Santiago Reef (60 gallon rimless cube).

Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 06:45 AM

Hello every one so i'm new to the saltwater i have experience in the discus fish hobby for 6 eyars, i allways got interest for saltwater tank's and the diversity of corals, fishes, symbiose's you can have in one tank.
So here it goes my first setup on the saltwater hobby:
- Tank: 60 gallon 24x24x24" cristal clear glass.
- Sump: 10 Gallon glass sump.
- Skimmer: Bubble magus curve 5.
- Lighting: Radion XR30W gen 3.
- Circulation: Vortech MP10W es.
- Return Pump: Jebao 3200.
- Auto Top Off: Mini ATO Auto Aqua.
- RO Water: 4 Stage Aquili RO Water filter.
- Heating: 250w Heater.

Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 06:49 AM

Some more fotos...
And the the tank ir runing for 9 days now and i still don have diatom algae it normal? I got 8 kg of pukani dry rock and 9 kg of fiji pink carib sea live sand.
Should i do anything?

dmarkham · 12/30/2016, 07:52 AM

I would add a piece of cured live rock and add a little bit of frozen fish food to start off your cycle. Test your water and look for the ammonia spike if you have not seen it yet. The ammonia spike is the first step in the cycle. Very nice set up by the way.

Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 07:54 AM

Thanks for the help

dmarkham · 12/30/2016, 08:56 AM

no problem

Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 09:11 AM

I check now my amonia and nitrite levels and they are 0.

Keelo · 12/30/2016, 03:25 PM

You need to start the cycle as the dry rock won't cut it unless there is a bunch of dead matter in the rock. What I would recommend you do is simply buy a shrimp from your grocery store and just throw it in there. Once it begins decaying it will release ammonia into the tank and begin the cycle to speed it up however a piece of live rock will help as it will introduce the nitrifying bacteria needed to decompose ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. If you don't want to buy live rock you can try filter floss or filter sponge from an established tank or beneficial bacteria that's bottled such as bio spira or dr.tims. Nice setup!

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Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 03:58 PM

Ok i think i am going to do that i just cant find here in Portugal the Dr. Tims bacteria bottle.

Keelo · 12/30/2016, 04:07 PM

You don't necessarily need it some filter floss or sponge from an established tank will do the trick for you

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Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 04:22 PM

Ok i will try in my LFS just got afraid that can transmit any disease or pest.

Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 04:32 PM

Bu the way any sugestions for my live stock?
I was thinking in a pair of clown fish, one small yelow tang (the smalest i can get), one grama loreto, 2 flash wrasses, maybe two anthias, one star fish, 2 sexy shrimps, and some hermi crabs, turbos and nassarios.
For the coral i really like the LPS's and the SPS's but i still dont now what species should e get...

Antonio Santiag · 12/30/2016, 07:22 PM

I check my nitrates now and its around 10ppm...
Normaly its sign that the initial cycle its done but so quick its a bit strange altough i the sand its live sand

Antonio Santiag · 01/04/2017, 02:04 PM

Any sugestions for live stock?

Antonio Santiag · 03/19/2017, 09:20 AM

Hello fellow hobiest i will give the link of my reef album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/148000...57679191736292
Any sugestion will be apreciated.

12/30/2016, 07:52 AM	#3
dmarkham Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Joshua, TX Posts: 153	I would add a piece of cured live rock and add a little bit of frozen fish food to start off your cycle. Test your water and look for the ammonia spike if you have not seen it yet. The ammonia spike is the first step in the cycle. Very nice set up by the way.

12/30/2016, 07:54 AM	#4
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	Thanks for the help

12/30/2016, 08:56 AM	#5
dmarkham Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Joshua, TX Posts: 153	no problem

12/30/2016, 09:11 AM	#6
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	I check now my amonia and nitrite levels and they are 0.

12/30/2016, 03:25 PM	#7
Keelo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: So cal Posts: 299	You need to start the cycle as the dry rock won't cut it unless there is a bunch of dead matter in the rock. What I would recommend you do is simply buy a shrimp from your grocery store and just throw it in there. Once it begins decaying it will release ammonia into the tank and begin the cycle to speed it up however a piece of live rock will help as it will introduce the nitrifying bacteria needed to decompose ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. If you don't want to buy live rock you can try filter floss or filter sponge from an established tank or beneficial bacteria that's bottled such as bio spira or dr.tims. Nice setup! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

12/30/2016, 03:58 PM	#8
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	Ok i think i am going to do that i just cant find here in Portugal the Dr. Tims bacteria bottle.

12/30/2016, 04:07 PM	#9
Keelo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: So cal Posts: 299	You don't necessarily need it some filter floss or sponge from an established tank will do the trick for you Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

12/30/2016, 04:22 PM	#10
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	Ok i will try in my LFS just got afraid that can transmit any disease or pest.

12/30/2016, 04:32 PM	#11
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	Bu the way any sugestions for my live stock? I was thinking in a pair of clown fish, one small yelow tang (the smalest i can get), one grama loreto, 2 flash wrasses, maybe two anthias, one star fish, 2 sexy shrimps, and some hermi crabs, turbos and nassarios. For the coral i really like the LPS's and the SPS's but i still dont now what species should e get...

12/30/2016, 07:22 PM	#12
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	I check my nitrates now and its around 10ppm... Normaly its sign that the initial cycle its done but so quick its a bit strange altough i the sand its live sand

01/04/2017, 02:04 PM	#13
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	Any sugestions for live stock?

03/19/2017, 09:20 AM	#14
Antonio Santiag Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Faro, Portugal Posts: 6	Hello fellow hobiest i will give the link of my reef album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/148000...57679191736292 Any sugestion will be apreciated.