4 Weeks

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Mpolizzano

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Nov 25, 2011
Messages
70
Location
Miami, Fl
Well it's been 4 weeks this past Sunday. I have 2 koralia 750's on top of 2 1700 rio pumps for flow. Also have coralife high output t5 lunar aqua light. It's a 65 gallon tank. Have about 30 pounds of live rock and 30 pounds of base rock. I also put 3 bags or caribsea live sand in at the same time. I do have one snail that was a hitch hiker and ive seen a white starfish one night. But has disappeared since. Also one crab. Thats it as far as i know. I look at the tank ALOT!!! Lol. Salinity is at 1.025 past 3 weeks. Temps stay between 76.5-77.5. Have not had my lights on at all during the 4 weeks. Tested Sunday (4th week) and got 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and 10 nitrates. Wondering if I am ok to start fish or should I go CUC first? I plan on a cardinal fish first. Then maybe a couple clowns after. But would like some feedback as to which to do first and if I can go ahead and start. Just to clarify I did not add ammonia with shrimp or bottle or fish. Just let the live rock and live sand sit in tank with flow for 4 weeks. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
 
Well, I think you might be good to go to start...though those 10 nitrates should become 0. Might want to check into the crab that hitchhiked in incase you want corals in the future, might not be safe. It is obviously ok for inverts if your crab is alive. You can add whatever at this point as long as you go slowly.
 
Ok. Yes crab has been in tank for atleast 2 weeks. Maybe more. Should I go CUC or cardinal fish first?
 
I might be wrong with this as I dont know anything about your cardinal...but I would do both. A CUC will die if there isn't a mess to clean up, so the addition of a fish and actually having your lights on will make sure it has something to do.
 
I don't have the cardinal yet. But I see what your saying. Makes sense. Anyone else on what I should do? I guess get the cardinal and start the lights and CUC? Sound good?
 
Add the nicest fish then meaner then meaner and so on. Start with the cardinal and then BOTH clowns don't do one at a time do BOTH then they will be n nice to each other and also one will grow up male and the other will become female...o_O wierd i know but true lol
 
Clean up crew. I think sniper is right. I should put the cardinal and CUC in this weekend. This way the CUC has something to clean. I do have a little algae but not much. Then add 2 clowns later.
 
Ok. Went to LFS and got 2 pajama cardinals and CUC. 20 turbo's and 20 blue legs and 2 emerald crabs. Feeding the pajama's pellets for now. Is every other day ok? Need advice.???
 
Ok so feed everyday? Between the 2 PJ Cardinals and feeding everyday that should create enough for the CUC?
 
I just want to make sure everything is healthy. So when should I start water changes? I plan on doing a 5 gallon change next week on my 65 gallon tank. Anything else I need to do? Everyone seems happy as of now. Put CUC and PJ cardinals in the tank around 12:00. So far so good. I'm going to feed everyday for now since I have 20 turbos and 20 blue legs and 2 emeralds. Advice?
 
Yeah, I over fed mine accidently and the algae got out of control. So, IMO, increasing nutrients and keeping the lights on alittle longer than normal should increase algae growth...which will keep your overstocked CUC alive until you can trade in for something else.
 
Ok. So feed every day. Got it. Are pellets ok? That's what I'm using. Also tested water parameters. Ammonia-0 Nitrite-0 Nitrate-30-40 Ph-7.9. Temperature-76.5 Salinity-1.026. Sounds good right? If not I should be getting an ammonia reading by now correct? Put fish in today about 12 hrs ago.
 
I would feed every other day. I have been doing that for 14 yrs now and never had any algea issues. Feeding too much is the main cause of bad water quality and nuisance algea.
 
What should my nitrates be? And how do I get them lower? Water change? 5 gallons on 65 gallon tank?
 
My temp today which was first day with lights on most of it was 78.5. That temp seems fine no?
 
My nitrates ever since my cycle ended have been at 0. I've seen others having their nitrates at 10. I would not want to go higher than 10. Lots of water changes, 5 is not enough. you need to do 10-15% of your tanks capacity. For my 36 gal, i do 5-10 gallons depending on what my week has looked like. So you should double what I do.
 
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