few questions..

dmm180

dmm180

New Member
I want to thank everyone for your advice in advance. I am so glad I found this board, I am learning quite a bit..
I set up my 55 gal tank on Jan 1.
Bought live rock and put in day 1.(45 lbs)
On Jan 6 I added four fish. All but the yellow tail damsel have died. I test the water every other day and all levels (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate) all at zero.
PH is 8.2, SG is wnl. Ditto with temp.
I have lots of brown alge growing.
According to" the book" I should have been cycling by now. I want to add fish but I dont want to kill the poor things.
My questions:
Am I doing everything right so far?
Should I add fish or wait?
How about shrimp or hermit crabs, etc...
I do not yet have a protein skimmer. How important is that to get one immediately?
( This tank was a Christmas gift and hubby bought everything he was told to by LFS)
What about all this brown alge.....I would expect to see some green by now.
And the BIG question.....
Why is the tank not cycling??
 
entice59

entice59

Active Member
are you using test kits to make sure its cycling plus you should check twice a week to make sure your levels are raising, mainly ammonia and nitrites if it hasnt already, then your nitrates will raise slowly too. Since you only have one damsel thats fine, you can keep it if you want. What i would do is try to give the damsel back if you can for little or no money. Just get rid of it if you want.
Assuming your tank hasnt cycled, get a mediabag and add 3 or 4 frozen dead shrimp (ones you eat) unseasoned of course. And let it cycle that way. The reason why you should get a mediabag is because if you just put it in the tank, chunks of decaying shrimp will float and break apart all over your rock and sand, leaving a bigger mess and a hurt back. Ive been there before. Use the mediabag, ive done it and after the cycle, take it out and just throw it away.
You dont neeed the protein skimmer right now.
i wouldnt add anyfish until you are sure your tank has cycled.
i would buy a note book and keep a log of what goes on in your tank, from test results to routine maintance or deaths/add ins. This will only cost you 2 bucks and will help keep you incheck for needed top-offs and a log of how you are doing and if you are ready for certain things.
damsels it might take longer for you to cycle, liverock you just added might help with the cycling.
 
dmm180

dmm180

New Member
Yes, I am using a test kit. I am testing every other day and every reading is 0.
I am keeping a log of everything...thanks!
 
kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
DMM,
You should expect to see some nitrATES... If ALL your numbers are at 0 then I expect to see nitrates...
Ammonnia will go up.. NitrITES will go up then as those numbers go down the nitrATES number will go up....... Usually the cycling process numbers.....
Have you done a water change? If you HAVE then its ok if your nitRATES are ZERO....
You probable are cycled then..... Good luck and have fun!! IMO, I would get rid of the damsel, they get mean and they are so HARD to catch specially with Live Rock!
Thanking you kindly, Kim
 
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