High School Classroom Nano Reef

[frank180reef]

Think flow

 

[Cpage101]

Huge shout out to @bonghapster and Allison (I don’t think she’s a forum member) for their donations to the project. Now have a refractometer, Jebco PP4, couple heaters, some reef salt, and a bunch of other helpful accessories. My major needs are just rock and sand now. I think have a plan for the rock as well.

Update:

Transferred the tank and about 15-20 gallons RO/DI water w salt to school today. Just have it there circulating with the PP4. I will bring more tomorrow and I will turn on the return pump. Hopefully gettting the rock over the weekend. Looking like we could be cycling by the time the break comes. Keeping everything hush hush right now but the kids are excited and very curious.View attachment 123592View attachment 123593

Thanks again to anyone and everyone who has helped either with donations or advice, it is greatly appreciated.

I saw this pic with the plug strip facing up. I recommend you mount it to the wall sideways somehow so nothing tracks directly into the outlets. Seen some bad unexpected outcomes when the salt creeps up cords then water runs down to the plugstrip. #safetyfirst

 

[Zach0918]

Thanks for the response regarding the plug. That was temporary. I have it mounted to the wall now. Thanks for looking out though.

 

[dilligaf29]

When I had my bio cube up and running I found it was easier to get the right flow with a small amount of rock. To much rock and u will have a few dead spots with no flow I have a few small power heads if u want them lmk


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zach0918]

Good to know, I will definately keep this in mind. What do you guys use to keep the rocks held in place that is safe? I’ll PM you about the Powerheads, thanks!

 

[Aros]

Aqua forest stone fix. It’s a powder that mixes up like concrete. You gotta take the rock out to apply it and let it dry for about 30 mins. If you have dead rock then no problem but taking live rock out I’m not too sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zach0918]

Anyone know if there is anything to use with live rock without killing it in the lrocess

 

[Chris A.]

I think a lot of people use emarco cement from marcorocks.com

 

[Zach0918]

I was hoping to find something I could get locally so I could get it set up before we go on break. Thoughts on Waterweld, as another member mentioned.

 

[MofoCorals]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...rium+epoxy&dpPl=1&dpID=41JXbAxJbaL&ref=plSrch

I use this. Makes the skimmer go crazy. Mix outside the tank into a putty and then mold underwater to hold the rock in place.

 

[Technorch]

I use epoxy beads to hold rocks. It's very easy to work with and it hardness very well to hold rocks.

I have maybe 1/2 a container left. You're welcome to have it if you want. It mixes to a purple color.

https://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMax...quarium_Epoxy-AquaMaxx-UJ94624-FIMTEP-vi.html

 

[Zach0918]

Update 12/22

Tank is running with the live rock and sand. Added some bacteria on Friday. Going to give it the break to do it’s rhing. Will start testing to see if it is cycled when we get back. Hope everyone has an awesome holiday!

 

[Zach0918]

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I stopped by the school today to feed my reptiles and check on the tank. The water was very clear, I had to move around the powerheads I bit because sand was being pushed out of one area of the tank. There is a bit of “slimy” material built up on the powerheads. Could anyone tell me what this is and if I need to do anything to treat it? Thanks!

 

[dilligaf29]

Was it dry sand ? And did u rinse it really good before adding to tank . Most likely it's from the sand


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zach0918]

20lbs of live but then added a bit of dry without rinsing (oops). Should I just clean them off until the debris rests st the bottom eventually? Thanks

 

[Zach0918]

Back from break and no disasters with the tank.

 

[1spotpooalot]

How's the cycle looking?

 

[Zach0918]

How's the cycle looking?

So I went to test but the Red Sea Foundations test kit that was generously donated apparently does test for ammonia. So I I'm doing to need to get the other Rea Sea test kit that does. I will need the foundations one more post-cycle but its crazy to me how expensive these kits are... Is the API kit reliable enough to test ammionia, nitrate, nitrite?

 

[1spotpooalot]

API doesn't really have a good low range...but it does work. It's "zero" could still have traces imho....that being said, this is what I use for gross testing

 

[afboundguy]

The API should work to see the spikes in the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates well enough. IMO for a cycle you don't need to know exact levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates you just need to see them spike and fall. I remember having 20-40 readings for nitrates once my cycle was complete. Obviously now that the tank is 5+ years set up with 10+ year old live rock my levels are pretty close to 0...