I Need some help

[Guest]

I have a 75 gallon reef set up that is about 3 years old. I just bought another 75 gallon tank I would like to make this one fish only. It has been up for about 4 weeks now cycling with 4 damsels in it with no live rock. I have started to see alot of white bugs and I know this is a good sign. So would it be ok to add a large yellow tang next week. Water is great- Salinity 1.023 amminia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are at zero. I have been told that I could maintain an ionic copper level that is safe for fish that would keep ich and other diseases down with copper safe. Can anyone tell me how to do this. The LFS told me it would be a good idea if I was not going to add any live rock to the tank. Do I really need live rock? Should I just hold off on the fish and just a lot of live rock? What should I do?

 

[two11devan]

I would not suggest adding a yellow tang to your tank at this point....it is still very new and i don't think a tang would be the best fish to introduce this early. I would suggest adding LR ..... someone pls correct me if im wrong here!

 

[steve-s]

So would it be ok to add a large yellow tang next week.

As mentioned above this is not relly such a great idea in a younger set up. They do much better once the tank has ha some time to mature. Without LR you will also need to make sure there is a constant supply or nori or other vegetable grazing matter.

Water is great- Salinity 1.023 amminia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are at zero. I have been told that I could maintain an ionic copper level that is safe for fish that would keep ich and other diseases down with copper safe. Can anyone tell me how to do this.

If you instead set up a proper >>QT<< environment and place all new aquisitions there prior to placing in the display tank, you will not have to concern yourself with maintaining any copper in the main tank at all. It will also allow you some flexability down the road if you change your mind about inverts or LR. Once done, copper contamination is near impossible to remove completely. I also don't think the constant use of copper is very healthy for the fish. To have any affect on parasites, copper needs to be maintained above 0.15 ppm which would also preclude the possibility of keeping puffers.

The LFS told me it would be a good idea if I was not going to add any live rock to the tank. Do I really need live rock? Should I just hold off on the fish and just a lot of live rock? What should I do?

The choice to have LR is one of both asthetics as well as increased filtration. IME, it is especially helpful with grazing animals like angels and tangs. Providing you have alternate filtration for the tank though, it is not essential to the success of an FO tank.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Zack]

I am with steve on the liverock issue, however do you plan on keeping the damsels in there? This is your chane to get them out while theres no rock

 

[Gauge]

Yes, this is something to be considered. I have to snag a domino damsel out of a 42 gal with 20 pounds of rock tonight. I'm not looking forward to it!

 

[Zack]

Do yo u have tricks planned, like leaving the net in for it to get use to then feed it and snatch him, worked for me