ISSUES!

[jr5018]

OK so i took a trip to the keys, got my LS. By the way this is not advisable people really get upset. I was stopped by the coast guard and searched. Apparently coral smuggling is some sort of lucrative career! I claimed stupidity and was allowed to float away. Now i have my DSB in my 55 gal aquarium and some LR as well as coral. What do i do now I think i am supposed to cycle the system. How do i do this?

 

[Aztlan]

You got LR and Coral also from the Keys?

 

[jr5018]

I am assuming it is LR "porus rocks with stuff growing on it" and a very small portion of coral. I was just off trumbo naval base on the gulf side I think it was trumbo we pulled out of. Please remember I am extremely new to this and not as educated as i would like to be but i do have 1 question how do i cycle my tank at this point

 

[saltcreep1025]

you have coral in your tank and you dont even know how to cycle???

I dont even know where to begin. Go buy the book "the conscientiuos marine aquarist" by bob fenner and read through the posts in the getting started forum. This information is in a million posts if you search for it.

 

[Atari]

I recommend fishless cycling.. there's a nice article right here

www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15

 

[jr5018]

Ok very nice article I will do this ASAP I am expecting my coral to die! please correct me if i am wrong. I do not mean to offend any of you on this board with my stupidity. I apologize.

 

[Atari]

Don't worry about it. Sometimes we get a little over-passionate when it comes to our hobby and forget we were clueless newbies once too. Patience is a virtue.

 

[reefrunner69]

If the Rock was taken directly from the gulf and added to a tank that was laready full of SW, you may not experience that much die off from the rock. Which would lessen any cycle you may or may not get. How much rock did you pilfer?

 

[jr5018]

I filled up one of those HUGE white igloo coolers with sand about 4 inches on the bottom of the cooler and bout 1/2 rock and the other 1/2 coral and the rest water from the dive spot. i am guessing 40 lbs or so

 

[reefrunner69]

You got LR and Coral also from the Keys?

LOL, don't be jealous, it is perfectly legal for somethings to be removed from FL waters. If he were way outside the lines, the marine patrol would have seized his boat.

you have coral in your tank and you dont even know how to cycle???

I cycled my current reef with aquacultured LR that was literally covered with coral. Hmmm, does that make me a bad person, or is it OK cause it was coral encrusted to the LR?

 

[reefrunner69]

it slow and don't add any more life until you get some more rock and know the tank is cycled. Be ready to do water changes, have the SW mixed up and on hand and closely monitor your ammonia and nitrite readings. If they rise, do a water change and continue doing water changes every other day until the fall off. I doubt you'll have a problem, but you never know how much die off could have come from the sand.

 

[snapcrackler]

w00t!

 

[Jedihunter]

cycled my current reef with aquacultured LR that was literally covered with coral. Hmmm, does that make me a bad person, or is it OK cause it was coral encrusted to the LR?

OK, Its not bad since it was Aquacultured, But taking live stuff out of the sea and stuff that usually takes too much time to reproduce is kind of GROSS.

I dont intend to be rude but can't imagine mysef going to Can-Cun and doing some scuba, then picking a nice looking rock (with or without life on it) and then taking back home to my 55 gal tank.

 

[quarryshark]

cycled my current reef with aquacultured LR that was literally covered with coral. Hmmm, does that make me a bad person, or is it OK cause it was coral encrusted to the LR?

OK, Its not bad since it was Aquacultured, But taking live stuff out of the sea and stuff that usually takes too much time to reproduce is kind of GROSS.

I dont intend to be rude but can't imagine mysef going to Can-Cun and doing some scuba, then picking a nice looking rock (with or without life on it) and then taking back home to my 55 gal tank.

Ok, not trying to start something, but what do you think that many of the wholesalers do? Where do you think most of the fish come from? Even the aquacultured stuff is left in the sea to accumulate "life" on it to be later collected. If we want to go that rout with the discussion, then we are all guilty to some extent.
Now if he went into a reef with a pickax and went to work, then I would have an issue with it. But if he is just diving to pick up some sand and some loose rock (off the reefs), I don't see the problem with this.
IMO

 

[Jedihunter]

Now if he went into a reef with a pickax and went to work, then I would have an issue with it. But if he is just diving to pick up some sand and some loose rock (off the reefs), I don't see the problem with this.

TOTALLY Agreed!!!

 

[darb2]

to help keep the corals alive while cycling, do water changes to keep NH4 in check. If the lr is that fresh you may not experience die off, but be prepared for it.
First ammonia will rise, then nitrite, and then they will subside and nitrate will go up. when ammonia and nitrite go down to 0 it is cycled.

 

[jr5018]

like i said i did not mean to offend any one in this forum JEDI !!! Sorry for anything i did I am new at this and i apologize. Thank you so much darb2 that was what i was looking for you are the shiznit!

 

[reefrunner69]

like i said i did not mean to offend any one in this forum JEDI !!! Sorry for anything i did I am new at this and i apologize.

Takes more to offend us than that, you'll find reefkeepers are an opinionated bunch, part of the hobby I guess. Don't fret about it at all

 

[snapcrackler]

you'll find reefkeepers are an opinionated bunch

Amen!! LOL

(Me included)