new reef tank

[dad&son]

:help: Hi all we are new to salt water reef tanks we have a 55 gallon reef tank with a skillter 400 filter/skimmer 40 lbs of live crushed coral and 46 pounds of cured very brivant live rock.our tank temp has been a solid 78 degrees for 3 days and our salinity has only fluctuated mildly between 1.020 and 1.022 we introduced four onces of "liquid Bacteria" when we added the live rock the PH is registering just under 8.2 ammonia is about 50 ppm and no nitites registered how long before we can intoduce a so called cleaner crew and then fish

 

[pontius]

I'd say wait about 10 to 14 days before adding some hermit crabs. just make sure the ammonia is down. I wouldn't recommend getting snails that soon because in my experience, they're not as hardy as hermit crabs. and I wouldn't recommend shrimp that soon because they're a lot more expensive.

 

[dad&son]

thanks for the advice. should I see a large spike in ammonia since the rock is well cured. I amkind of hoping to see something then have everything level out but not sure since its new and everything is cured

 

[pontius]

you've already seen some spike, so you may not see much more. unless you add some more rock or sand, you probably won't see another spike after the first week. some do, I didn't with my tank. some people will do a partial water change after the ammonia goes down some. I just let mine cycle completely before doing any water changes.
If I were you, I'd prepare a list of cleanup crew, and then add weekly after two weeks. I would add half of the total hermit crabs the first week. then the other half in another week and maybe a cleaner shrimp or two. I add snails and serpent stars last as I don't find them to be as hardy. after 4 to 6 weeks, you should be ok to add a fish or a pair if your parameters are stable. I would only add fish 3 or 4 weeks apart, unless they're a pair. add peaceful first and more aggresive last. you may even want to wait until you have fish to get a serpent star, because detritus is one of the main courses of their diets. I would also recommend a diverse group of snails. I find the bumblebees to be the hardiest and the mexican turbos to be the least hardiest.

 

[dad&son]

thanks for the input sounds like we are on our way .I greatly appreciate all input since we are truly new to this and on a limited budget. We started this as a way to learn about ecosystems and their fragilness where it takes us we shall see!!

 

[snipe]

I disagree with that! Dont!!! Put anything in the tank till amonia is 0 nitrites are 0 and nitrates are 20ppm or lower. At the end of the cycle do a 10 to 20 % water change depending if the nitrates are to high if there under 20ppm then dont worrie about it. And then wait a few days to make sure your params are remaining were there suppose to.

 

[dad&son]

since the live rock is already curred and everything else is new including bacteria approx what will be the lenth of time for tank to cycle?

 

[dad&son]

tank levels are as follows ammonia 1.0 nitrites are .25 ph is 8.0and nitrate is5.0 are these numbers showing the tank is beginnig to cycle>

 

[mombostic]

Is a salinity of 1.020 or 1.022 a little low? I keep mine hovering right between 1.024 and 1.025. I have a starfish and some shrimp in there with my fish. I thought inverts required a little higher salinity. Tell me if I'm wrong, quick!

 

[snipe]

Looks like it is starting to cycle. As for the SG it would be alright for fish only if you are gonna go reef I woul draise it to 1.026 or around there at least.

 

[dad&son]

:happyfish well now that I have been scared to death after reading everyones insightful replies as well as some other posts dad & son has broken down and coughed up about another 300.00 on various items our new and improved tank will now have 3 aqua pro power heads and 1 powersweep 216 all with the exception of one on a coral life power center along with the lights we also invested in a titanium heater so we will have 2 heaters incase one fails. we will be feeding the live rock I believe with reef life fundemaentals after the tank has stopped cycling. We are going to continue to use the skilter 400 for our filtration and skimmer needs but we will hopefully be adding a hang on protien skimmer as soon as i get a second job to pay for it and all the fish and corals:jumping:

:happyfish

 

[mudplayerx]

Originally posted by Pontius
I find the bumblebees to be the hardiest and the mexican turbos to be the least hardiest.
I was acclimating my mexican turbo snails when I bought them and i opened the bag and wedged it under the glass canopy to anchor it. I went to the car, and when I returned 5 minutes later it happened.
To my horror, the bag had come loose and dumped all the mexican turbo snails into the tank after only 5 minutes of acclimation. All the snails survived.
The mexican turbos in my area are pretty tough.

 

[snipe]

Snails are hardy period. I only temp acclimated mine then dumped them my tank every single one lived.