When do I add Live Rock?

[Choas]

My Sw tank has been running for 3 days now. It is brand new I have salt at 1.023. Temp at 75 and I have a 97w lighting system on it with the skimmer and the filter running. I want to had live rock when should i do that? How do I know what is good live rock and what is bad?

 

[Choas]

Also quick note I do have 3 fish in my tank.

 

[austinsdad]

Are you cycling with the fish? What kind? Got coral in there already (from your sig)? Neither sounds good for a 3 day old tank.

Where ya gona get live rock from? Cured or not?

Welcome to AA byt the way!

 

[Brenden]

If you already have coral in the tank consider it a loss. You should have put the LR in first to start the cycle. Once it was completed you can add the fish. Hope the fish make it.

 

[Choas]

Are you cycling with the fish? Yes

What kind? The pet store called them green ???? There are like damsels but not as aggressive.

Got coral in there already (from your sig)? No one Coral but it is a self coral dried out

Where ya gona get live rock from? A pet store it says Fiji on it.

Cured or not? Not sure did not ask it is in a tank there with no sand on the bottom and it has no fish in the tank. I do think he said cured at one time but not for sure.

Welcome to AA byt the way! Thanks

When should the cycle be done? When should I test my water? I had the ph check it is good. The Salt is 1.023 still and temp is 75.5.

 

[Choas]

Also one more Question when should i give my skimmer air? Right now i have the filter just running.

 

[Wood_Dog]

My saltwater tank is also new. I cycled with lr and am only just now adding fish.My tank is nearly 3 months old . I didnt add any rock for probably a week and a half after initial set up. I have only two fish & lots of rock. My advice is to go very slow with saltwater tanks until you are positive everything is ok. I cycled with lr to avoid fish loss...hope you don't have any. Dont let the lfs push things too fast for you..I have found some tend to do this
Good luck

 

[theatrus]

Are you cycling with the fish? Yes

What kind? The pet store called them green ???? There are like damsels but not as aggressive.

When should the cycle be done? When should I test my water? I had the ph check it is good. The Salt is 1.023 still and temp is 75.5.

You have cured live rock then. You also have green chromis.

I'd do an ammonia test daily, followed by nitrite. With the cured live rock, you will have a minicycle, but its hard to predict how long. Hope your chromis survive the cycle.

 

[Choas]

The reason I did fish to help the cycle along is that I saw that they said you could do this with raw shirmp. But I have 2 dauthers one is 3 and the other 15 months. So the I thought this way will be better for my house. Ok I did the test PH 8.2 everything else is nothing. Now here is a question in saltwater Do you use the stress coat and zeme like in fw? I would like to thank you guys for your help to the lps change there minds at each one there are 6 right around me. One says this the other says that.

 

[Choas]

When I said I had Live Coral I am sorry I meant Live Sand. On the bag it said Live Coral. With over 20,000,000 bacteria in it.

 

[melosu58]

Any way you can take the chromis out and eitherQT or get the LFS to hold for you. Think highly of your fish`s lives and you`ll be a true aquarist

 

[chineseknife]

Patience grasshopper....
It is places like this site that will steer you in a much better direction than most lfs, here we are concerned for your success and inhabitants happiness, there they are concerned about paying the bills....which means don't believe everything you hear....experience is the best educator...oh and read read read as much as you can...

 

[Choas]

I know the Pet shop want my money. They told me I could get 2 more fish but I said no. Instead I got 5 LB of LR. I do still have the 3 fish and the 1 hermit but I am adding LR only till my Cycle is done. My Amonia is still 0 My nitrate is between 0-5 ppm could not tell color was dark but not dark enough to be 5. But not light enough to be 0. Now what are good color to look for on LR? About how many more LB should I add this week?

 

[Choas]

Also How are the Pet Shop are to pack Live Rock?

 

[seaham358]

If your using cured LR you may not have a cycle, you should look into getting at a min 1 lb per gallon or LR. I would not add any more fish for a while. Keep testing for ammonia and if you start to get a spike a water change will be needed to help the fish live. Like the others have said you need to take your time and go slow.
Only BAD things happen fast in this hobby..
I would bump the temp up to 78 or so..

 

[Choas]

I am now up to 9LB of Live Rock and 60LB of Live Sand. This is the 5th day of my tank running and it is at Ammonia .25 Nitrate 5.0 Nitrite .25. Is this good?

 

[melosu58]

Well it shows that your tank is cycling but you should not have any live fish in your tank as they will either not survive or become very mean from going through the cycling process. Just dont add any more fish till everything checks out at 0. Esp. Ammonia and nitrites. It will probably be another2-3 weeks. I wish there was a way we could make your LFS trade places with them.

 

[austinsdad]

Yep. Watch your ammonia, then your nitrite go down to zero. Your tank is cycled then and ready for fish. Slowly. And continue to watch ammonia and nitrAtes as you add fish. Slowly. And cleanup crew. And hopefully after quarantine (Fish).

 

[Choas]

The Localy Pet shop told me I need to add Stress and Zeme on is that true? I added them when I started the tank but he said not that i have ammonia to add zeme.

 

[melosu58]

No that is not true. Let your tank cycle now for the next couple weeks. Dont add anything to it till everything is at 0. This LFS would be better suited for the food service or housekeeping industry. :?