Am I ready for Fish?

[mattpace]

I set up a 38 gal SW tank 7 days ago. I used live sand and base rock. I also used Prime and Stability I tested the water today and the results were as follows.

Ph 8.3
Ammonia 0 ppm
nitrates 0 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
temp 76 deg F
Sepcific Gravity 1.022

Am I ready to add a fish and what should I add?

 

[canyon15]

"edit"

 

[Jenny_RS]

i also just set up my sw tank and it's been 6 days. my readings are the same as yours. if you add fish they will surely die as your cycle is not yet complete. i was told to add a raw shrimp and that should kick start your cycle. we both have yet to experience our ammonia, nitrite and then nitrate spike. i added a peppermint shrimp to help with my cycle.

 

[canyon15]

Thanks for catching my mistake Jenny! I cannot disagree with the advice but I am not sure how the peppermint shrimp would help with the cycle. IMO it would most likley suffer or die during the spikes if NH3,NO3 and nitrite.

 

[mattpace]

How long should this cycle take?

 

[tmkx3]

You got a peppermint shrimp???? The shrimp that you use to cycle your tank with is raw and dead!!!!!! You can get them from the grocery store. You need to take your little guy back.

 

[canyon15]

About 4-6 weeks is an average but you will never know by a time but by when your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all 0.

 

[canyon15]

I think they added a raw for the cycle but added a peppermint to "help with the cycle".

 

[mattpace]

What kind of fish should i add when i do?

 

[tmkx3]

oh I see. I have a neighbor that catches crabs and other cleaners to put in his tank during the cycle to help with the algea blooms, but I think the peppers are to sensative for a cycle

 

[canyon15]

Fish types I will leave for someone else. If youy want to research some different types you can goto www.fantasyreef.com and find out what would be suited for a tank of your size. HTH.

 

[tmkx3]

You need to let your tank cycle aleast 4 weeks before you add any fish

 

[Jenny_RS]

i added the peppermint shrimp to help with the cycle, but i do plan on taking the shirmp back tomorrow as the spikes would end up killing him... sorry folks, forgot about that part hehe as for the raw shrimp, does it have to be straight from the gorcery store? or can it be frozen? just wondering because my mom has frozen shrimp. would be easier than driving down to the grocery store when i have some at home.

 

[tmkx3]

Frozen shrimp are fine. I would put 2 or more. I cycledmy tank with 3 big ones. Watch out for the smell it can get really funkie

 

[Jenny_RS]

lol oh goodie

 

[roka64]

i added the peppermint shrimp to help with the cycle, but i do plan on taking the shirmp back tomorrow as the spikes would end up killing him

Great idea! The raw fish will provide the start of ammonia, that will spike and you should then see nitrItes spike and the ammonia decline. Last will be a spike of nitrAtes and the decline of the nitrItes. When all these read 0, your cycle will be complete. If you have a 55G, one or two raw/unseasoned shrimp should be enough. The cycle could take anywhere from 4-6 weeks. You just have to be patient and wait. You should start seeing new stuff growing on your LR soon as well.

 

[alexrex20]

You need to let your tank cycle aleast 4 weeks before you add any fish

That's ridiculous. You can add a handful of damsels as soon as your salinity settles. They'll make it. Trust me.

 

[Charlie]

Most people here strongly recommend against using live creatures to cycle the tank. The cycling process creates two toxic cycles that the fish have to suffer through. They may very well die from the ordeal.

The raw shrimp method is very effective and IMO works faster. I used one LARGE JUMBO shrimp in my 46gal and in 1 week I had high levels of ammonia and nitrites. My tank cycled very fast and had the first fish added in about 3 weeks. I put in 2 large damsels because they are hardy and the tank was very immature.

By the way:: any raw, non-marinated shrimp will work fine. 99% of the "fresh" shrimp sold by your local fish market have been pre-frozen whether they admit it or not.

A stable, mature tank is far better for the introduction of fish than a freshly cycled pristine tank with little to no bio-diversity.

If I learned anything about SW aquariums it is - DON"T RUSH IT, Patients will pay big dividends.

Just my 2 cents

 

[roka64]

Most people here strongly recommend against using live creatures to cycle the tank. The cycling process creates two toxic cycles that the fish have to suffer through. They may very well die from the ordeal.

I strongly agree. The fishless cycle is much more humane than throwing a handful of fish into a sewage pit.

If I learned anything about SW aquariums it is - DON"T RUSH IT, Patients will pay big dividends.

Another sound piece of advice.

That's ridiculous. You can add a handful of damsels as soon as your salinity settles. They'll make it. Trust me.

I bet there are some folks here, that were told this and lost their damsels.

But, that is just my opinion/experience.

 

[weemanpow3]

I cycled my tank for 1 month and a half and then got fish. Belive me I wanted to put fish right in right away like freshwater but you can.