Water Question

owlshead19 · 10/05/2011, 05:19 PM

Hi everyone -

I have a BioCube 29 that I've had set up for about 8 days. I have 25lbs of live sand (plus about 2 cups donated from a friend's tank) 24 lbs of live rock, my pH is 7.8, temp is running about 82, I have no detectable ammonia or nitrite and about 7ppm of nitrate. My salinity is at 1.026.

I haven't done much to the cube, just took out the bioballs, removed the tab between chambers 1 & 2 and replaced the regular filter cartridge with filter floss. I added a koralia 425.

The last couple days the water has looked cloudy and my question is - I changed out the filter floss and it made no noticeable improvement. Is this just part of the cycling process or do I need to do a water change?

hollister · 10/05/2011, 05:22 PM

In a new setup dont run the light full time , reduce a bring up a little evey day untill full time reached.

Also these bio cubes have lids and you need open air space at the surface for proper gas exchange .

Also a full cycle can be from 2 to 4 weeks.

briankmarsh1980 · 10/05/2011, 07:09 PM

Bacterial bloom?

owlshead19 · 10/06/2011, 06:11 PM

I'm sure you are right based on some other questions I've seen here - so I guess this is just part of the process and I need to cut back the hours of light a bit. I lucked into a nice mushroom that's growing on one of my rocks from the LFS - it was hardly noticeable and has doubled in size - so I don't want to cut the lights out totally.

Thanks for the replies

daplatapus · 10/06/2011, 06:35 PM

Here's a newb question based on parameters of OP. Is that temp and S.G. a bit high? Might this contribute to any bloom you might be seeing?

owlshead19 · 10/07/2011, 06:17 AM

I've been trying to work on the temp issue - I know it's running high - I live in Florida and am still running my ac. I've cranked it down a few degrees - I'm not 100% sure the temp is accurate because I'm still using a cheap thermometer and am going to order a digital one. I've moved the salinity down to 1.025

10/05/2011, 05:19 PM	#1
owlshead19 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 116	Water Question Hi everyone - I have a BioCube 29 that I've had set up for about 8 days. I have 25lbs of live sand (plus about 2 cups donated from a friend's tank) 24 lbs of live rock, my pH is 7.8, temp is running about 82, I have no detectable ammonia or nitrite and about 7ppm of nitrate. My salinity is at 1.026. I haven't done much to the cube, just took out the bioballs, removed the tab between chambers 1 & 2 and replaced the regular filter cartridge with filter floss. I added a koralia 425. The last couple days the water has looked cloudy and my question is - I changed out the filter floss and it made no noticeable improvement. Is this just part of the cycling process or do I need to do a water change?

10/05/2011, 07:09 PM	#3
briankmarsh1980 I'm a member of **!!!!!! Join Date: May 2010 Location: Maricopa, Arizona Posts: 2,127	Bacterial bloom? __________________ My skim don't stink _______________________________________________________________ 210 gallons with stuff!!!!!!!

10/06/2011, 06:11 PM	#4
owlshead19 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 116	I'm sure you are right based on some other questions I've seen here - so I guess this is just part of the process and I need to cut back the hours of light a bit. I lucked into a nice mushroom that's growing on one of my rocks from the LFS - it was hardly noticeable and has doubled in size - so I don't want to cut the lights out totally. Thanks for the replies __________________ Help... I'm lost again "I couldn't find the number for 911" Current Tank Info: 75g w/29g sump - 29g BioCube - Ecoxotic EcoPico 5g

10/06/2011, 06:35 PM	#5
daplatapus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Port Alberni, B.C., Canada Posts: 895	Here's a newb question based on parameters of OP. Is that temp and S.G. a bit high? Might this contribute to any bloom you might be seeing? __________________ 130 lbs Tonga LR, GFO and Carbon reactors, Tunze ozmolator ATO, 2- 20 gal QT tanks, Current Tank Info: 80 gal display 48L X 24H X16D, 2 MP-40's, Odyssea 2-250W MH 4-HO T-5 Actinic's, 80 lbs Aragonite sand, 4 - 150W titanium heaters, Reeflo Baracuda return pump, 150gal sump, Filter Guys Reef Miser 6 stage + 1 Dual RO/DI, LifeReef 48" Skimmer

10/07/2011, 06:17 AM	#6
owlshead19 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 116	I've been trying to work on the temp issue - I know it's running high - I live in Florida and am still running my ac. I've cranked it down a few degrees - I'm not 100% sure the temp is accurate because I'm still using a cheap thermometer and am going to order a digital one. I've moved the salinity down to 1.025 __________________ Help... I'm lost again "I couldn't find the number for 911" Current Tank Info: 75g w/29g sump - 29g BioCube - Ecoxotic EcoPico 5g

10/05/2011, 05:22 PM	#2
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	In a new setup dont run the light full time , reduce a bring up a little evey day untill full time reached. Also these bio cubes have lids and you need open air space at the surface for proper gas exchange . Also a full cycle can be from 2 to 4 weeks.

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