Should I risk it?

[SeeDemTails]

My LFS got a pair of black percs in the other day, and I have been looking for them for a long time.

Orgionally they were for my nano, but I put other fish in there. Well, now I have a 37 gal I just set up, and it has been running for about 2 weeks.

I am pretty sure it has finished cycleing.....my trates are at like 10 ppm. I am still adding cured liverock slowly.

Would it be stupid to buy the fish now and watch the water quality closley?

Or should I wait a couple months and hope they get more?

 

[austinsdad]

Sounds like an expensive test, but clowns are usually pretty tuff. 2 weeks setup and finished cycling w/in that time too? I'm a bit leary if so.

I am pretty sure it has finished cycleing

Didja ever see the ammonia and nitrite spikes?

 

[roka64]

I agree, that seems like a short cycle.

 

[Fluff]

If he's cycling with cured live rock, two weeks is not uncommon. I've set up tanks with cured rock and had no detectable cycle. As for if you should buy the fish or not now, do you have a QT? If your gonna QT the fish anyway to insure they are healthy, then the added weeks in there would give you time to finish adding rock, and give your tank time to "season" and stabilize. If your not QT'ing the fish (tsk, tsk) then I'd consider waiting until your done adding rock just in case you get a bad batch and your not risking the fish. Maybe you could put a down payment on them to hold them til your ready to take them home.

 

[Mrsfuller2572]

I too used cured LR that was from an existing reef tank from the LFS. That with a couple of cups of LS from the same tank and viola. The tank never had any spikes and was ready for fish almost immediately after set-up, although I still waited roughly 3 weeks to make sure it would be okay....just in case.
Maybe they'd hold them for you with a check?

 

[austinsdad]

Since I noticed now we're talking "cured" rock, I'd go for it. how much rock in there?

 

[SeeDemTails]

I only have a few pounds, I am going to add about 60-80 lbs total when am finished.

I also have 40 lbs of LS in the tank as well.

Right now I am in the middle of a green algae bloom....it coveres the glass in a thin coat atleast once every 2 hours....I can clean it all day and it still turns green an hour or two later.....I might wait for this to dissipate before throwing in the fish.

And as far a QTing goes...IMHO, it only stresses out the fish more. I would rather put them in my main, and be prepared to run hypo or isolate the fish, rather than set up a tank that only stresses out the fish more, and requires constant attention to the params. QT is great if you buy your fish online, or from petco.....but I get my fish from a trusted LFS, and everyone of his holding tanks has a cleaner shrimp or two in it. His fish are almost always clean......plus I am talking about tank raised black percs....not a powder blue tang. Im not to worried about it! And these are the first fish in the tank, it isnt like it is a 100 gal main will thousands of dollars to loose if the fish is sick or carries some critter.

Thanks for the advice all!