My new tank

[coral]

Hi everyone. It is really wierd that I just found this site because two days ago I set up my first tank. It's a saltwater tank with 55 gallons of water in it. I also bought some rocks with feathers and other stuff on it. The guy told me to start slowly so I only added a few mushroom corals that he told me would be the easiest to start off with. I also bought some lights that are very costly. Is all of that really needed to do a slatwater tank or is he ripping me off.
Thanks,
Travis

 

[slick]

Did you cycle your tank? Have you read any books or anything? Is this your first sw tank?

 

[coral]

Cycle my tank? What does that mean?
Yes, this is my first saltwater tank. I had several freshwater tanks but they got boring. I have not read any books. Are them some that are worth reading for a beginner?
Thanks,
Travis

 

[sebae0]

cycling is the process in which your tank starts breaking down the waste thru the nitrogen cycle. something needs to create waste in the tank for bacteria to grow and break it down thru three level, ammonia,nitrite and nitrate. usually takes anywhere from 4 to 8 and maybe 10 weeks to accomplish this. if you didnt do that your mushrooms are gonna die. take them back let the tank cycle(get a ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test kit) when ammonia and nitrite are zero for a couple of days, this is after about 6 weeks then you maybe can add something, until then i wouldnt listen to your lfs anymore. get a book and read or ask questions on here first. good luck

 

[banshee]

My advice is read, read, read....and then read some more. This BB is a good place to get info. I think I lurked around here for about a year reading all the posts before I ever posted anything. There is a beginning section that you should check out, first. The lfs guy was right when he said to start slowly. I think that is the best advice. Good luck with your new tank and welcome to the board.

 

[mrmaroon]

GO get a BOOK on the hobby!

 

[coral]

Are you guys kidding? 8-10 weeks for this to happen? Wow! I had no idea. My tank has only been set up for two and a half days. My mushrooms are doing fine so far. Maybe they will be ok. I'm not sure if I can take them back. Do I have to wrap them up or just put them in a bucket?
I went at lunch today as was looking at some fish. My buddy told me that tangs need alot of swimming room. I have a big 55 gallon tank so I should be ok right? Can I get a group of these fish? They are very colorful.
Thanks again for the replies. Can you recommend a good book or two for me to read?
Travis

 

[sebae0]

yes he was right in telling him to go slow but he shouldnt have sold him mushrooms b4 the tank was even cycling. or should have atleast explained the cycling process to him.

 

[coral]

What do I do to start the cycle process? I don't understand what I am supposed to be doing. I have the tank full of water. The temp is 78 and the scale reads 1.026. What else do I have to do? The water is clean and clear. It looks really nice. Am I forgetting to start a cycle of something?
Travis

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by Coral
What do I do to start the cycle process? I don't understand what I am supposed to be doing. I have the tank full of water. The temp is 78 and the scale reads 1.026. What else do I have to do? The water is clean and clear. It looks really nice. Am I forgetting to start a cycle of something?
Travis
First - welcome to the board
Second - do not buy anything else - do not get any fish until you read at least on book on SWF.
Third - I'd highly recommend: The Conscientious Marine Aquarium or Aquarist (can't remember for sure without the book right in front of me).
Fourth - did you fill your tank up with water yourself or did the LFS Send you home with water?
Fifth - have patience - everyone here is very willing to help - but you have to get used to the personalities - some posters can be rather terse in their responses
sixth - Someone has a signature line that reads - there are two ways to do things in this hobby - the slow expensive way or the fast even more expensive way ..... or something like that ....
Seventh - have patience
eighth - see step seven and repeat as necessary!

 

[mrmaroon]

THe cycle we are refering to is the process by which your tank and filtration gets ready to handle a normal biological load. In this cycle you will see high amonnia, Nitrite, and nitrate. When these levels return to 0 (or very close) then your tank has "cycled". What kind of filtration do you have and do you have any fish yet?
Depending on how much you paid for them, I would take the mushrooms back and put in a single damsel(some reccomend a piece of shrimp for this). THis single addition will start the cycle.
Bacteria that process the waste in your tank will begin to develop and yes, it will probably take 2 weeks.
And no, I would not put a tang in a tank that small. I have the same size tank and would really like a tang as well. They require a lot of swimming room. Most people prefer to keep them in 75 or 90g at a minimum.
I would reccomend reading as much as you can and getting any general book.
It is good that you are here asking questions and good luck!

 

[radioactive]

use shrimp uncooked from the grocery store . try not to cycle your tank with fish . put 2 pieces of shrimp in the tank for 4 days and get a good test kit . check for ammonia - nitrite - nitrate . when all 3 spike and fall to 0 the tank has cycled . but like mentioned above ... patience is the key ..... good luck

 

[bacardibombillo]

hERE IT GOES FIRST FEW DAYS FINE... THEN SUDDENLY YOUR TANK WATER PARAMETERS CHANGE..... DONT WAIT TILL YOUR WATER STARTS CYCLING TAKE THE CORALS OUT! IS NOT LIKE FRESH WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELLO LISTEN ROOKIE!!!!!!!!!!! YOU MUST PUT SOME TYPE OF BIO FILTER, LET THE WATER RUN FOR AT LEAST A MONTH.... IS LIKE THIS AMMONIA, THEN NITRITE THEN NITRATE.... GOT THAT. THATS THE CYCLE MAYBE ADD A DEAMSELS TO PROCESS YOUR WATER A LITTLE QUICKER WITH BACTERIA (NEEEEED BACTERIA TO BREAK DOWN WASTE) CALLED AMMONIA; THEN IT WILL TURN TO NITRITE AND THEN NITRATE. THEN IS SAFE ROOKIE... DONT LERN THE EXPENSIVE WAY LIKE I DID... PACIENCE IS THE KEY TO SUCCES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bacardibombillo]

U NEED A PROTEIN SKIMMER, AND A BIOFILTER, AND A LIGHT TIMMER TO TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON AT LEAST 8 TO 10hrs. A DAY. YOU ALSO NEED LIQUID CALCIUM, ALK OR WATER HARDNER IS CALLED, SOME IODINE, AND STONTIUM. TO BE SUCCESFULL TAKE ADVISE TAKE THE CORALS OUT, I KNOW WATER MAYBE FINE RIGHT NOW BUT, BUT SUDDENLY IT WILL BOOST AMMONIA, THEN NITRITE, AND THEN NITRATE... TRY DEAMSELS THEY ARE CHEAP AND HARTY AND COLORFUL, EN IF THEY DIE LEAVE THEM ROTT IN THE TANK CAUSE THATS HOW U START CYCLING THE TANK............ I LOST A LOT OF MONEY FOR NOT BEING PATIENT

 

[jillian ayers]

bacardibombillo,
Calm down! You are being mean to coral in both of his posts! SO he didn't read, at least he bothered to come here and try to learn, alot of people don't even do that. coral, what kind of water do you have in your tank? Did you get it from the lfs or is it tap water? And welcome to the board.

 

[tigerlover]

bacardbombillo, TAKE IT EASY!
If they didn't cost you much, coral, leave them in there, if not GET EM OUT! i used the damsel approach but that isn't the best i've learned. get a few grocery store shrimp, put them in there 4 days then take em out. then you get a deluxe sw test kit test after 4 more days, test every few days when its 0 for a while then you can get a nice clean up crew then a few hardy fish NOT DAMSELS!
well, good luck

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by overanalyzer
Fourth - did you fill your tank up with water yourself or did the LFS Send you home with water?

Hate to quote myself - but if the LFS sent him home with water and such he might not see a huge cycle. My total cycle lasted 8 days in my 5 gallon nano .... so coral - please let us know if you mixed the water yourself and used all new substrate and materials - if not your cycle time may very.
bacardibombillo - chill out and try to be less abrasive in your posts. Also the whole ALL CAPS thing went out with the member's only jackets .....

 

[bterry29]

Another question for you. How much lr do you have in your tank? LR will help your tank cycle. The more you can put in your tank the better you will be. I started my tank in November and have spent many hours on this board. The folks on here will be very helpful to you. Read books and ask alot of questions. There is alot more to learn about sw than you had with fw. Good Luck!!!

 

[fishkiller]

yeah dude, I just started this SW thing about 8-10 months ago. Look at my name. I did the wrong thing a lot before I did the right thing once. I'd say GET A DAMSEL, maybe 2, take your shrooms back, they WILL die. Keep the LR if you have it, and take back everything else alive in your tank. Also (some may disagree, so don't QUOTE me) But I would lower the salinity (amount of salt in your water) to about 1.020 so your fish won't be so likely to get ich. -Somebody please correct me if I am wrong. Your water will get nasty for a while, but get over it and wait.

 

[doodle1800]

What a nice LFS. (pet shop)...
Go buy "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist".
Call LFS and ask them if they read it.