14 gallon Biocube

jake6986 · 11-16-2008, 07:19 PM

I just got a biocube and all i have in it is 4 damsels and the water this is all the fish store suggested I need to cycle my tank is this normal? I have all the appropriate equip to test the water. i plan on doing 10% water change once a week. And adding distilled water as needed. How often should i test the h20 for nitrate, ammonia etc? I want to eventually have live rock/ sand, clown fish, anemone, and corral any suggestions? I want to cycle it the right way. thanks

rajuncajun · 11-16-2008, 08:10 PM

I have the same set up as you. i would bring the damsels back. buy my live sand and rock to put in the tank. throw a piece of raw shrimp in and forget about the tank for about three weeks. topoffs and stuff but you know what i mean. I used a damsel to cycle my tank and it was nice to have something to watch swimming around but with a clown later down the road there will just be problems. also they will have to come out later. so while there is not rock in there i would catch them and bring them back. if you cant catch with a net use the water bottle trap works great.

fox2589 · 11-16-2008, 08:19 PM

what ive learned is the LFS will tel u anything to make a sale..or most of them there has only been one that really had my tanks interest in mind..u did good coming to this site to ask and i would ask all of ur questions for now on

..slaves right from my experience put ur sand and rock in and wait about a month

rajuncajun · 11-16-2008, 08:25 PM

also this is just some advice i got from a local LFS that will not sell you anything before testing your water so... she said that water changes during cycling are not really that necessary. i mean maybe one 10% water change every two weeks or three, unless you keep all or some of the damsels then i would go with once a week. also tell us more about your set up, any mods, are you running a protein skimmer, and how far are you into it so far.

ScooterBlenny · 11-17-2008, 12:47 PM

Wow, 4 damsels in a 14 gallon isn't a cycle, it's an overload to begin with! I totally agree with those that said take the damsels back and throw a piece of shrimp in. Even if the damsels survived the cycle, you will probably regret having them once you get the tank established and start adding other things.

Loverotties · 11-17-2008, 12:59 PM

I also say take the fish back get the sand and rock and put some shrimp in there and wate a month,then take reading to see if cycled and if so,take shrimp out and your ready to go!

jake6986 · 11-17-2008, 01:12 PM

I do plan on taking the damsels back. I guess they figured it is nice to have something to look at. But one of the blue damsels already looks as if it getting picked on and i'll probably have to take it out. my setup is all stock no protein skimmer, with a heater I also purchased. I didn't ask at the LFS but is this the most common place to get the live rock/sand or does anyone recommend ordering it? Any suggestions? And if I was going to throw in live sand/ rock for a month or so does it matter how cured it is? What type of shrimp do you recomend putting in there? Or does it matter? Will the shrimp be OK durring the cycling process? It's all new to me.I have also heard about taking the bio balls out? And replacing them with what? Has anyone done this? Is it a better filter? I have seen some beautiful Biocubes out there and that is what I am trying to accomplish eventually. It looks as if some of them have purchased an additional pump to get the water really moving through the tank, I guess. Anyone have suggestions on modifications that will help. I really would like to keep the stock lighting. Is this sufficiant for corral growth? Thanks again

rajuncajun · 11-17-2008, 03:40 PM

ok missunderstanding with the shrimp. DEAD shrimp. raw table shrimp from the seafood section of your local grocer. i took my bioballs out and many on here will recommend the same. i do not recommend the oceanic skimmer made for the biocubes. i would save money and try for a nicer one. also if you take out the bio balls you could either do a refugium or nothing. if nothing you can raise your water level all the way to the top in the back, no need for wet dry. as far as live rock its up to you. but for just 14-20lbs i would buy at the LFS as shipping will cost you more in the long run. stock lights will be plenty efficent for softies and some large polyp stonies no SPS though or clams. i have a plate coral that is doing awsome and had some candy cane that looked good to. anyways this is getting long so ill keep reading and add more later

jake6986 · 11-17-2008, 11:07 PM

Rajuncajun thanks for all the info sorry about the shrimp thing I had no clue. So does the shrimp kind of give the live sand/rock something to eat in a way? My LFS (90 miles away) has live sand but no rock. Do you think I can put just the sand in ? And I checked with another store that is going out of business in the same area and they do have some for 6$ a pound and I think it is cured does this sound reasonable?

jake6986 · 11-17-2008, 11:19 PM

Also If anyone can recommend a powerhead, what kind size is good for my biocube?

ScooterBlenny · 11-18-2008, 01:43 PM

The shrimp helps to start the cycle - which is also what fish poop does. There just has to be something basically rotting in there to feed the bacteria that process fish waste. This helps the bacteria to get established and help the nitrate cycle. If you don't have this bacteria established and you put fish in there, then the bacteria can't consume all of the waste from the fish and you get ammonia and nitrite in your tank (which, of course, are highly toxic). The rotting table shrimp feeds the bacteria and helps it to reproduce and build up to a point where the bacteria CAN handle the waste produced by fish.

You really should consider taking the fish out, putting the rock and sand in, and getting the tank cycled before slowly adding livestock.

rajuncajun · 11-18-2008, 02:32 PM

$6 a pound is the norm around here for figi live rock. tonga branch runs $11 a pound so yeh thats resoanble. otherwise i dont know of many places that ship like 15 lbs or rock and it will cost you more. thats rough being 90 miles away. i have three within a mile of each other and only 9 miles from my house. a power head may not really be necissary but the nano korila is small and cheap but gets the job done nicely.

ZMattie · 11-20-2008, 05:43 PM

If the LFS is 90 miles away, I would reccomend just ordering some LR & LS, yes you may pay a little more total for the rock, but heck it comes straight to your door and I dont know about your car but in mine 180 miles is $30 dollars in gas and its roughly $30 for shipping... Its up to you obviously but if you think of it this was, it'll save you the hassle and the 3-4 hour trip!

jake6986 · 11-20-2008, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZMattie

If the LFS is 90 miles away, I would reccomend just ordering some LR & LS, yes you may pay a little more total for the rock, but heck it comes straight to your door and I dont know about your car but in mine 180 miles is $30 dollars in gas and its roughly $30 for shipping... Its up to you obviously but if you think of it this was, it'll save you the hassle and the 3-4 hour trip!

Thanks for the info it just so happened my daughter had an doctors appointment there so I went ahead and bought some live sand and rock while I was there.