New to group could use some knowledge

[tackett91]

I use the declor every 12-18 hours unless I see a spike. The insta jump started the cycle so that helped to manage it when she first spiked.

 

[cgthebeast]

Great point on the ocean. I guess I just hear temps changing on surf reports and relate it to tank. I guess when they are under stress they can just swim somewhere else.

Would you suggest putting more live rock in as numbers spike? I have a lb per gallon right now. But if more will save my fish I'll do it.

No one tells you that it would cost 500 just for some rocks to start up. Smh. Put about 1300 down in only 5 days....

Lol, yeah this hobby isn't easy on the wallet. And actually, dry rock is just as good as live rock cause it'll become live in your tank over time. Though in your case, buying live was a good call cause it had bacteria in it already, thus helping balance swings

 

[cgthebeast]

I use the declor every 12-18 hours unless I see a spike. The insta jump started the cycle so that helped to manage it when she first spiked.

Right, and you should be good on the declor, unless it's like one that helps boost the slime coat or something. All I would worry about now is keeping ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate as low as I could. And watch it like a hawk for the next few day, those spikes come out of no where sometimes

 

[tackett91]

Btw I got a blue spotted puff. From what I looked up. My inverts should be safe. Is that true?

 

[tackett91]

At what ammonia level would you do a change. I have a hard time bring the ammonia in my change water to zero sometimes. Any advice.

 

[cgthebeast]

Anything under .5ppm is okay for a fish in cycle. If it starts to approach 1ppm, it's time to water change.

As for the puffer, all fish have a personality, so it's really up to that puffer. Kinda like dwarf angel fish, I really want one but sometimes they nip on corals. So do I take that risk or do I not? It's that kind of situation.

 

[Sniperhank]

Btw I got a blue spotted puff. From what I looked up. My inverts should be safe. Is that true?

I wouldn't count on it. These creatures consume inverts like clams and shrimp to survive. While it might not go after something like a hermit crab, others won't fare so well.

 

[tackett91]

Update: acclimating now. Tank water: PH 8.3 ammonia, nitrite, nitrate 0 water temp 80. I'm feeling good about this. Have 4 5g buckets with the same water in case I need a water change or qt. wish me luck!

 

[Mebbid]

I take a look at things a bit differently than most people. But let me break down a few things for you how i'm seeing them.

Initial addition of fish: This is where you are most likely going to see an ammonia spike if any. Assuming your tank is well cycled and maintained I would be surprised if you even saw one assuming you handle everything correctly.

The food that goes into a tank is what causes the ammonia production. If you feed x amount and add 3 more fish but keep feeding x amount then you aren't going to see a difference in the ammonia. You're still putting the same amount of food in the tank. With the heavy stocking, you are going to want to feed very sparingly over the next week or 2 slowly amping up the amount of food you feed and checking later on (12ish hours) in the day to see if it had any effect on ammonia. Thankfully for you the nitrifying bacteria is relatively quick to grow.

Imho, the bigger issues will be combating the nitrates that are bound to pop up because denitrifying bacteria won't have colonized enough to cope with the additional load. That and the possible addition of nasties into the tank.

 

[melosu58]

Your best friend during this time will be water changes.

 

[tackett91]

Thanks for everything guys. Had a nitrate spike this morning. In the process of a 25%change. Everything looks pretty good. One of my stars doesn't look the greatest I may qt him I don't see improvement after the change.

 

[cgthebeast]

Yeah stars, are pretty delicate when it comes to parms

 

[lanesss]

Get some professional advise at your local pet shop.