Quick Start

[roka64]

It should take about 2 weeks for the biowheel/sponge to become seeded from and established tank. You can keep the bio-filter alive by adding a pinch of food, when there are no critters in the QT (this will provide a source of ammonia for the beneficial bacteria to feed off of).
I like to drip acclimate, but I don't like to get any (or at least a minimal) amount of water from my LFS in my tank. I use a bucket, add the LFS water and critter and drip from my tank...makes things a lot easier, so I can mess around moving, cleaning or whatever, while my critters acclimate. You can get away with using the way MommaFishels describes, since it is going straight into QT. If you don't have a QT I would say use a bucket and try not to get the LFS water in your main.
It is good to have some PVC in the QT, simply for a hiding place.

 

[MommaFishels]

Yeah. They also have some decorations now that you can buy from the LFS, it's fake coral that is decoration only. Apparently alot of public aquariums use this for thier tanks and you can bleach ect if need be. I have a piece in my QT along with a few pieces of PVC. My Cardinals are right at home until they get released to their Mansion. I have also heard that you can add terra cotta pots (that have never been used) but have not investigated that one yet.

 

[roka64]

Basically anything to let them get some privacy and settle in. The pots might be pretty cool, just for a more comfy look....

 

[MommaFishels]

Maybe what I said earlier was a bit confusing. I do not allow any of the water from the LFS into either my QT or my main tank. I do the same as you, I put them in a bucket and drip acclimate. Sometimes when I have to acclimate multiple things that came out of seperate systems (i.e. a fish going into quarantine and an invert going into main tank) I drip acclimate the fish in the bucket, while drip acclimating the invert in the plastic bag. I don't have enough buckets yet to do everything in a bucket. Either way, the specimen is netted and released in the appropriate tank without getting LFS water mixed in.

Sorry if my earlier post was confusing.

 

[roka64]

Gotcha MommaFishels, that's a great idea. Remember to start saving a few of your empty buckets of salt and in no time you will have tons of acclimation buckets....lol!

 

[MommaFishels]

That what I was thinking Roka, just about done with the first bucket. Thanks for the tip!

 

[pph_2ppr]

Ammonia is still high, I think the two-striped damsel is digging holes under the rock because in the little "cave" the sand hes been transported out. For ahwile i was worried that he had ich but found out it was just grains of sand( as they come and go). Nitrites have been steadily on the rise. If luck is on my side what type of lighting would you reccomend and filtration for a 10G nano-reef?

 

[fijiwigi]

I acclimate in a Kool-Aid type pitcher. The Pet store puts the fish in a very small bag of water if I put it in a 5gallon bucket it would be really shallow giving my fish no swimming room it would almost have to lay sideways to be under water.. Just curious how you would acclimate successfully in a bucket??? Am I missing something?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Think I'm missing something! I think you posted on the wrong thread there fijiwigi!

pph_2ppr - just so you know ich will "come and go" over a week period or so. You'll see spots for a day, possible two, then they'll be gone only to reappear in 7-10 days or so. Not sure how quick the spots disappear, but figured I should bring it up.

 

[pph_2ppr]

The fish are parasite free right now, is there anyway to spot them on the sand bed? Would it help everyone if i take pictures of my tanks and then re-explain what i have gonig on? Hopefully no one has been too stressed out.

what steps do i need to take to keep my aquarium moving in the right directing(so it keeps my attention)

 

[MommaFishels]

fijiwigi, I put something under one side of the bucket so it is sitting at an angle. That way, the water is deep enough for the fish.

 

[pph_2ppr]

What type of coral is very hardy and possible for almost anyone to succeed with?

 

[MommaFishels]

From my understanding, you should wait at least a few months for your water to become stable before adding coral. It sounds like you are trying to rush. If you rush your tank too fast, you will lose more money and become very frustrated. I am very impatient and it kills me to have to wait 2 - 4 weeks in between fish to ensure my water has stabilized but I know in the long run, it will be better. As they say 'Nothing good happens to an aquarium that is done too fast'.

 

[pph_2ppr]

I found someone to take the damsels......so eventually i can get a yellow watchman goby, when my tank is done cycling? Then 4 or more weeks after I add lighting I hope to add a small refugium and when that is going, put in a coral or 2....advice?

 

[MommaFishels]

I think you did a good thing with giving the damels away right now until your tank finishes cycling. Here's what I have learned but the experts may need to chime in. Once your tank is fully cycled (which takes about 4 weeks) and the water chemistry starts stabilizing, go ahead and add a few inverts (maybe a hermit crab or snail to combat the algae). You will get a good diatom spike and your tank will be brown. LOL. If the Hermit Crabs and snail survive for a week then you are ready for fish (making sure that ammonia is at 0 and nitrites are at 0). Decide what fish you have to have (sounds like yellow watchman goby) then build a list of fish that are compatible with that and reef safe. After the list is built, post the list and they can give you good sound advice on what to add first, second, third ect. After about 6 - 12 months, you can start adding coral (from what everyone has told me). You HAVE to have good lights in order to have coral (and again, experts need to give advice on that so go ahead and plan to spend a chunk of money on that) I am also looking to add a small refugium so I'm just now starting to research and study it. I will let you know what I find.

 

[pph_2ppr]

So today I did my first water change....After I figured that 2 of the 10 gallons was probably taken up by sand, rock, equipment I decided to change 3 gallons. So after I had the SG and temperature where I wanted it I slowly added the new batch of water. After being in operation for 18 days and having the water changed my readings are as follows...
SG 1.022
pH 8.4 (the colors weren't matchnig up the best so idk how accurate that is)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm-.25ppm (color in between)
Nitrate 5ppm-10ppm (once again colors) Is this level normal?
Do these readings make it look like my cycle would be close to over? Would the tank be ready for a hermit/snail in one week?

I haven't got rid of the fish YET, because I learned the person who wanted them didn't have a cycled tank either. In one week i have the chance to take them back to the fish store (two hour drive, would the fish make this second trip?).

Will 24" lighting work on a 20" tank if a proper stand for the lighting is made? is 130 watts too much for 10 gallons

 

[MommaFishels]

Those levels are looking good. Now that ammonia is at 0 and your nitrites are starting to level out, you now need for the nitrites to be at zero. It sounds like a week would be a good guesstimate, just make sure you test before purchasing. The Nitrates should be less than 20pmm. Your damsels should be fine if they have made it this long. They should also be able to make it back to the fish store as well. I'll tell you, that is the first fish ALL LFS want to sell you but with them being somewhat agressive, it doesn't make for a good 'first' time fish from what I have found. I had to take mine back as well.

For your friend since you are past this point, tell them to put a raw shrimp (from the grocery) in the tank and that will speed the process along a bit faster. It won't help you any as it sounds like you are coming to an end of the cycle. Yippie! I couldn't hardly wait.

The 'cleanup crew' as they call them (the hermit crabs and snails) are pretty fun to watch believe it or not. Just don't let them talk you into emarld crabs or the ones that have 2 claws. Only get hermit crabs. The others can be opportunists and grab your fish for dinner. Another lesson I learned the hard way. LOL.

For the lights, I'm not sure if that would be too much or not. Anyone else have any ideas? I know they sell 18" bulbs that are actinic or 10k, I just looked at those today for my QT and they were cheap.

Oh, I forgot to mention a good website when making your fish list. It is
www.drsfostersmith.com. It tells you some good info if the fish are peaceful, semi-agressive, or agressive. It helped me alot. There was also an article I read today that had compatible fish with the yellow goby. I can post those fish tomorrow if you would like.

 

[MommaFishels]

OH one more thing I forgot to mention. I'm not sure where you live or the prices at the LFS but the website that I provided earlier also sells fish. They are alot cheaper from what I've found pricewise but it's the shipping that gets you so it equals out to the same amount. This might help you since you live 2 hours away. They also have a 14 day guarantee on fish. Goodness, I sound like I work there. LOL.

 

[roka64]

MommaFishels, DFS is for dry goods, but their sister sites, etropicals and liveaquaria are the ones, I think you are referring to.

pph_2ppr, it looks like your cycle is nearly complete, I wouldn't take the fish back. How about helping the other person cycle their tank and give them the fish....

 

[pph_2ppr]

beings that temperatures are below freezing(almost 0) would it be wise to ship in inverts/fish?
I can get inverts myself when i go to lincoln/omaha this weekend, but i no online has a wider selection(input?)
How many extra shells would i need so that the hermits wouldn't kill the snails for their shells?
I would apprechiate knowing what fish can be kept with the yellow watchman goby and still fit in the 10 gallon(with 10 gallon sump soon)
Speaking of sump i have a 1200 GPH overflow, would this still work if i only want around 200 gph or less to flow through it?