Qustions about my first marine setup!

[khalid2711]

Hi all

I have loads of questions which i could really do with advise has so many sites have different answers.

How long should i wait before i introduce fish to my tank?
I was thinking of first putting snails or shrimp (clean up Crew) in to clean the tank.Which are the most hardiest? and when can i add these.

Thanks

 

[tlkng1]

...need a lot more informaiton before anyone can asnwer the quesitons..let me start by asking a few myself.

1. How big is the tank and what is your filtration set-up?
2. When did you set up the tank; what is in it? Liverock, sand etc.
3. Has the tank cycled?
4. Do you have a water parameter test kit?

The length of time before introducing fish is going ot depend upon the answer to the above questions. Marine fish, even the hardier varieties, don't tend to do well in an unclycled tank.

If you have liverock in the tank and it is a new set-up, ie, one that hasn't run for more than a couple of weeks or so, chances are the tank isn't cycled as yet. A fully cycled tank will have the beneficial bacteria needed ot keep the tank "healthy", ie, the ability to break down ammonia into Nitrites and then Nitrates....what is referred to as the Nitrogen cycle. Ammonia is bad for fish. The very first thread in the Getting Started area gives a link to several very good articles for new marine set-ups that you might want to read over.

A cleanup crew is going to need some growth of algae to sustain itself. Again, they shouldn't be added until the tank is cycled.

 

[khalid2711]

Hi

It is a 40 litre aquacube. with 10kgs of live rock and 5kg marine sand. It has been running for a week. And i dont have a water parameter test kit. Could you recomend one?

Thanks for your help aswell

 

[tlkng1]

For anyone else..the conversions ...40L is a hair over 10 gallons; 10kg is about 20 pounds.

If you have only been running a week you probably aren't cycled as yet..it takes a good 4 weeks with 6 being normal. Are you planning a setup with fish and liverock only or are you planning on adding corals as well?

You are probably over in the amount of liverock and sand you need. Recommendation would be (rounded up) about .7 kg/1.5 pounds of liverock per liter/gallon of water. Depending on what you plan on keeping, you only need about half the sand you are currently using and even that isn't strictly necessary..it is more for looks. There are many people who keep a reef in a bare bottom tank.

The better test kit I think any of us have found is the API Master Reef Test Kit. Depending on what is available in your area, the best test kit to get is a liquid test kit..the testing strips don't give an accurate reading. At a minimum right now you need tests for High Range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. If you are going to run a reef tank, once you get things established you will then need Phosphate, Calcium and Water Hardness.

You also want to be able to check your salinity level. You can use the standard hydrometer or better is a refractometer. The refractometer is going to give a more accurate reading.

The one thing you need for a new marine setup is patience as it takes a little longer to get the marine tank stabilized for inhabitants.

 

[khalid2711]

Hi

Thanks for the info. Really is helpful. Im just looking at rock and fish for the time being. I will give it time to cycle. just giddy! Ha Ha. Will the extra rock/sand hurt???

 

[tlkng1]

The extra rock and sand won't hurt..it just takes up extra space. In your size tank you won't want more than one or two small sized fish (at adulthood)...absolute maximum.

 

[khalid2711]

any suggestions for fish and cleaners? my boys want a clown fish! Nemo obviously!!!

 

[khalid2711]

Hi

I also have a filter which i havent put in. Is it woth putting in???

 

[tlkng1]

You should have a filter in any sized tank not only for added filtration but also for water flow. Given the low capacity I would recommend a filter that hangs on the back as you don't want to take up any more space then absolutely necessary. You are also going to need a heater. Marine fish like the water at 23-25.5C (72-78 F).

 

[all4wheels2]

What are you using to cycle? Small tanks do not usually take 4-6 weeks to cycle unless you just leave it sit. Put a raw shrimp in it - it'll cut the time down in half

And yes, put your filter in/on the tank.

 

[khalid2711]

A raw shrimp? Please can u explain in more detail.

 

[all4wheels2]

A raw shrimp? Please can u explain in more detail.

Just get a piece of raw shrimp from your grocery store and place it in the tank. As it decays, it will create ammonia which then creates the beneficial bacteria. It took me about a week to cycle my biocube 14.

You could also dose the tank with PURE ammonia as well to help cycle faster; but I prefer the raw shrimp

 

[tlkng1]

The liverock has the bacteria to do the cycle which is why only that takes a liittle longer. You can use the shrimp but place it inside a mesh bag, like one you would use for carbon, so it doesn't get lost in the tank.

Even with that method you want to make sure yur parameters are correct for at least a week prior to adding any inhabitants.

The cycle will look like:

Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates will all read 0 at first. As the cycle starts, you will see a rise in ammonia while Nitrites ad Nitrates may not register. The second portion of the cycle, the ammonia will drop slightly and you will begin to register Nitrites. The third part of the cycle, ammonia will drop to 0, NItrites may or may not register and your nitrates will spike...this is going to signal the end or near end of the cycle. You will need to do at least a 50% water change at this point and then watch it for another week. Your ultmate parameters should go back to all zeroes although NItrates dn't always go completely away. You want to maintain Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, and Nitrates below 20 ppm if you are fish only..if you start to add corals Nitrates should be as near 0 as possible.