Somebody just let me know I'm right??

[Shultz]

OK, just emptying the tank in the garden after testing it, can someone just tell me if the list below is correct & in the right order please?

1. Fill tank with purified water & connect heater, air pump (since mixing will be done this first time in tank) & powerheads.

2. once upto temp start adding salt & test with hydrometer until correct check PH level.

3. leave atleast 24hrs & then add liverock & one dead fresh shrimp.

4. start testing as cycle begins & wait however long cycle takes.

5. Add skimmer & clean up crew. Check levels.

6. wait a week & then start adding fish one per week checking levels as I go.

Hows that sound?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[ccCapt]

Sounds good, but if you get uncured lr you may not need the shrimp to cycle the tank. The die-off from the rock might be enough to cycle the tank depending on how much die-off takes places and how much lr you put in to begin with. If you are getting cured rock, then you will need the shrimp.
Also, you may want to quarantine any new fish before you put them in the main tank.

 

[Shultz]

Sounds good, but if you get uncured lr you may not need the shrimp to cycle the tank. The die-off from the rock might be enough to cycle the tank depending on how much die-off takes places and how much lr you put in to begin with. If you are getting cured rock, then you will need the shrimp.
Also, you may want to quarantine any new fish before you put them in the main tank.

Thanks, will a pawn be ok if I can't get a shrimp (seriously!) Also it will be cured rock, so thats sorted...

I don't have the room for a QT so I was thinking of a fresh water dip before putting them in the main tank (about 1min?)

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Overstocker]

You can put anything in the tank to make it cycle. Shrimp, prawns, last nights leftovers, or neighbors cat, 8O anything that decomposes/rots so it will give off ammonia.

 

[Atari]

I've used chicken legs in the past

 

[Shultz]

Hehehehehe, thanks to you both, I don't want anything thats gonna smell bad cos its in the front room, or is it a case of opps loads of air freshener?

Hopefully most bits will be here tomorrow, just gotta order the skimmer & live rock, then father-in-law has offered to build the lid for my tank to house the 2xT5's at the end of the month

Cheers Shelton.

 

[indy]

I thought prawn and shrimp were the same thing I one tried using an annoying neighbor, but she kept getting out of the tank. That boyscout knot tying book is a piece of poop.

 

[jvennitti]

Schultz,

I've only at this for about 9 months, but I have read several posts and many recommendations for the QT tank, if at all possible. In fact, there was a post by sicklidkid I saw yesterday that you may want to read. I have to admit though that I'm not sure if the dip drastically reduces the risks. In any event, patience has been the major theme in this hobby, so you may want to plan for a longer interval between adding fish. This gives you time to watch each addition for 3-4 weeks for health issues. Also, each time you add something changes the bio load on the tank, some more than others depending on your mix of inhabitants. It seems like you would want to stabilize between each addition. Hopefully, some more experienced folks can offer more advice.

Just my $0.02, if it's worth that much.

Jeff

 

[Shultz]

I think I will take things more slowly as a QT is just not possible here.......

Cheers Shelton.