New Biocube14 Setup - RO/DI Water Filters... must have? Newbie w/ 1st Question...

[2ndrookie]

Hi guys,

Bigtime newbie here. I've messed around w/ FW tanks when I was a kid/teen and now I've decided to make a splash w/ a SW aquarium. My main goal is to raise a pair of Clownfish, 1 Anemone and a couple corals. Been reading around these boards for a few weeks now (as well as nano-reef.com) and I gotta say, you guys have been a big help! Thanx!

Before my question, here is where I'm at right now:

-Empty Biocube 14G - (stand will be arriving hopefully today/tomorrow)
-20-25 LB of Liverock submerged in a 5.5 gallon tank w/ the Biocube stock pump for waterflow (since Friday, about 3-4 days).The rock was lightly scrubbed and rinsed with saltwater I previous had in the Biocube. Instant ocean & tap water was basically mixed and filtered using the stock filter, Chemi Pure and Phoszorb. Did I already commit a no-no by doing this?

Which brings me to my question, should I be worried about my rock?

Oh and should I invest in a RO/DI Water Filter Kit? Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I plan on posting pictures soon, but in the meantime here is a rough illustration of my tank layout idea... definitely a work in progress. Feel free to send any comments, upgrade ideas or any helpful feedback.

Thanks!
-SH

http://www.thedogateit.com/fish/Tank_Mockup.jpg

[Illuminati]

Nice plan,

Ditch the plain Chemi-pure and get Chemi-pure Elite so that you don't need to mess with phoszorb. Elite is the same but with phosphate remover.

Also chemi-pure doesn't act like a sponge, I would add something, either a small sponge that is easy to clean or filter floss to catch debris and clean/replace at least weekly.

Looks like your off to a good start.....

[2ndrookie]

Awesome, I'll keep that in mind next time I need to change filters. Thx for the tip! :)

So do you think I should just remove the stock sponge or keep it? Is it vulnerable to collecting/building up nitrates?

-SH

[PurpleUP]

"Instant ocean & tap water was basically mixed and filtered using the stock filter, Chemi Pure and Phoszorb. Did I already commit a no-no by doing this?"

I would be concerned that there are still impurities in your tap. Until you invest in an RO/DI, I would HIGHLY suggest sourcing your freshwater from your LFS. Speaking from experience, I once made the horrible mistake in my 20g office reef tank of topping off evaporated water with TAP. It only took 1 gallon of tap water to crash my entire reef! Most LFSs charge .50/gal, yet some offer it FREE! The ultimate success of your biocube depends on how well you can recreate the ocean in your nano 14g. Start with perfect water, routine water changes of 15%, and weekly (if not daily) testing of key params -- Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, Phosphates. However, during your cycle you may only need to change your water after the 1st month. Honestly, use the cleanest water and you don't even need chemi-pure and phos-zorb.

Nice illustration. Post some pics of your tank once it's setup. Have fun and good luck.

[2ndrookie]

Wow. I'll keep that in mind. I'm gonna give my LFS a call this afternoon. The water I used for the rocks was filtered for a week, so I think any traces of ANYTHING (chlorine) should have hopefully been extracted.

Thx for the Tip PurpleUP! :)

[PurpleUP]

"Occupation: Illustrator/Flash" That explains your design skills. Use the same precision for your tank and you'll be fine.

You may want to help your cycle with some saltwater directly from the LFS display tank. Live sand will also help. Try not to add any livestock until after the 6th week, especially if your live rock was not cured.

[2ndrookie]

Thx, dude. Actually I have about 40 lbs of Live Sand (most likely will use 30 lbs) ready to go for cycling, but I'm still waiting on the stand. UPS stinks!

According to the retailer (VividAquariums.com), the live rock I received was cured, but I gave it a nice scrub upon arrival anyways and is now currently sitting with the Stock Pump for water flow.

Once the stand arrives I will begin to take pics. :D

[PurpleUP]

No prob. Post your pics in the BioCube Showcase (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1194411). It'll be interesting to see a 1 day old tank with rockscaping in the thread.

[2ndrookie]

Sweet, once I'm all set up I will post away. Thx!