Can I Keep Fish?

[royal gang]

i think iv'e got pretty good readings, im not saying im going to buy fish, because not only have i NOT got the money, but i also need live rock...these are my readings ;
ammonia,nitrite,nitrate=0
pH=8.1
alkilanaty=4.4
according to my test kits my pH should be from 8.2-8.4
and the alk. should be 2.5 -3.5 for fish, and 3.5-4.5 for corals, any thoughts?

:cheer:

 

[ryanhayes9]

all of the levels look pretty good. how long has the tank been set up?
get rock first and moniter those levels. a big addition of rock might cause a spike

 

[boozzbro]

the rock will cause a spike when you put it in at first especiually if you dont get fully cured rock.

 

[royal gang]

my tank has been set-up about 8 days, yeah i will get rock, my town is small, theres no fish stores with live rock, is the live rock from this website cured?

***)

 

[ryanhayes9]

yes but when its shipped you will probably recieve some dieoff. btw if the tank is only 8 days old its no- dont get fish. sounds like it hasent cycled. throw a dead shrimp in to start it

 

[scsinet]

No live rock should ever be regarded as already cured. What I'd do is order the live rock you want, put it directly into the tank, throw a couple shrimp, hunk of fish, etc in and wait 4 weeks, then look at adding fish.
Break the bank on the live rock now and get all you need. It's FAR easier to add the live rock initially than to add it to an already running system that's populated.

 

[royal gang]

i know, i told you fella, im not getting fish until 2 months, 25 days till i get the 50 pounds of live rock

 

[fish1031]

When you say add a dead shrimp... do you mean a raw shrimp from the grocery store?
Will a silverside i feed my panther grouper work?
You just let it sit there for 4 weeks?!?
What does that do?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by fish1031
When you say add a dead shrimp... do you mean a raw shrimp from the grocery store?
Will a silverside i feed my panther grouper work?
You just let it sit there for 4 weeks?!?
What does that do?
Raw from the grocery store, fish food, freeze dried krill, any of these will work. What it does is it starts to rot, creating an ammonia source. Once the ammonia reached 1 you can take the source out. This starts the cycle. There are bacteria that will feed on the ammonia and reproduce, they will break down the ammonia and put off nitrites. Other bacteria feed off of the nitrite. Which then breaks down to Nitrate. I do not have the names of the breed of bacteria in front of me. Nitrate is then removed from the system by water changes or the use of a refugum. A refuge is a separate tank that holds plant life. Plants feed off of nitrate and re-distribute oxygen to the system, completing the circle of life.

 

[royal gang]

..but i have ammonia,nitrite,nitrate at 0 and i don't want to raise it!!

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by ROYAL GANG
..but i have ammonia,nitrite,nitrate at 0 and i don't want to raise it!!
When you put fish in their poop and pee will create ammonia. if you don't let the anerobic bacteria colonize (cycling) then the ammonia will raise once you put the fish in. You want to cycle now so there will be enough bacteria to consume their waste or else your fish will die if it cycles when they are in there. EVERY tank has to cycle. You want to build up the bacteria now before you put fish in! Trust me!!! Every tank has to cycle. If you don't do this first you will be cycling with your first fish which are not likely to survive the process!

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by ROYAL GANG
i know, i told you fella, im not getting fish until 2 months, 25 days till i get the 50 pounds of live rock

For someone that is asking questions that indicate you aren't familiar with any of this process, you sure are rude to the people trying to help you. Way to go.