Starter/cycle fish ???
- Thread starter doog32226
- Start date
lexluethar
Active Member
Agreed, don't cycle with fish - although Damsels are hardy fish, that doesn't mean they are disposable. I would cycle the tank with a dead shrimp - which will take about the same time as cycling with live fish.
Cycle for about 4 weeks then you can buy fish
Cycle for about 4 weeks then you can buy fish
thereefkeeper
Member
More specificly, go to the local Kroger, get a nice size fresh shrimp (frozen food section) and drop in the tank. When your amonia level starts to spike, take the shrimp out. Be sure to allow the amonia level to rise enought for a complete cycle or you will have a false cycle and the first time your put in a fish the tank will cycle again and kill the fish. If you get a damsel, you will likely bang your head into a hard object later when you want to catch him and sell him back to the LFS. Not to mention it is rather cruel on the fish.
rbaldino
Active Member
Just buy some cured live rock and ghost feed the tank for a while. Souldn't have much of a cycle at all.
Damsels can be good fish. Several of the less aggresive ones are nice looking, cheap to buy, and plenty hardy. And if you're smart about when you add them and create lots of different spots for fish, they'll get along with pretty much anything.
Damsels can be good fish. Several of the less aggresive ones are nice looking, cheap to buy, and plenty hardy. And if you're smart about when you add them and create lots of different spots for fish, they'll get along with pretty much anything.
doog32226
New Member
I was looking up some info on the green chromis. He seems to be a pretty docile fish and looks pretty hardy. Am I wrong?
I plan on buying some live rock in the next week or two. Question on that. Can I buy like 10-20 lbs and just drop it in my tank since there is no fish and I am in the middle of cycling the tank? Should I cure the rock in a trash can for a week or two first? Should I scrub the rock down first then put it in the tank right from my LFS?
I plan on buying some live rock in the next week or two. Question on that. Can I buy like 10-20 lbs and just drop it in my tank since there is no fish and I am in the middle of cycling the tank? Should I cure the rock in a trash can for a week or two first? Should I scrub the rock down first then put it in the tank right from my LFS?
jacrmill
Member
since you are getting only 10 to 20 pounds, I am guessing you are picking it up from a fish store near you. If you have a good 1 there that you can trust, you can pick up some fully cured rock. then just throw that in your tank, add some live sand and it will be pretty much cycled. that said I wouldnt go buy an angel fish or anything. What I did was buy the rock and sand, let it sit for a week to settle and made sure there was no die off from the rock, then added a small goby. it wont give off much waste and they are relatively hardy.
Also, in my experience green chromis are more aggressive than advertised. I would avoid anything anywhere near the damsel family if i were you.
almost forgot, there is a product called "bio-spira". it is supposed to contain the necessary bacteria to cycle your tank. I added that just for a little feeling of security. Most people dont like a cycle in a bottle, and neither do i usually, but a man i trust at my LFS recommended it strongly. between that, the rock and the sand, i had no significant cycle and no ammonia when I added any of my fish.
Also, in my experience green chromis are more aggressive than advertised. I would avoid anything anywhere near the damsel family if i were you.
almost forgot, there is a product called "bio-spira". it is supposed to contain the necessary bacteria to cycle your tank. I added that just for a little feeling of security. Most people dont like a cycle in a bottle, and neither do i usually, but a man i trust at my LFS recommended it strongly. between that, the rock and the sand, i had no significant cycle and no ammonia when I added any of my fish.
doog32226
New Member
I added 40lbs of Aragonite. I plan on getting about 10-15 lbs of live sand to mix in with it this weekend. Now, I was told that the live rock, live sand and a good skimmer are enough to filter the tank. Is that correct. I have a simple hand on right now to help filter out some things.
seasalt101
Active Member
is this a very small tank?...tobin
poniegirl
Active Member
Adding live sand and live rock will help, because some beneficial elements will be in place in those things.
However[/U], even in an established tank, you can have enough die-off when you add these items to create a cycle. You will need to test your water to monitor this for, at the minimum, 3 weeks.
Your ammonia reading will run high. When the ammonia level begins to drop, your nitrite level will spike. When the nitrite reading drops, your nitrate test will make you want to scream (patience
). The most satisfying thing is to do a water change when ammonia is 0.00, nitrites are 0.00 and nitrates are 60 to 80.
Your biological filter is sort of like an immune system. The system has a job and that is to process any foreign object and balance the essential needs to sustain life. It takes time.
What size tank do you have?
However[/U], even in an established tank, you can have enough die-off when you add these items to create a cycle. You will need to test your water to monitor this for, at the minimum, 3 weeks.
Your ammonia reading will run high. When the ammonia level begins to drop, your nitrite level will spike. When the nitrite reading drops, your nitrate test will make you want to scream (patience
Your biological filter is sort of like an immune system. The system has a job and that is to process any foreign object and balance the essential needs to sustain life. It takes time.
What size tank do you have?
jacrmill
Member
how much LR do you plan to add? many people do not think it is necessary to have a filter other than a skimmer and LR, but when I clean my filter and look at the crap it pulled out, you cant convince me.
when you do cycle, as everyone else has suggested, do not use fish. besides the fact that it will cause you headaches later trying to remove the damsels (which you will want to do later, i promise) it is hard on the fish and more expensive.
also as stated earlier: buy saltwater test kit = step 1
by the way, how big is your tank? how much rock do you plan on adding? what kind of fish do you want? Fish only tank or Corals?
when you do cycle, as everyone else has suggested, do not use fish. besides the fact that it will cause you headaches later trying to remove the damsels (which you will want to do later, i promise) it is hard on the fish and more expensive.
also as stated earlier: buy saltwater test kit = step 1
by the way, how big is your tank? how much rock do you plan on adding? what kind of fish do you want? Fish only tank or Corals?
doog32226
New Member
Originally Posted by jacrmill
how much LR do you plan to add? many people do not think it is necessary to have a filter other than a skimmer and LR, but when I clean my filter and look at the crap it pulled out, you cant convince me.
when you do cycle, as everyone else has suggested, do not use fish. besides the fact that it will cause you headaches later trying to remove the damsels (which you will want to do later, i promise) it is hard on the fish and more expensive.
also as stated earlier: buy saltwater test kit = step 1
by the way, how big is your tank? how much rock do you plan on adding? what kind of fish do you want? Fish only tank or Corals?
The tank is a 55g. I plan to have somewhere between 50-60 lbs of LR and want a coral/fish tank. Fish I would like to have are a royal gramma, pygmy or flame angel, a few green chromis, Clown fish and a few gobies along with inverts of course. Cleaner shrimp, cbs and a few peppermints as well. I wanted a Tang, but was told that it won't last in a 55g. However, my LFS has a 55g reef with a sailfin and a yellow in it and is doin fine. I am gonna get a test kit. I know from keeping cichlids that its important to monitor the water.
how much LR do you plan to add? many people do not think it is necessary to have a filter other than a skimmer and LR, but when I clean my filter and look at the crap it pulled out, you cant convince me.
when you do cycle, as everyone else has suggested, do not use fish. besides the fact that it will cause you headaches later trying to remove the damsels (which you will want to do later, i promise) it is hard on the fish and more expensive.
also as stated earlier: buy saltwater test kit = step 1
by the way, how big is your tank? how much rock do you plan on adding? what kind of fish do you want? Fish only tank or Corals?
The tank is a 55g. I plan to have somewhere between 50-60 lbs of LR and want a coral/fish tank. Fish I would like to have are a royal gramma, pygmy or flame angel, a few green chromis, Clown fish and a few gobies along with inverts of course. Cleaner shrimp, cbs and a few peppermints as well. I wanted a Tang, but was told that it won't last in a 55g. However, my LFS has a 55g reef with a sailfin and a yellow in it and is doin fine. I am gonna get a test kit. I know from keeping cichlids that its important to monitor the water.
rbaldino
Active Member
Originally Posted by Doog32226
The tank is a 55g. I plan to have somewhere between 50-60 lbs of LR and want a coral/fish tank. Fish I would like to have are a royal gramma, pygmy or flame angel, a few green chromis, Clown fish and a few gobies along with inverts of course. Cleaner shrimp, cbs and a few peppermints as well. I wanted a Tang, but was told that it won't last in a 55g. However, my LFS has a 55g reef with a sailfin and a yellow in it and is doin fine. I am gonna get a test kit. I know from keeping cichlids that its important to monitor the water.
All of those fish may not be compatible, either with each other or corals/inverts. The gramma may have a problem with gobies, and the angel really needs to go in an established tank and may nip at corals.
The tank is a 55g. I plan to have somewhere between 50-60 lbs of LR and want a coral/fish tank. Fish I would like to have are a royal gramma, pygmy or flame angel, a few green chromis, Clown fish and a few gobies along with inverts of course. Cleaner shrimp, cbs and a few peppermints as well. I wanted a Tang, but was told that it won't last in a 55g. However, my LFS has a 55g reef with a sailfin and a yellow in it and is doin fine. I am gonna get a test kit. I know from keeping cichlids that its important to monitor the water.
All of those fish may not be compatible, either with each other or corals/inverts. The gramma may have a problem with gobies, and the angel really needs to go in an established tank and may nip at corals.
aquaguy24
Active Member
thats a lot of fish.. as for gobies i think ur only suppose to have one in the tank unless u have a huge tank..55g is definetly a no no for tangs. might think twice about the coral banded shrimp..
your lfs will prolly most likely move those tangs to a bigger tank real soon..unless ur planning to upgrade to a 6' long 125g tank in a couple of months then i'd say no tangs..
your lfs will prolly most likely move those tangs to a bigger tank real soon..unless ur planning to upgrade to a 6' long 125g tank in a couple of months then i'd say no tangs..
odglock19
Member
I'm just a noob with all of this....my tanks have only been set up for a little over a month but I added 2 chromis to my 12gal 24 hours after i set it up and they are still doing great and my levels are all perfect and im sure I will get flamed here but i also added a false perc and a royal gramma about a week and a half after i set up my 24gal. and they are also doing great.....and i know of many other people who have done similar and their fish are still healthy as can be.....but the majority of people will tell you to at least wait until your tank has cycled completely which is the best advice....