Am i jumping the gun?

[TheTodd]

I'm not a fan of using fish to cycle though. It subjects them to high levels of ammonia and nitrites during the spikes and that does nothing good to them. Many years ago, that was kind of a standard practice, but it is pointless now , IMO.

I do think the 4 ppm ammonia thing seems a bit mystical though. Seems like it would be totally different for a 20g versus a 120g versus a 240g. If the BB is present and working, adding two fish to a small tank just has to be different than adding the same two to a big tank.

 

[Mebbid]

The 4ppm is just an arbitrary number. The goal is to overload the aquarium with bacteria and the 4ppm is more than a correctly stocked tank could come close to producing. It's really just an overkill safety net that works well. Plus, is there really any reason not to do the 4ppm?

 

[Willba200]

Hi, hope you don't mind if I jump in as I'm new to this hobby too. My tank cycled after 4 weeks ( I believe ) . I have cuc 3 hermits and 3 snails. Then I added 2 clowns. Let's say that I had not fully cycled. With all this in my 149l tank including 50lbs live rock and live sand. All my tests are good. A is 0 trites 0 and trates are between 5-10. Trates have been higher at around 40-50ppm. If I add more fish etc... Am I likely to get a ammonia spike or would my rock handle the bio load ?

 

[TheTodd]

The 4ppm is just an arbitrary number. The goal is to overload the aquarium with bacteria and the 4ppm is more than a correctly stocked tank could come close to producing. It's really just an overkill safety net that works well. Plus, is there really any reason not to do the 4ppm?

There is probably not a clear cut reason not to, but I'm not sure I would not add a fish or two if my tank was taking over 24 hours to process the 4 ppm (as long as it is going down a reasonable amount within 24 hrs ).

 

[TheTodd]

If I add more fish etc... Am I likely to get a ammonia spike or would my rock handle the bio load ?

I think you are fine as long as you are not adding new fish too quickly after one another. I've always gone 1-2 fish every 3-4 weeks, but the number of fish is dictated by the size of the fish. Probably one large/medium or two small per time and if I do a larger fish , I would probably wait the. 4 weeks.

 

[Willba200]

Nice one. That's what I'm doing . Thanks

 

[Criptix]

Made a decision

I am going to get the two purple firefish(if i can get a mated pair) just Christmas time.That gives me about 2 mo to get the rest of my equipment and do a proper quarantine.
My qt will have a 50 watt heater,Aqueon 06081 QuietFlow 20 Power Filter, 125GPH, pbc pipe for hiding/sleeping,thermometer, Incandescent lighting and hood and maybe an ammonia monitor.
Thanks everyone for your input

 

[Criptix]

Test results today: A-.50 ppm,Trites-.5 Trates-40ppm
Should I continue to add the 4ppm of ammonia once in awhile or just call it good?my bioload will increase that is obvious since I am planning to stock it with 9 fish.I plan on stocking slowly about 4 weeks between when I introduce them to my dt. I was thinking once I introduce the firefish to the dt I would get the Chromis. The thing I am worried about is 6 fish in a 10g that would be asking for casualties wouldn't it?So what would be a good course of action?

 

[huma-huma]

Id wait. You are still showing signs of both amm and trites

 

[Criptix]

only when I add the ammonia and unless I add the 4ppm it disappears in 24hrs. I don't plan on adding that soon.It will probable be middle of December I will set up qt and watch it for a week before adding the fish.I plan to get the filter when I get paid and I will stick the floss in the dt for a week and then set up the qt.

 

[huma-huma]

Id wait till you can dose 4ppm and 24 hours later only show trates.

 

[Criptix]

How should I dose the ammonia?Should I just dose to 4ppm every few days or should I do a slow build back up to the 4ppm?Like a 1/4 or half the dose?

 

[Criptix]

Ammonia-0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40
Will add 1/4 of the dose
Purchased corralline plates and will receive them on 12/5.What is the recommended ph for the algae?

 

[Willba200]

I think ph needs to be 8.2. That's what I've been told. Reading your threads, do you think your cycled. Mine read between 40-50 that's when I done my water change and added a couple of clowns. With regular w/c I'm now between 10-20.

 

[Criptix]

If your ammonia and Nitrites are 0 I would say yes.Just continue to test and do weekly wc or more as is necessary.

 

[Willba200]

Yes I agree. Do a large water change and get your nitrate down and your ready to go.

 

[Criptix]

Preparing to get fish

I decided to add up to 3ppm of ammonia.I let it "stir" for about two hours and got .25 ammonia but no Nitrite readings.I am getting the biological filtration ready for my qt and hopefully will have my first fish or fishes in a few weeks.I am kind of discouraged though,like some other mbrs I have the misfortune of not having a very good lfs near by.I went yesterday to pick up a filter for my qt and looked at the fish.They were mostly damsels but that isn't the discouraging part.They had rats under the fish tanks!Its the only lfs that carries sw nearby.I work the swing shift so thought about Craig's list but I just live in the middle of nowhere's land.Not sure what to do...

 

[huma-huma]

do yourself a favor and just order online. sure you cant see them in person and hav e to py a significant shipping cost. but 1)the fish are way cheaper (if you order several it usually works out to be same price or cheaper than lfs) and 2) if you order from a respectable retailer (like liveaquaria or some others ) you will get top-notch specimens and even have a 14 day guarantee.

 

[Criptix]

do yourself a favor and just order online. sure you cant see them in person and hav e to py a significant shipping cost. but 1)the fish are way cheaper (if you order several it usually works out to be same price or cheaper than lfs) and 2) if you order from a respectable retailer (like liveaquaria or some others ) you will get top-notch specimens and even have a 14 day guarantee.

What about just buying 2 fish at a time?Could I qt shrimp and fish together?

 

[huma-huma]

if they are going to live together in the dt, why not qt them together? i dont think that most people qt inverts though. if i remember correctly, inverts dont carry alot of the diseases that affect fish.