My 4 week old 29 gal

blk822

blk822

Member
Well I thought I would do a little test. I wanted to see how fast I could get my tank to cycle and get it set up and things going good. Some people will say that I was stupid, but I had done alot of checking and wanted to give it a try. I started with the tank, stand ,65watt pc 50/50 light, penguin 330 filter and heater. I got all this stuff from a freind for $50. Then bought a ESHOPPS psk-75h skimmer and added another 65watt actinic pc light. I bought 25lbs. caribsea live sand, and 30lbs of gulf live rock. then added a Cross' damsel. Then added a purple firefish and a cleaner wrasse. Amonia started to rise and so did nitrate. I did 8 gal water change the first week. Then the second week the wife bought a Green Star Polyp, that didn't do so well, it closed and never oppened. Then week 2 just watched the amonia and nitrate clinb then did about 16gal change.Week three started Seachems Stability, and got in some Zoos. at the end of the week all corals were opening and looking ok nitrates were ok and so was amonia, but still did a 16 gal change. this week amonia and nitrates are about 0. Coriline algae has started to spread on to some dead rock I had put in for a base. And now all corals re looking great. Also have added a finger leather, and goniapora, also a pulsing xenia and mushrooms. And the GPS I thought had died I just left in and now some polyps are opening. I don't think I would do a larger tank this fast and really thought I was going to have a crash ,but it worked out. I have now added my sump from my old 75gal reef set up and will run a refuge in it.

 
blk822

blk822

Member
Forgot to add that I also have a 30-90 gal reef cleaner crew fro SWF.com. All I lost from that was a cleaner clam, and a few hermits.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
HMMM...WELL...the tank looks nice anyways...LOL...You are very brave, how did the fish seem to do with the ammonia spikes?
 
jimmyr1rider

jimmyr1rider

Member
You do know youre supposed to add fish 1 at a time and give the filtration time to catch up to it right? Am not going to call another adult stupid- just impatient- this particular hobby really shouldnt be the one that you see "how fast" you can get something to happen. When you do that heavy of a water change you need to make sure your temp and ph are within.1 of what the tanks water is at. Am glad to hear its going well for you but your sandbed has not had time to seat with the beneficial bacteria that is needed for biological filtration. Fish shouldnt be in the tank while the ammonia spikes happen, is the whole reason for cycling a tank. Good luck from here on out.
 
fibinotchi

fibinotchi

Member
It can work out sometimes when you do it that way, but just like a human living in a highly toxic invironment, it can do long term damage to your animals and shorten their lifespan. Things happen in this hobby that are unexpected and cause your animals stress and problems, the thing that bothers most people is when someone who is not ignorant to the hobby would choose to put unnecessary stress and harm to their animals just because of impatience, or just because they can. But it does look like you added some rock with well extablished coralline which would mean it came from a tank that was well established so most likely had beneficial bacteria already on it. Tank looks good but I don't know if I would tell other people about such controversial topics in the future.
 
blk822

blk822

Member
I will never do this again but it worked. The nitrates are just above 0 and so is the amonia. Ph is good also.The fish did great throught the whole thing. the corals showed alittle during the spikes. When the corals would stay closed I would check the levels and do a water change. I don't recomend doing this to anyone. But the tank is doing great for now, we will see if that stays the same.Thanks for not bashing me to bad.
 
blk822

blk822

Member
The rock was from the gulf of mexico. Pretty much fresh from the ocean minus the 2 days shipping. The sponges on the raock are still alive as well as some weird clams on it.
 
fibinotchi

fibinotchi

Member
Ya, I am sure we have all been there at some time throughout this hobby where we just couldn't contain ourselves and just had to get something we knew we probably shouldn't at that time. I hope everything goes well for you. Nice setup though it looks good.
 
blk822

blk822

Member
Thanks , this isn't a how to post just a post about my findings. If the tank was larger I couldn't have controlled the water as well. I just think between the live sand , good live rock and the Seachem stability , it was possible. There are many claims about products that cycle your tank but I think the Stability helps alot. Like I said befor I am adding a refuge to help keep it this way.
 
jimmyr1rider

jimmyr1rider

Member
Hey blk was no offense meant toward what I said. Am just surprised you would have taken the chance on it working out. Hope it wasnt taken as me ranting at you. I just hope you have as good of luck with it in the future as you have so far, and that you dont lose any livestock.
 
halamaya

halamaya

Member
I cheated a bit, I had to move my Rhinopias pronto because he was being picked on. Set up a 20 gal tank with 20 lbs live sand 15 lbs live rock and water from my reef tank. Also used this stuff called smart start, set up the tank in the am and added him that night. Never had any ammonia, Smart Start by TLC really seemed to work, that and the reef water. Glad to hear everything is doing well. There are some other natural bacteria products to help your tank along also.
 
halamaya

halamaya

Member
let me know how your cleaner wrasse does. I wa told once all the parasites are gone they don't do well. I would lioke to get one for my 55 gal tank though.
 
blk822

blk822

Member
Well heres a update pic of my tank, now at 5 weeks or is it 6. Anyways thing are going good ,but I did loose the cleaner wrasse. And the coral in the lower right corner is dead, arrived that way from shipping.


 
nissan577

nissan577

Active Member
what lights do you have????
reason your coral died maybe your tank is too new for sps and or the light. sps love the MH and t5HO. i see you have another one. make sure your alk, cal, mag, phosphate, PH and trates are were they need to be for sps.
other then that looking super good
 
jimmyr1rider

jimmyr1rider

Member
Originally Posted by jrandolph1
http:///forum/post/3234330
This is my 4 Day old 30gal. So far I have a clown and a cleaner shrimp and a small cleaner crew
Ok,not to be a d#$% here but who is advising people in this hobby? Is probably not your fault but to have fish, shrimp and a CUC in a 4 day old tank? Have you read ANY literature on how to get started in the hobby? Just wanted to see if I'm the only one that cant believe my eyes when I read some stuff on how people rush their tanks.
 
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