JOKERS 29Gallon Biocube

[JOKERacing]

Hi everyone. I am new to the aquatic world. We just recently purchased a biocube and have got it setup for saltwater fish.

I have a few questions and any suggestions to a newbie would be greatly appreciated.

My setup is all stock with what came in the box. I have not removed the bio balls and i am running the stock filter.

My salinity is at 102.6
i have live sand and about 20lbs of live rock.
I also have a heater and its set to 79 degrees.

Do i have to change the water every week even though all I have is the live rock in there?

When would it be safe to put in some bottom feeders and then fish

thank you for any help or suggestions

[riceboy]

lol you will if your salinity is 102.6 lol

[freakshow]

i would set the heater slightly higher and change a 5 gallon bucket of water mixed with salt a week.Pick the hardiest saltwater fish you can find like a damsel and wait a few months and add a few more fish and wait 2 more months unless your rock is already cured---you got it from a tank that has been running well for a while. Then just add 2-3 smaller fish. You'll want to have a few nice looking fish up to 4 or 5, 3 to 4 inches long. Don't overcrowd and keep your bioload low in that small of a tank and you'll be fine. I have the same tank myself and it's a saltwater reef tank and i love it.

[JOKERacing]

sorry i meant 1.026

please excuse any mistakes here. I am completely new to this.

[JOKERacing]

i bought the rock from JL aquarium. I am not sure if the rock is cured or not?

So how long should i wait before i add my first fish?

I guess i need to put in some crabs or snails first before i add the fish?

thanks

[riceboy]

Lol sorry for being an ass lol but to cycle I would continue to do a 10% water change every week and try adding a small piece of frozen shrimp in your live rock to help the population of pods and other good bacterias to grow. Just do tests to check your phosphates, and nitrates. Hope that helps.

[Snaz]

You need to purchase some test kits to see where your tank is in regards to it's nitrogen cycle. Ammonia, pH, Nitrite and Nitrate. You can read here or any other reefing website how best to determine when to add your first inhabitants.

In the meantime have a closer look at your rock and I bet you will find lots of critters emerging.. feather dusters, crabs, polyps and pods to say the least. Don't forget to have a look again about an hour after the lights go out.. lots of cool nocturnal crawlies.

You do not need to do water changes until you tank is in "production".

[skabooya]

If i remember correctly JLA sells 1/2 cured or whatever its called. When it gets to your system there is still a lot of life on it that will die off etc. You dont need to add a dead shrimp or whatever to the system. The liverock will have some dieoff all on its own as it adjusts to your new tank.
You do need to pick up some test kits. Mainly ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, and alk. Keep track by writing your results on a sheet of paper so you can see when your cycle is over. You will see an ammonia spike followed by spikes in nitrite and nitrate. Your cycle is over when these spikes bottom out to zero and stay that way for a few weeks. You will also more than likely have algae outbreaks during the cycling time. Its normal and will correct itself over time.
First inhabitants are a CUC (clean up crew) to help with the algae and to slowly add waste to your system and get a bioliogical cycle going. 2 weeks later add a fish. 2 weeks later add another fish if you want. But give some time between adding livestock or you will shock your system.