Kyle 25 gallon reef

[Kylecva]

Hey! I'm new to the forum and fish keeping, so here's my first post. I just got a 25 gallon tank yesterday and I am setting it up saltwater! Just wondering what would be a good time period to let it cycle? I'm going to put 15 gallons of salt water from my girlfriends already established tank in along with 10 gallons of premixed salt water I'm also going to put a little bit of her live rock and sand in there as well. Also any suggestions for what type of fish I could put in there? Planning on having some corals to probably a Kenya tree and some pumping xenias to start out! Any advice would be great!
These are the fish I'm planning on putting in my 25 gallon as of right now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Ocellaris (2)
Orange fire fish
Royal gamma
6 line wrasse
Sand sifting goby
Got the water and live rock in there had a few hermit crabs get in there too they are doing great and there's a mushroom too that's doing just fine!

 

[Freshnoob1]

Put any invertebrates you have into her tank until your cycle is complete.
The cycle should take about a month.
What are you using as a source of ammonia?
I would maybe put two other fish in with the clowns...

 

[Kylecva]

Put any invertebrates you have into her tank until your cycle is complete.
The cycle should take about a month.
What are you using as a source of ammonia?
I would maybe put two other fish in with the clowns...

So maybe like the 2 clowns and the royal gramma and the fire fish? And are you saying to go ahead and put them In before the tank is through cycling? I was considering a fish in cycle I also already have established filter media

 

[Freshnoob1]

Ok the filter media will help but you still have to make sure the tank is cycled before add any livestock(fish, crabs, etc.) The tank should have no forms of live besides bacteria until a couple weeks after the cycle has finished. You have a test kit to check ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph right?
The best way to start a cycle is to dose pure ammonia until you reach 4 ppm in your tank.
The bacteria on your rock and in your filter will start multiplying and will turn the ammonia into nitrite after a week or two the. Nitrites will be turned into nitrates. Once you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and lots of nitrates you can do a 10-20 % water change every day or two until you get your nitrates down to 10 ppm or lower. Your cycle is then complete.

 

[Freshnoob1]

And you can get pure ammonia from most hardware stores. You'll have to pour a capful or so to reach 4 ppm to start the cycle.
Do not do a cycle with a fish in the tank.

 

[Kylecva]

What types of corals would y'all recommend. I was thinking with starting out with a Kenya tree and some pumping xenias. Also I have two t5 high output bulbs on it right now and was planning on adding two more very very soon any thoughts on lights too?

 

[Freshnoob1]

I only have two bulbs on my tank and I see pretty good growth. Four definitely wouldn't hurt. Green star polyps, candy canes, palythoas, and Kenya trees are easy. Same with Duncans

 

[Kylecva]

Awesome I definitely want to get another set of lights! I was also wondering if it is True that once you start getting an outbreak of diatoms that means your tank is cycled? True or not?

 

[Mebbid]

So the mushroom and hermit cabs were hitch hikers on the live rock?

For corals I would definitely suggest getting Zoanthids, Mushrooms, and some leathers. The kenya tree is one of my favs in my 20 reef atm and the pulsing xenia are a great addition as well.

Diatom algae is a normal thing in a saltwater tank and will go away as the tank ages but isn't an indicator of a tank being cycled.

 

[Kylecva]

So the mushroom and hermit cabs were hitch hikers on the live rock?

For corals I would definitely suggest getting Zoanthids, Mushrooms, and some leathers. The kenya tree is one of my favs in my 20 reef atm and the pulsing xenia are a great addition as well.

Diatom algae is a normal thing in a saltwater tank and will go away as the tank ages but isn't an indicator of a tank being cycled.

Yes I got all of my rock out of an already established tank. The mushroom and the hermits were on those when we moved them.

 

[Mebbid]

Yes I got all of my rock out of an already established tank. The mushroom and the hermits were on those when we moved them.

With the hermit crabs and mushroom corals in there you definitely don't want to add any ammonia or you will just end up killing them. If the tank you got the rock from was already established and cycled then congratulations! You have a fully cycled tank!

I would start out by checking the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to see how they are and then you can look at adding your first fish. As for the stocking you want, I wouldn't put more than 4 fish into a 25g tank and some people will even argue that is getting to be a little much. The 2 Ocellaris, firefish or gramma, and the goby should be a good mixture for a tank with some good colors and movement.

 

[Kylecva]

With the hermit crabs and mushroom corals in there you definitely don't want to add any ammonia or you will just end up killing them. If the tank you got the rock from was already established and cycled then congratulations! You have a fully cycled tank!

I would start out by checking the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to see how they are and then you can look at adding your first fish. As for the stocking you want, I wouldn't put more than 4 fish into a 25g tank and some people will even argue that is getting to be a little much. The 2 Ocellaris, firefish or gramma, and the goby should be a good mixture for a tank with some good colors and movement.

I have been checking the levels twice a day since I've set it up and so far the levels look pretty good no ammonia no nitrites and a few nitrates. We went ahead and put a fire fish in yesterday and he is still doing great! Ate yesterday evening and ill feed him a little more today. Mushroom and hermits are still doing great and we even found a emerald crab in there to that's doing just fine.

 

[Mebbid]

Very nice. my live rock was cured but the only hitch hiker aside from bristle worms and small bugs was some aiptasia.

 

[Kylecva]

Here's my tank as of today!!

http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums...57251B69-168-00000004BA69244D_zps408283e8.mp4

 

[Kylecva]

Also any thoughts in this protein skimmer?

http://www.google.com/shopping/prod...&sa=X&ei=MDDKUby-EMeErgHM34BA&ved=0CF4Q8wIwAQ

 

[Kylecva]

Anyone have any suggestions as far as coral and rock placement or anything else? I added another filter and aqueon quiet flow 30 so now I have 2 filters on there next I'm going to add another set of lights!!

 

[Mebbid]

I like it. Nice corals and the placement looks good on them to me

 

[Kylecva]

Went out of town for 2 weeks and everything looks great! Water levels are good and added a goby. The fish store told me it was a bumblebee goby but I don't think it is does anyone have any ideas?

 

[carey]

I think that little goby in the bottom picture to the right is a wheelers shrimp goby.

 

[Kylecva]

I think that little goby in the bottom picture to the right is a wheelers shrimp goby.

I think you are correct lol