Fish adding schedule- add now, or wait? (LOTS of questions!)

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

miniflea84

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jan 15, 2009
Messages
65
Location
Washington DC
The new tank (biocube 29) has been up and running for about a week and a half now. The live rock must have been fully cured because even after a week of testing every day, ammonia and nitrite were still undetectable. Nitrate has stayed constant at 20ppm, but I did originally use tap water (which I later tested) and that is where most of the nitrate is coming from. This past Friday I added a yellow watchman goby, five hermit crabs and a zooanthid frag. Over the weekend added another ten hermits, another zoo and a pulsing xenia. So far everyone seems to be doing very well.

A few questions:
I'm for sure going to add a pair of ocellaris clowns. Should I wait? How long?

I would also like to add a cherub angelfish (centropyge argi). I originally had my heart set on a flame angel, but I know that is pushing things. Now, I'm sure someone is going to tell me the cherub is too, but they only grow to be three inches, so wouldn't I have enough space? Assuming for the moment this is an acceptable fish to add, how long should I wait? A few months, for my tank to become established? My lfs has told me they MAY be getting one in this week. I've never actually seen this fish in a store, so I'm not holding my breath. I COULD order one from liveaquaria, but shipping would double the cost plus I'd just feel more comfortable buying it in person. What if I bought one of those bottles of live copepods? Would that allow me to introduce the fish sooner?

Do I have enough hermits? (15 total, albeit the tiny blue ones) Do I have too many? Should I add some snails? What about a couple of the slightly larger red hermits?

What about a starfish? I'd love to have one but I don't know much about them. Are linkia species suitable for small systems? My lfs mentioned something about a "sand sifting" star. Good to get?

I know I don't want to use tap water, but I'm not sure I'm ready to buy an ro/di unit just yet. Would I be ok with grocery store distilled water?

I'm at the diatom bloom stage, and i know its normal, but is there anything I can do about my sand turning brown?

Anyway, if you're still reading, thanks, and I know I've got a lot of questions. This is my first saltwater tank, and I'm super super exited about it. I don't have much in there yet, but even just watching my zoos (which are very, very, very pretty under the moonlights especially), crabs, and the goby is really really fantastic. I've been reading a ton, but always seem to have more questions. Anyway, thanks a ton for any advice you can give me.

A few pics, cause everyone likes pictures:

3481892877_dd4fd49378.jpg
3482708046_127ea2477c.jpg
3482708030_d86bafae84.jpg
 
I would add slow. IF your rock was fully cured there is still no way to know how large the bacteria colony is. I would add 1-2 per month. Out of curiosity, how do you know the cycle was complete? Did you dose an ammonia source and see it go to 0?

The starfish needs a mature stable tank. I think you tank is too small for one IMO.

I think you're good w/ hermits though you might want to add a few snails to the mix.

RO/DI, Distilled even filtered is better than tap usually.

I wouldn't do the angelfish.

BTW: Great goby pics... They are one of my favorite fishes.
 
IMO niether of those stars would do fine in that tank. Linknia`s are rated as difficult and need big and mature tanks to make it. Sand sifting stars need big tanks with big sand beds as they will quickly deplete the fauna in smaller tanks.
 
Thanks for your replies. I did add a whole bunch of crushed pellet food at the start and several days later levels were zero. I've also had the goby in there for several days now and everything still tests ok.

Ahab, thanks. I've got a really nice macro lens, and the goby is the first fish I've ever had that will actually hold still for me, so its relatively easy to get good closeups.
 
You are pushing the lower envelope of an Argi Dwarf Angel with that size tank. If you were going to just have that fish instead of a pair of clowns I would say you'd be fine, but two clowns which themselves witll reach 3-4" and are territorial plus an Argi is pushing things.
 
Back
Top Bottom