New GlassCages Tank

[gort]

I have a tank right now with SPS and a few Softies.. Everything seems to be doing fine. BUT i have finally given up. I cannot get rid of flatworms and I continue to have an algea problem. The tank is 2years old +. I have an RODI unit, skimmer, sump, and a cannister(to just polish water and chemical filtration). I have a deep sand bed.

Part of my problem is I probably over feed the 3 fish I have.

Here is what I plan to do. I am going to buy a Glass Cages tank drilled.(I can no longer take my overflow... alot of trouble and leaks)

I plan on using reef saver rock. A thin bottom of sand. I am not going to use live sand. Nothing can be in this tank that I did not put there. I will seed the tank with bacteria I will buy. I will put a little live rock rubble in the sump. I will later use a little of my old tanks biologically active water in this new tank.

All coral will be re-mounted, fragged on new base rock. It will also be dipped in a coral antiseptic first before being placed in the tank.

Once everything is over in the new tank, will treat for flatworms.

Questions:

How long should the new tank sit before I introduce my livestock? I wont have my skimmer and everything moved over to the new tank so it will just sit there for a while. I am hoping no more than a week? And it would be safe.

Does this move sound like a good one??

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[jcampbell]

Give the new tank around 4 weeks of cycling with liverock. A week will not do it! Also, don't add the canister filter to a saltwater tank! They produce the algae problem from phosphates and nitrates. How many water changes are you doing?

 

[gnashty]

If you buy the right stuff you can get it done pretty quickly. Otherwise you are looking at several weeks to cycle if you go natural like pure ammonia. You could just get 1/2 your rock as reef saver and the other 1/2 live locally. That way you can reduce any cycle time, you may not even have a cycle. Although I wouldnt fill a freshly cycled tank with corals though, I would do the fish first and wait for the coral. you will need to seed the sandbed too.

FWIW - I would look at the root cause of your algae issues and try to correct it too. What are your water params?

 

[cr500_af]

Don't waste your time with using part of your old water.
Very, very little bacteria can be found in the water column, and you are just importing your waste.

 

[1mbrews8]

^ agree! use new water!

 

[ichthyoid]

gnashty;624923 wrote: If you buy the right stuff you can get it done pretty quickly. Otherwise you are looking at several weeks to cycle if you go natural like pure ammonia. You could just get 1/2 your rock as reef saver and the other 1/2 live locally. That way you can reduce any cycle time, you may not even have a cycle. Although I wouldnt fill a freshly cycled tank with corals though, I would do the fish first and wait for the coral. you will need to seed the sandbed too.

FWIW - I would look at the root cause of your algae issues and try to correct it too. What are your water params?

+1

cr500_af;624943 wrote: Don't waste your time with using part of your old water.
Very, very little bacteria can be found in the water column, and you are just importing your waste.

+1

1mbrews8;624980 wrote: ^ agree! use new water!

+1

If you use bacteria to seed/jump start/accelerate your tank, I would strongly encorage you to use Fritz-zyme products. I have used their #9 several times and know that it works. They also sell ammonium chloride which you can mix to their instructions to help the process along, or you can buy pure ammonia at Ace Hardware.

I'm not a fan of using dead shrimp. as this encorages the growth of undesirable bacteria, some of which can cause disease. I know many people do use shrimp and have successfully cycled tanks. I just think there are better ways. You can treat for flatworms, but be careful as they are toxic and release the poison upon death. Good luck.

 

[gort]

WOW.. thanks for all the information and support. I really appreciate it. I will follow your suggestions.

My water params have been good. I have heard about the canister filters not being a good thing, but it really polishes the water. I use charcoal, Purigen , Chemipure and Phosban at times in it. BUT i believe i am not cleaning it out often enough. Is that where the problem can be comming from?

One thing I do not understand? The references to pure ammonia? I will use the Fritz as suggested, but where does the ammonia come in, i thought that was bad.

To clarify, are you telling me to dip my coral for about an hour and then put them in the new tank (after the cycle of course). I think so.

I know everyone uses live rock, i have tons of it, but i am afraid new live rock, any, will bring along pests.

I want this tank as pure and pristine as it can be. I am willing to work at it too.

Thanks so much for all the response. I did find alot more here when i searched for cycle.

Take care

 

[morganatlanta]

In this case, it sounds like the canister is just being used as a media reactor, not a classic "filter" with bioballs, ceramic media or anything like that.

 

[cr500_af]

Gort;625095 wrote:
One thing I do not understand? The references to pure ammonia? I will use the Fritz as suggested, but where does the ammonia come in, i thought that was bad.

The different bacteria that make up your biological filter "feed" on different things... actually, "process" would be a better word.
Waste and decay give off ammonia, and the first bacteria that needs to flourish is the one that "processes" ammonia into nitrite, and then the ones that "process" nitrite into nitrate.

That bacteria colony needs a source of ammonia, and on a new tank you have to supply it in some fashion, hence the ammonia.

If you go this route, be sure that your ammonia is pure and does NOT contain any surfactants (soaps) or scents.