Need help 46 gallon tank

[Ecarvalho774]

HEy this is my first saltwater tank I purchased it with live rock and a brittle starfish I took half of the water and filled it up with saltwater from my local fish aquarium. will I have to cycle it still and what should I worry about ? it came with about 20 pounds of live rock and 10 -15 of base rock I see copod look alikes swimming and a little brittle worm I think going from a piece of rock to another is that bad? it came with a cheap skimmer which the pump broke. what would be a good skimmer to get? I may end up upgrading to a 90 gallon 1 day . I also have some snails and 3 turbo snails and a couple of hermits. What would be the best way to set up live rock in the tank. Some live rock looks like it may have baby feather dusters and zothaids, when would I be able to add fish and I would like a name of all the water test I should run weekly. I wanna make this a reef with about 4 or 5 fish tops, or can I have more in my 46 gallon tank.















any advice would be great and thanks to all. Also the skimmer must be a hang on skimmer

 

[Ecarvalho774]

Hey he said he had this setup for about a year

 

[jsmith]

I would say ur cycled.. to answer first question .. have you check you parameters? What are they?

 

[Ecarvalho774]

7.4 ph
.1-0 ppm ammonia
0 nitrite
0-.2 nitrate


I threw in a supplement today to raise ph to 8.3 safely. what else should I be checking and what's the beat parameters for a reef. if u can plz answer all the questions I no it's alot but it would really help me

 

[jsmith]

7.4 ph
.1-0 ppm ammonia
0 nitrite
0-.2 nitrate

I threw in a supplement today to raise ph to 8.3 safely. what else should I be checking and what's the beat parameters for a reef. if u can plz answer all the questions I no it's alot but it would really help me

You need 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and lower the 10 nitrate ( some will say lower) with the ammonia looks like ur having a mini cycle. Calcium above 450 phosphate at 0 ph at 8.3 salt for now with no coral 1023 would be ideal. Never dose anything you can't check for all trace elements required for coral should be in your salt mix.. I prefer instant ocean.

 

[Ecarvalho774]

I test the ph ammonia Nitrite and nitrate what else should I be checking ?? And what's my best levels for them in a reef tank ?? And also what is a great hang on skimmer for a 46 I might upgrade eventually to a 92 corner tank ?? And how should I set the rocks in my tank

 

[Ecarvalho774]

HEy this is my first saltwater tank I purchased it with live rock and a brittle starfish I took half of the water and filled it up with saltwater from my local fish aquarium. will I have to cycle it still and what should I worry about ? it came with about 20 pounds of live rock and 10 -15 of base rock I see copod look alikes swimming and a little brittle worm I think going from a piece of rock to another is that bad? it came with a cheap skimmer which the pump broke. what would be a good skimmer to get? I may end up upgrading to a 90 gallon 1 day . I also have some snails and 3 turbo snails and a couple of hermits. What would be the best way to set up live rock in the tank. Some live rock looks like it may have baby feather dusters and zothaids, when would I be able to add fish and I would like a name of all the water test I should run weekly. I wanna make this a reef with about 4 or 5 fish tops, or can I have more in my 46 gallon tank.

any advice would be great and thanks to all. Also the skimmer must be a hang on skimmer

 

[Ecarvalho774]

Does ne1 wanna help HEy this is my first saltwater tank I purchased it with live rock and a brittle starfish I took half of the water and filled it up with saltwater from my local fish aquarium. will I have to cycle it still and what should I worry about ? it came with about 20 pounds of live rock and 10 -15 of base rock I see copod look alikes swimming and a little brittle worm I think going from a piece of rock to another is that bad? it came with a cheap skimmer which the pump broke. what would be a good skimmer to get? I may end up upgrading to a 90 gallon 1 day . I also have some snails and 3 turbo snails and a couple of hermits. What would be the best way to set up live rock in the tank. Some live rock looks like it may have baby feather dusters and zothaids, when would I be able to add fish and I would like a name of all the water test I should run weekly. I wanna make this a reef with about 4 or 5 fish tops, or can I have more in my 46 gallon tank.

any advice would be great and thanks to all. Also the skimmer must be a hang on skimmer