5 gal pico build

[000trick000]

My 5 gal pico been cycling for almost a month with a piece of raw shrimp. Just got my led light (super bright) and I'm getting excited to get some inverts and corals going in this. I not sure if my tank is fully cycled yet. When I set this up I used fully cycled live rock, pool filter sand and then I dumped old saltwater from my rock cycling tank in. Was that a mistake? I never really seen my ammonia go above .25 ppm, nitrites stayed at 0+, and my nitrates were off the chart. I've done a few water changes this last week and got my nitrates down to 10- ppm. Should I continue to change my water until my trates get to 0 or do I let it cycle some more and let my sand cure longer? Any ways, sorry if I'm a lil confusing, just excited.


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[Sniperhank]

Do water changes until the nitrates are at 0. It sounds to me like you are cycled. For the record though, try not to use old saltwater in any fashion. There isn't much if any bacteria in the water column, it is built up on your rocks and sand. Using old water is just bringing nitrates into your system.

 

[000trick000]

Thanks sniperhank!!! I can always trust your word!!!


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[000trick000]

Do water changes until the nitrates are at 0. It sounds to me like you are cycled. For the record though, try not to use old saltwater in any fashion. There isn't much if any bacteria in the water column, it is built up on your rocks and sand. Using old water is just bringing nitrates into your system.

For future refrence, how long should you let the shrimp rot in the tank? In this tank I put in 1 shrimp the first week and replaced it with another one the second week, I haven't had shrimp in the tank since the second week. Should I have left them in longer?


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[Sniperhank]

I put one in pantyhose and let it go for the whole cycle.


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[000trick000]

Cool thanks!!!


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[000trick000]

Got nitrates down to 5 ppm, hopefully can get them to zero after my water change tonight. Doing water changes with io reef crystals and planning on going to my lfs to pick up a cuc, inverts and Mabey some softies?!?! Too soon? What do you think?


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[000trick000]

Anyone? Bueller... Bueller... Anyone?


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[Sniperhank]

Add slowly and be careful with stocking


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[000trick000]

Add slowly and be careful with stocking


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Ok thanks!! you think I could put 2 nassarius, 2 Astraea snails, 1 hermit and two sexy shrimp in all at once and get my softies or lps later?


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[Sniperhank]

Sure. Long as there is algae for the snails to eat it'll be fine.

 

[000trick000]

Cool, thanks alot!!!! Should be good to go!!!!


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[000trick000]

Went to my lfs, picked up a small cuc. 4 snails, 3 hermits and a cleaner shrimp! Acclimated for 3 hrs and in the tank they went!!! So far so good. I wanted sexy shrimp but they were out. So I plan on raising this cleaner shrimp in my 5 gal until my 46 gal bowfront is ready (about 2 months away) then I'll replace with my sexy shrimp pair!!


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[000trick000]

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[Mattyfelts]

cleaner shrimp are cool but not cuc... also i hate them tbh, steal food from everything and anything.

 

[000trick000]

cleaner shrimp are cool but not cuc... also i hate them tbh, steal food from everything and anything.

Noob here, what's a tbh?


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[Mattyfelts]

to be honest

 

[000trick000]

Ah thanks! Lol! He is a fast lil devil I could see that


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[000trick000]

so I have a lot of copepods, will my cleaner shrimp eat them, if so do I need to feed it? Doesn't seem to be cleaning them off the glass.


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[000trick000]

Hello everyone! Just put some coral in my tank last night. Dendro sun coral, candycane, gobstopper palys, purple tip frogspawn, and a tiny lil bit of gsp isolated by itself so it doesn't take over. Looks like everything Is responding well under my led light!


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