I do not see any hitchikers :(

[orangutan]

I just set up my biocube 14 and it has been running w/ live rock and live sand for two and half days. I really havnt seen anything alive in there yet and I was wondering if this was a problem.

The only issue I can think of is that the live rock was out of water for about 3-3.5 hours (it was still very wet though , wrapped in newspaper and inside styrofoam)

Should I be concerned or more patient

[Tarx6]

I would not worry if I were you

I just set up my my first saltwater tank over 6 months ago.
For the first 2 months, I saw nothing. Then, one by one, they start to show up.

Just 2 days ago, I found this big, finger nail shell snail. It's all metallic purple and a alge eater

Of corse, I just got my first aiptasia outbreak also...

[Loverotties]

Give it some time.

[Hop]

Many times the absence of visible hitchhikers is a good thing Pods and stuff will start to show up as time goes on. But not having pests is a great thing!

[ckusnierek]

It's the ones you dont see that are the ones you usually do not want like Xanthid crabs, mantis, etc...

Give it some time your tank is still a newborn.

[orangutan]

Okay thanks everyone. What about dosing with any kind of live food to get a tank culture started (pods, plankton, etc..)? I was also thinking of making a pod pile with some rubble and chaeto. Thoughts?

[Hop]

Nah... no sense of adding things that will just turn to po4 and no3. The pods will begin to explode and then recede as time goes on.

[orangutan]

Yah I was afraid of that.

Here are my filtration mods, wanted to get some feedback on them because I kind of just winged it.

I took out about 2/3 of my bioballs. On top of the bioballs I placed a rack on top made from egg crate. On this rack I placed a media bag of Seagel.

I took out the stock filter from the 1st chamber and put my heater in there.

On top of the drip tray, I put filter floss which I will change out about twice a week.

[orangutan]

Update! I see hitchikers. I actually saw them the same day I made this post. I just happened to look in the right spot and saw two small snails. Then I looked around the back of the tank and saw some pods on the glass. I guess my worrying was a bit premature.

[aquawolf]

Originally Posted by orangutan

Yah I was afraid of that.

Here are my filtration mods, wanted to get some feedback on them because I kind of just winged it.

I took out about 2/3 of my bioballs. On top of the bioballs I placed a rack on top made from egg crate. On this rack I placed a media bag of Seagel.

I took out the stock filter from the 1st chamber and put my heater in there.

On top of the drip tray, I put filter floss which I will change out about twice a week.

Why did you leave any of the bio balls in there? The live rock will provide all of the bacterial filtration your system should need. These will eventually trap detritus and lead to higher nitrates in the system.

What is this Seagel bag you speak of? That is one I have not heard of before.

Definitely keep the filter floss as clean as you possibly can.

Originally Posted by orangutan

Update! I see hitchikers. I actually saw them the same day I made this post. I just happened to look in the right spot and saw two small snails. Then I looked around the back of the tank and saw some pods on the glass. I guess my worrying was a bit premature.

Congrats on seeing the hitch hikers. When you get caught staring into the tank with a red lens on your flashlight, then you will know the addiction has taken full control.

[orangutan]

Yah I will take those bioballs out. I ordered a StevieT media rack, so I will replace the balls with that when it comes.

Seagel is a combo activated carbon / Phosphate remover.

[aquawolf]

Thanks for the info on the Seagel. Who makes that product? I am being a little lazy and don't feel like using Google right now.

[orangutan]

Originally Posted by aquawolf

Thanks for the info on the Seagel. Who makes that product? I am being a little lazy and don't feel like using Google right now.

SEACHEM