First saltwater tank..

[joy13]

It is best to add livestock after cycling hermits can go in anytime after cycling I usually start with one or two you have remember they are part of the cuc so there needs to be enough for them to eat.

 

[corinne118s]

I found a few gobies I like. Which gobies do the pairing with pistol shrimp or do they all? Doesn't that mean that a mandarin can live as well if other gobies can?

I checked my numbers again today and here's what I got..

ammonia: .50
nitrite: 1.0
nitrate: .25

Yesterday I did a ~60% water change and my ammonia level dropped but is still high. I don't understand how I could have less nitrate though?

How often should I do a PWC to get rid of the ammonia and nitrite? Will they lower by themselves?



PS- Any thoughts on this rock formation? Does this look like enough room for fish to swim?











ALSO if anyone cares.. my ghost shrimp are almost at full salinity as my SW tank. I am going to add them soon once the temps and pH are equal. I will just continue feeding them fish flakes. These guys are really hardy..

 

[Jlsardina]

I found a few gobies I like. Which gobies do the pairing with pistol shrimp or do they all? Doesn't that mean that a mandarin can live as well if other gobies can?

I checked my numbers again today and here's what I got..

ammonia: .50
nitrite: 1.0
nitrate: .25

Yesterday I did a ~60% water change and my ammonia level dropped but is still high. I don't understand how I could have less nitrate though?

How often should I do a PWC to get rid of the ammonia and nitrite? Will they lower by themselves?

PS- Any thoughts on this rock formation? Does this look like enough room for fish to swim?

ALSO if anyone cares.. my ghost shrimp are almost at full salinity as my SW tank. I am going to add them soon once the temps and pH are equal. I will just continue feeding them fish flakes. These guys are really hardy..

You shouldn't be doing water changes in a cycling tank. NitrATes are the end product from the cycle of ammonia to nitrates. The process is

Ammonia - nitrItes- nitrAtes

As the ammonia goes down it turns into nitrites. Then nitrates turn into nitrates.

If you do water changes in a cycling tank you will prolong the process. The goal is to watch the tank as ammonia levels and nitrite level drop to 0 from 4.0 (ammonia) in a 24 hour process. This means you will e dosing ammonia a few times. Once this happens though- you will have to do a few large water changes to get your nitrates to 0. I would wait on adding the shrimp until you are correctly cycled.

While mandarins are often labeled as gobies- they are actually a dragonet. The reason they are difficult to keep is because they only feed on copepods. Even ORA mandarins can revert to eating only copepods. If you really want one of these fish you need to establish a population of copepods and continue to contribute to that population so it is not depleted. This can take up to a year to establish this population.

 

[corinne118s]

oh ok I had misunderstood. and my shrimp are safe in my 2g for now. how do i know when I am done cycling then?

i think I will wait on a mandarin. I have plenty of patience I just want what is best but at the same time I am willing to work hard! I would definitely like a mandarin in the long run, I don't care if it's the only fish in the tank so it doesnt compete for copepods.

does buying copepods from my LFS not help the situation? I would think you could just squeeze a bunch of those in the tank.

thanks again!

 

[carey]

A single mandarin can eat multiple bags of those pods in a week. Very expensive way to go

 

[Jlsardina]

oh ok I had misunderstood. and my shrimp are safe in my 2g for now. how do i know when I am done cycling then?

i think I will wait on a mandarin. I have plenty of patience I just want what is best but at the same time I am willing to work hard! I would definitely like a mandarin in the long run, I don't care if it's the only fish in the tank so it doesnt compete for copepods.

does buying copepods from my LFS not help the situation? I would think you could just squeeze a bunch of those in the tank.

thanks again!

You will know your cycle is complete when you dose ammonia to 4.0ppm and it zero within 24 hours.

As far as the mandarin- start building your population after your cycle is complete. Buy a couple bags of pods a month and just keep letting them do their "thing". Maybe after a year you could try. However. In your size of tank- you may want to add a lot more rock for them to dwell in

 

[corinne118s]

Ok cool. Anyone have recommendations for a refractometer? Cheap..

 

[Jlsardina]

eBay has some for about 20$

 

[corinne118s]

Ok I'm looking. Unfortunately one of my older ghost shrimp died recently. The other two doing fine. Not sure if the water change did it or that he was old. Put the body in my sw tank as ammonia for a few days about to take him out. So the goal is check for ammonia now and check again tomorrow to see if it changed?

 

[corinne118s]

Hey so today I noticed a few things I would like to identify..

1) my live rock has a Lot more purple bumps on it. What are these things anyways?

2) noticed a rusty red spot on the rock never noticed before. What could this be? Tried to take a picture but it's hard to tell

 

[Ibrahim]

Hey so today I noticed a few things I would like to identify..

1) my live rock has a Lot more purple bumps on it. What are these things anyways?

2) noticed a rusty red spot on the rock never noticed before. What could this be? Tried to take a picture but it's hard to tell

Sounds like coraline

 

[corinne118s]

Is that bad? I think It looks pretty. Were you tlking about the rust spot or the purple bulges?

 

[Ibrahim]

Is that bad? I think It looks pretty. Were you tlking about the rust spot or the purple bulges?

It's a good thing and I mean the purple spots

 

[corinne118s]

Ok cool! I love finding new things everyday! How long will I know if a "hitchhiker" is on my rock?

 

[Jlsardina]

Ok cool! I love finding new things everyday! How long will I know if a "hitchhiker" is on my rock?

You will see it move, or sprout!

Hitchiker can include feather dusters, cabs, lobsters, palys, zoas, etc. just takes time.

 

[joy13]

The best time to find hitchhikers is after lights out, here is a good place to look to help id some of them Live Rock Hitch Hikers

 

[corinne118s]

Haven't seen any yet but the coraline algea is looking great! What should be the first thing I do after my tank is cycled??

 

[carey]

After you finish your cycle you should do a large water change first thing.

Then its up to you on what to add. Whatever it is , corals or fish or clean up crew do it slow.

 

[corinne118s]

What has the best chance of surviving..? I was thinking a hermit first

 

[corinne118s]

Finally cycled! Actually didn't take too long.





Final results before I went and got two red legged hermits and one snail (already forgot the name- think astrea)

When should I add fish? I didn't want too much jn. What stocking options do I have for 10g?