weedy6969007

I am new at this so any help will be greatly appreciated. These questions are probably real easy for you experts.

1. Do I need to use a protein skimmer while cycling my lr and ls?

2. When the ammonia spikes in the start of the first cycle what kind of reading are we talking about before it starts to drop?

3. Does the product Instant Ocean contain calcium?

4. I put my live rock (30lbs.) in the 28 gal. JBJ nano, then added live sand, and then filled aquarium with water that was 78 degrees, ro/di, throughly mixed salt with the proper hydro meter reading. IS there anything else i should do besides wait for the ammonia spike or have I done anything wrong?

If these questions are stupid I apologize. I have had fresh water for a long time and wanted something new. I have done a lot of reading before i bought the nano, but these questions came to me after i set it up 3 nights ago. Any help on the 4 question would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

sgould

1) If you are going to run a skimmer on this tank, run it from day 1 (so...yes).
2) When I cycled my tanks, the ammonia spiked off the chart, which tops out at 8.
3) Yes, some. If you will be keeping calcifying corals, however, you might want to consider using Reef Crystals instead. Reef Crystals are by the same company and is essentially the same "base" mix as Instant Ocean, but with higher levels of elements that get used up in a reef aquarium. Including calcium.
4) Sounds good.

There are no stupid questions!

weedy6969007

Thank you very, very much!!!

weedy6969007

one other question I have read to ditch the sponge and ceramic rings from my filter and use lr rubble. what do u thing and does the lfs sell it.

Thanks Again

Tumbleweed

The prolem with spinges and ceramic discs or bio balls is they trap waist and can cause the tank to have high nitrates. They are not a problem if they are cleaned on a regular basis. However most take these items out and use the Live Rock instead. If your LFS sells Live Rock they most likely have the rubble as well.

weedy6969007

Thanks Tumbleweed hey if i still got your ear i got one more noob question. Do i cycle my lights while cycling the aquarium?

Tumbleweed

You can cycle with your lights on or off it does not make a difference. ony only thing is with the lights on you can have more of an algae growth during the cycle. When I set up new tanks I start the cycle and run the tank like I would if I had fish and corals. Also if you want to speed up the cycle you can take a raw shrimp and drop it into your tank. As is decompsoses it will cause the amonia spike and get the cycle started. After you notice the amonia spike just remove the shrimp. Usually takes 2-3 days.

weedy6969007

THanks again

weedy6969007

Tumbleweed just got back from the grocery store man that lady had a puzzled look when i want one shrimp!!! LOL

Tumbleweed

Not a problem.
Just wait untill you get a large reef tank and you go to the store and ask for squid, shrimp, mussels, clams, and any other fish ends or pieces that they have to make your own fish food. That is a puzzeld look.

weedy6969007

LOL right