Beginner

[fishfancy]

I am hoping for some guidance on my new tank. I am very nervous about starting a salt water tank and have heard horror stories of lost fish, damaged equipment, etc. I hope to eventually work up to a reef tank. To start with this is what I purchased this weekend.
Equipment:
58 gallon reef ready tank with stand
Aqualight T-5 21 watt
Mega Flow 3 Sump
Via Aqua Return Pump
Oceanic Overflow kit
Three 20lb bags of Bio Active Live Aragonite sand
50lbs of Figi live rock
1 Instant Ocean/Marineland Labs Hydrometer
Thermometer
Topical Science Marine Mix (suppose to help the stressed fish)
Salifert KH and PH buffer (I have already added one tsp and need to add one more)
Began with 25 cups of Sea Salt mix to 60 gallons of tap water.
Fish:
2 Percula Clownfish
2 Black and White Percula Clownfish
1 Diamond Back Goby
1 Flame Hawkfish
No problems as of yet. Just placed the fish in today and I haven't been able to take my eyes off the tank. Extremely nervous that I might be doing something wrong and will kill my fish.

 

[alyssia]

So the tank hasn't been cycled?

 

[fishfancy]

Does cycled mean running the water for a day?? I did do that. Here's hoping cycled doesn't mean something else.

 

[alyssia]

Cycled mean letting it go through a biological process that allows beneficial bacteria to build up. It typically takes 2-4 weeks.

 

[fishfancy]

No...boy this doesn't mean what I think it means...I might loose the fish?? When I talked to the LFS folks they said it shouldn't be a problem because of the heartyness of the fish I bought and the bacteria that is already in the live rock.

 

[alyssia]

Sometimes when you use cured LR your tank will cycle quickly (or some would say "instantly" cycle)I setup a seahorse tank with cured LR and I still went through the typical cycling process. Also, you should still never add that many fish at once. Especially not to a new tank. Do you have tests for ammonia, ph, nitrites and nitrates?

 

[fishfancy]

Not yet, but I did have them test my water at the LFS before purchasing the new fish. That was my next purchase. Just didn't think I would need it so soon.

 

[alyssia]

I would start testing right away. If you see a rise in ammonia you are most likely going into a cycle.

 

[fishfancy]

This would be a good thing right?? Going into a cycle? I will go immediately tomorrow and purchase a tester kit.

 

[whitey_028]

You might be ok but you have a 50/50 chance right now of you killing everything you just bought. This hobby is all about patience.Definately get a bunch of tests kits and if you are doing corals reefs you might want a little more lighting like a metal halide. If you go through the biological cycle everything wil probably die. This message board is soo full of useful knowledge and you will definately grow to love this hobby as we are all here to help you and welcome. Also tap water is not recommended for saltwater fish either.Look into something called ro water.

 

[murph]

This probably is not a good situation but don't panic. If you bought everything from the same LFS they should know better than to sell you all these fish for a new tank. First pick up an ammonia test kit and a bottle of amquel. If your water test positive for ammonia use the amquel per bottle instructions. Amquel is an ammonia detoxifier and will buy you some time in this situation. You have probably already used a product like this to treat your tap water and is most likely the only reason the fish are still alive.
There is a such thing as cycling a tank with fish but this is no way to go about it. Any book on setting up a saltwater tank will have a section explaining the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle a tank.
There is almost no way that this tank with this many fish will not go positive for ammonia so get a five gallon bucket and a tub for your live rock. You will probably have to take the rock out of the tank for a few minutes to catch the fish. Place the fish in the five gallon bucket and take them back to the LFS and tell them the tank is going to have to cycle.
The fish you listed had to have cost a pretty penny and I would hate to see you lose them. If you wish to cycle with livestock, which is the method I prefer but I am in the minority with this opinion, use a few inexpensive damsels keeping in mind they are aggressive fish and will have to be removed when you begin adding your intended livestock.
The tank will start showing positive readings for ammonia and nitrite. If using damsels to cycle you probably will see these levels reach the .25 to .50 for each before falling to zero at which point the damsels can be removed and a pair of small fish which equals the bio load of the damsels can be added. This would probably mean a pair of the clowns.
If there are other LFS in your area pay them a visit. A good LFS should be shocked to hear what the LFS you are now dealing with has given you as advice.

 

[fishfancy]

Question. How does the tank begin to cycle without the help of the fish?? I guess this is where I had the wrong idea. I thought maybe the fish were apart of the cycling process. By the way, I need to purchase a book on setting up salt water fish tanks..obviously. Any suggestions on a good one?? Thank you sooo much to all of you who have already given me a wealth of information. I am going to do my best to keep these fish alive. I feel like such a bad parent. It's amazing but I have only had them one day and I am already as attached to them as I am to my dog I have had for 6yrs.

 

[surfinusa]

heres a good book the marine aquarium problem solver it gives questions and awnsers

 

[sea_star]

My LFS told me to start with fish to help cycle the tank too. But my tank never really spiked. My ammonia levels never exceeded 0.5. Plus the clowns and damsels that I got lived. So maybe since you bought live sand it will kick start your cycle, like live rock did for mine. Good luck. I hope you don't lose your fish. :happyfish

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by fishfancy
Question. How does the tank begin to cycle without the help of the fish?? I guess this is where I had the wrong idea. I thought maybe the fish were apart of the cycling process. By the way, I need to purchase a book on setting up salt water fish tanks..obviously. Any suggestions on a good one?? Thank you sooo much to all of you who have already given me a wealth of information. I am going to do my best to keep these fish alive. I feel like such a bad parent. It's amazing but I have only had them one day and I am already as attached to them as I am to my dog I have had for 6yrs.

Most people use a raw cocktail shrimp to kickstart the cycle.
Also, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner is a highly recommended book.

 

[murph]

If the fish can not be returned it now becomes vary important to monitor free ammonia levels in this tank in order to keep the fish alive. Try to find an ammonia sensor. These are inexpensive and are hung on the inside of the tank and will change colors to alert you to the deadly form of ammonia that will cause fish loses.
Ammonia detoxifiers like prime and amquel will have to be dosed to complex these ammonia's out of the tank while it cycles or you are likely to start losing fish. Like I said the product you used to treat your tap water is likely one of these or like product and are pretty much impossible to overdose so if it were me I would add another half dose due to bio load on this tank until getting an ammonia sensor to verify the presence of free ammonia in the tank.
Chemical test kits will give you a total ammonia level and can be used to monitor the cycle.