Kind of lost as to whats next

[sk8fergy]

Im very new to this and was just wondering as to what next. I have a 29gal with about a 2-2.5 inch sandbed and 15lbs of live rock. i have a skimmer, very basic lighting, a hanging filter with bio wheel. the water temp is 77 and all ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate tests are very good. my live rock had about 5 feather dusters, 2 stars and a bristle worm ( i did research on him and i think ill keep it he keeps to himself). I also have a very big feather duster who is doing very well for a new tank and 2 blue leg hermit crabs. The tank is 3weeks old and i just want to know when should i introduce fish and what to start with. Im not gonna do a reef tank. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[sk8fergy]

a little more info
s.g. 1.023
ph 8.1
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ammonia 0
temp 78

 

[mr_x]

well, since you have very little live rock, i'd say that you have to be careful what you add. live rock has the surface area that holds the bacteria needed to sustain the bio load. that's why they say to have atleast a pound per gallon.
if you have no ammonia or nitrite and the rock has been in the tank for 3 weeks, it's possible that you have completed the cycle. it's also possible that you just can't get a reading because there is not enough die off on that rock to register on the test kits.

 

[jimvette1]

First, welcome to the money pit.

Second , did your ammonia spike, before coming back down to zero?
As for fish, almost every one will tell you to start with Damsels.
That is a personal choice.
All is I can tell you is about my personal experience, don't go with any fish just for a "starter fish".

My golden rule is "It's easier to put fish in a tank than to remove them". Remember that!

Now decide if you want peaceful fish or aggressive fish. If your not sure what goes together, just ask.

Again, my personal opinion, I like gobies and blennies, they are peaceful and get along great.

 

[sk8fergy]

Im definitely gonna add more rock. Im all about doing this right. My ammonia did spike very early on and has held steady since. I plan on peaceful fish. Looking at gobies, blennies and clowns. Damsels are out of the question im just not interested in them. Oh and i was told it wasnt to expensive and about 600- 700 dollars later here i am. lol. Possibly more than that i dont keep very good track.

 

[culp]

Clown Fish are great stater fish.

they are some what cheap, easy to get, easy to take care of, and depending on what species of Clown fish you buy they can be vary peaceful.
Also Cardinal fish are easy to start with because they are cheap, easy to get, easy to take care of because they just float in place for hours on end. and are vary peaceful.

 

[culp]

Originally Posted by sk8fergy
http:///forum/post/2875188
Im definitely gonna add more rock. Im all about doing this right. My ammonia did spike very early on and has held steady since. I plan on peaceful fish. Looking at gobies, blennies and clowns. Damsels are out of the question im just not interested in them. Oh and i was told it wasnt to expensive and about 600- 700 dollars later here i am. lol. Possibly more than that i dont keep very good track.
just like JimVette1 said its a money pit. every time i see look back to see how much money i have spent on my tank since i sent it up just about gives me a heart attack.

 

[sk8fergy]

Thanks alot everybody. Im gonna go get more lr tomorrow and wait about a week to start my clean up crew. Any advice on that would be greatly appreciated. I have 2 blue leg hermits and an emerald crab i forgot to mention earlier. they have been in for a week and are very active and eating. Im going to play it safe and start adding fish in another 2 to 3 weeks. I know you should only add one fish at a time but is it ok to add a pair of clowns seeing as theyll be the first? What about the clean up crew? One at a time as well? Im full of questions and ill add some pics soon. LOL. Im so new and so into this.

 

[mboswell1982]

yes, it is ok to add a pair of clowns at once, but, just so you know, dont go out an get maroons or something like that, they will outgrow your tank lol. im partial to the b&w ocellaris clowns, aka b&w false percs lol, but thats up to you, just make sure the ones you pick dont get over about 4 inches or so full grown lol. and as to the CUC, id recommend a few more hermit crabs, the dwarf blue legs are tight btw aint they? lol, and get some extra shells for em too, thats a big must have, and maybe some snails, i have no clue on the snails, as i dont like th elil buggers

 

[sk8fergy]

The blue legs are definitely cool. I was just gonna ask about clowns as well so thanks for answering that in advance. LOL. Im not a fan of snails either. I did buy extra shells when i bought the crabs. Well it looks like its time to go give the lfs more of my money.LOL. I'm also setting up a qt but how long should i wait in between fish?

 

[aztec reef]

You are ready for fish, NOW!.. 15lbs of lr and 2" of sand is more than enough to sustain 1 or 2 small fish for a few weeks.. including CUC. U really dont need any more lr, considering that it isnt gonna be a reef tank.( unless u like the look of a rock-dominated tank).
As a side note: Snails serve a good purpose in cleaning glass and detrius buildups of powerhead impellers and all other surfaces.
Livestock additions are dependant on tank's ability to handle the increased bioload.. Meaning: that u can keep adding animals until your tank reacts to the changes... U should allow a week intervals for every addition in order for the new biota to adapt. Patience is a crucial skill in this sport..

 

[mr_x]

i disagree. if you are going to keep more than 2 small fish, you'll need more live rock. i don't see how you can heavily stock a tank that size with 15 pounds of rock, and expect it to remain stable, no matter how long you wait in between to add fish.

 

[sk8fergy]

Well sounds good. I might hold off still for a few days at least to really research the fish i want as well as the cuc. Itll definitely consist of clowns, gobies and blennies. To much to choose from. LOL. Ill put up some pics later today so hopefully somebody replies as to wether everything looks good or they can spot any mistakes.

 

[sk8fergy]

Hey Mr X. Thanks for the info. Im definiitely add 5 to 10 lbs more lr today. Im planning on a total of 5 to 6 fish for that tank. If all goes well im going with a 75 or higher but that at least a year from now. Once again thanks for all the great information.

 

[sk8fergy]

Ok. I just added another more lr. I put together some very nice tunnels and caves for fish to play in when i get them. It took quite awhile for me to figure it out and had a landslide along the way but its very stable now. I also added another blue leg hermit and a scarlet as well as 2 snails. The lfs i get my rock from said to get snails as a precaution against algae. Hopefully all goes well and i can get some clowns in there in a week or two. Oh yeah the lr is cured but i went ahead and rinsed it and brushed it off as a precaution.

 

[mr_x]

clean water is a precaution against algae. snails eat some algae, but not enough to not worry about it.
how did you wash the rock? in saltwater? how long was it in the air?
that rock still might cause an ammonia spike that could kill the snails and hermits. don't go by what the lfs says. hold off on adding livestock for a little while to see what happens. wait a few weeks. don't worry, you'll have plenty of time for adding things. test the water for ammonia, and nitrite every couple days.
rather safe than sorry.

 

[sk8fergy]

Thanks Mr X. It was in the air for like an hour or 2 and i washed it in fresh salt water. I may have messed up and got a firefish goby before you replied

. He is doing very well so far and swimming around everywhere and eating a ton. Well all i can do is wait and see for now. Also he looks like a mix between a regular and a purple leaning more towards a purple. Beautiful fish.

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2875550
i disagree. if you are going to keep more than 2 small fish, you'll need more live rock. i don't see how you can heavily stock a tank that size with 15 pounds of rock, and expect it to remain stable, no matter how long you wait in between to add fish.
Time to put the Kool-aid down!
sk8fergy, said: I have a 29gal with about a 2-2.5 inch sandbed and 15lbs of live rock. i have a skimmer, very basic lighting
Im not gonna do a reef tank.
This is Not going to be a reef.. Why would u need more lr when he has 2" sand,15lbs lr, a skimmer, a HOB including biowheel and im sure he will be doing water changes.
I cant comprehend how u came up with the conclusion that is Not possible???
Bacteria lives on all surfaces Not just in LR.. Nitrification is covered! Denitrification is covered.!!
bacteria colonies reproduce on demand, depending on daily nitrogen compound convertion, metabolization, carbon cycling processes,daily co2 output and so on... And all of this processes get triggered by the daily feeding routines,excess food,fish waste,slime,plants,bacterias,invert waste,unmetabolized nutrients,metabolized nutrients,water quality.photosinthesis ect..
Nitrosomonas turn Ammonia into Nitrobacter (nitrite) which then its converted to NO3 (nitrates)..
Finally Nitrates: get processed via ammonification, anoxic/aerobic Denitrification processes..
All this processes happen here:2" sand,15lbs lr, a skimmer, a HOB including biowheel and im sure he will be doing water changes.

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by sk8fergy
http:///forum/post/2876086
Thanks Mr X. It was in the air for like an hour or 2 and i washed it in fresh salt water. I may have messed up and got a firefish goby before you replied

. He is doing very well so far and swimming around everywhere and eating a ton. Well all i can do is wait and see for now. Also he looks like a mix between a regular and a purple leaning more towards a purple. Beautiful fish.
Lr doesn't need to be rinsed nor does it need to be exposed to air..
2 hours?? I dont now if crustaceans have the capability to respire without water for two hours.. I know i dont!

 

[camfish]

I still recommend adding more LR, but I agree with AztecReef that nitrification is covered.