one of the compartments in the back to toss them into? Or maybe some feedback on what my chambers are suppose to consist of would help me out greatly. Thanks all.

10/18/2010, 04:45 PM	#5
streak Reef Madness! Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Perryville, Missouri Posts: 616	If its been tottaly dead you might need to "cook it again" to clean off the old stuff and let it restablish itself... by cooking it you put it in saltwater put in a heater with a powerhead removed the good rock you have and livesand and try to get all the dead stuff of the rock via water changes and maybe a tooth brush.. __________________ The Shoe String Budget Reef Aquarium. Possible?? Compared to 7 55 breeding Discus days well we see and try! :P Current Tank Info: 10g nano with 2 clowns 1 Royal Gorama 1 RBTA!

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10/18/2010, 01:58 AM	#2
AaronM Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 480	IMO cyclings a blancing act if you're using Live rock esp, and live sand too. The more you have alive on the rock, the less of a cycle you want. Ofcourse, the more you have alive on the rock/sand, the more cycle will occur because of dye off from reef to tank, or from tank to tank. If you're using dead rock, i think its about seeding your rock. If your live rock has been sitting in a bucket for a year its no longer LR! I wouldn't be too worried about filtration during your cycle as theres no showy life to preserve, nothing really dying off, and ammonia and nitrite spikes will boost/spread the nitrifying bacteria thats already in your sand, LR rubble and water. Probably add the ceramics if they fit and can become part of your ongoing bio filter...more surface area for bacteria never hurt. I might even think about feeding the tank a little shrimp or som'n...to help seed the system. But thats in theory...never done that...maybe someone else can comment on that thought... BTW cycling for 3 weeks, close to done? Maybe after your cycles done shove some GFO and GAC in bags in your compartments...

10/18/2010, 02:39 PM	#3
F00jin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Roanoke, TX Posts: 8	Thank you for your feedback and sorry for my newbiness, but...If LR died and turns into dead rock, could it ever be cured to turn back into LR? Whats the difference between curing and seeding? Also, what does GFO and GAC stand for? Thanks.

10/18/2010, 04:37 PM	#4
F00jin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Roanoke, TX Posts: 8	Also, I have been cycling it with my lights off because i am trying to stear clear from algae until my tank is ready. I have heard someone say thats not a good idea because the bacteria is photosynthetic and needs the lights to produce. What are your thoughts?

10/18/2010, 04:52 PM	#6
F00jin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Roanoke, TX Posts: 8	I know I probably should have brushed off some of the dead stuff and rinsed it good before I put it in my tank but is it worth doing that now thats it has been in there for about 3 weeks?

10/20/2010, 05:09 AM	#7
AaronM Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 480	Yeah the dead rock still has to cure and in doing so will turn into LR. In contrast to LR, i think curing dead rock is about spreading the bacteria throughout the rock. You've seeded/impregnated/inoculated your system with live sand, rubble and water. The bacteria from these will spread through your system. I wouldn't filter at this point, actually maybe think about doing the opposite and feed the system a little, to provide food for the bacteria and increase/speed up the spread (not sure on that...ANYONE ELSE??). Seedings just a term i'm using btw... GAC = granulated activated carbon, it absorbs organic material and toxins from the water. If you can find room for it, i'd go it. GFO = granulated ferric oxide, it binds phosphate which reduces algae and helps out coral. Could add both after cycle... The bacteria you wanna increase during your cycle aren't photosynthetic. I think ppl talk about light scheduele and filtering during cycle when they have proper LR with lots of levels of life already on it, like algae, hitchhiker crabs, worms, shrimp, coral, whatever, some of which need light. If they didn't get it during cycle, you'd end up with less cool stuff after cycle, plus their die off would add to the severity of the spikes...balancing act. No don't do that now. You just put a fellow newb through his paces!

10/20/2010, 08:12 AM	#8
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	Your main filter is of course the live rock and water movement, do a little reading on the Berlin Method. The back chambers should be used for supplemental filtration (chemical and mechanical) using the items listed above (carbon and phosphate media) combined with perhaps some filter floss and most definitely a protein skimmer (mechanical).