New setup Need Advice!

charliewww

charliewww

Member
I have setup a new 12 gallon eclipse on Friday 11/11/05. I stocked it with 12lbs of live sand out of the LFS and approx 10lbs of live rock. Im using the standard filtration system and standard lighting. I was told by my LFS that the tank would probably not cycle and could add a creature or fish in 2 days. Its been 4days and I have been testing the water. Nothing has changed all tests are as the test kits says they should be. So I think Im ready to add. I have read in this forum to add a cleanup crew. I want to have a reef safe tank so with that in mind could someone give me a list of what and how much I should add. 1 crab a week, ect?
 
J

jcrim

Guest
You will have a cycle as soon as you add a fish. To suggest you're ready to stock your tank is bad advice and you're going to lose the inhabitants and money. Why would your lfs suggest you won't have a cycle, especially with a small tank??? Live sand will not avoid a cycle.
 
charliewww

charliewww

Member
Thanks JCRIM, I dont want to loose any critter thats why I havent added any and am asking different opinions. You just confirmed what a different LFS said. They told me they would not sell me any fish and want me to get some ammonia to put in the tank. He said after that watch and wait. This will tell if the tank has cycled. So it sounds like this place is being honest and not trying to make a sale. The problem is its 40 miles from my house. I better get on the road.
 
J

jcrim

Guest
You can cycle with either a raw shrimp or 1-2 damsels. With a smaller tank, the cycle should start and finish relatively quickly.
 
alohami

alohami

Member
Save the fish for AFTER the cycle. Just use a raw shrimp. It will achieve the same result without stressing and/or killing a live fish.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Using the shrimp method will kill the critters in your live sand.
My suggestion would be to feed the tank a small amount of fish food, similar to what you'd feed a single small fish. This will feed the bacteria and sand bed critters while your tank stabilizes. Make sure you have plenty of waterflow in the tank.
Keep an eye on ammonia. If it starts to climb then you're feeding too much.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by AlohaMI
Oops! I didn't know that.
Listen to Bang...he knows more than most of us!
Just an opinion, there are many ways to start a tank. I only butted in because I noticed the purchase of live sand from the LFS. The shrimp method will quickly spike Ammonia and this will make the $$ live sand less valuable.
 
charliewww

charliewww

Member
Im so confused! :notsure: I just got back for a LFS who set me up on a small bag of water that we put ammonia in. He said to pour it in my tank. I asked him twice, Will this kill my LR. He said NO it will be good for it. Do I dump it in or NOT? I have little critters that came with the rock that are pretty cool to watch, I dont want to kill them. I was assured it would not. FYI the bag of water and ammonia was free.
 
J

jcrim

Guest
Do not add ammonia to the tank!! If you really want to speed up the cycle you can add some bio-spira to the tank. But I have never heard of anyone cycling with straight ammonia.
I'd find a new fish store... or order online. :scared: :scared:
 
charliewww

charliewww

Member
I did add the bio-spira and I told him that I did. I have 2 stores telling me that the tank should be cycled and this guy telling me it hasnt cycled. Adding the ammonia he said would be like adding 500 damsels. Whats confusing is he didnt try to sell me anything and refused to. He seemed like he knew alot and had an amazing shop. Has anyone heard of adding ammonia?
 
roguetang

roguetang

Member
have to go with bang on this 1 amon. will kill all the good thing thats live in the sand. Bio-Spara is good i used it but its still takes like 4 weeks for your tank to cycle. Bangs advise is very good its the way i started mine. It worked very well for me then 5 months in i had a heater break in side the tank and kill almost everything. So i had to start over. This time i waited almost 2 months before i put anything in. Not because of the cycle but because i was broke. Its been up for three months now with no problems at all. 1 fish,1snail,1blue leg,2 mushrooms things are awsome.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top