Newbie Novice Help :)

[justaddsalt]

Hello,
Great forum. So glad I found you all!!! We just purchased an Oceanic
Biocube 29 gal today. So far I set up the sand and live rock. I have all the LED's on timers spaced out appropriately as the person told me to do at the store. I have my water test kit and will start testing in about 5 or 6 days. We plan on adding live coral and basically want the tank to be very colorful for little ones. What do I need to know about servicing this tank? Do I have to do a water change etc ever? I have the option to hire a service to maintain it monthly but that just seems silly as
It's only 29 gal LOL. Any info/advice that you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by justaddsalt http:///t/396475/newbie-novice-help#post_3532658
Hello,
Great forum. So glad I found you all!!! We just purchased an Oceanic
Biocube 29 gal today. So far I set up the sand and live rock. I have all the LED's on timers spaced out appropriately as the person told me to do at the store. I have my water test kit and will start testing in about 5 or 6 days. We plan on adding live coral and basically want the tank to be very colorful for little ones. What do I need to know about servicing this tank? Do I have to do a water change etc ever? I have the option to hire a service to maintain it monthly but that just seems silly as
It's only 29 gal LOL. Any info/advice that you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Hi, Welcome to the site!

First rule...do not go asking the LFS for advice on anything. Not fish or equipment, know what you want or need when you go into the store.

Your first purchase should be a good beginner how to keep saltwater tanks book, sites like this one is golden.

Nothing is going to happen until you introduce some kind of ammonia, you can put a chunk of raw shrimp in the tank or pour a little pure ammonia (found in any laundry isle at the grocery store) or use flake food and ghost feed an invisible fish for a few weeks. Please don't use a live fish. The first fish placed in your tank will dictate what can be added latter, lots of fish stores want to sell you damsels, saying they are cheap and hardy. There is a reason damsels are so cheap....They grow up to be really mean, and are known to bite your hand drawing blood, and kill other fish more timid then themselves. Getting them out of the tank is another pain in the butt, and often you have to remove every rock to get to them.

You are wasting your test kit to test for anything other then ammonia at first. I wouldn't test anything else except maybe SG with a hydrometer or even better a refractometer...Just ammonia, let it spike to at least 1.0 and then watch it until it drops back to 0, you can then bother to test nitrites and nitrates, PH, alkalinity, and calcium.

I recommend "The conscientious aquarist" by Robert Fenner, and/or Saltwater aquariums for Dummies. I used both of these books...then I found this site a few years back, this place is awesome.

What good is a hobby if you hire somebody else to do it? It becomes a beautiful money drain and nothing more. I can understand doctors offices or other establishments like that, but in the home, it makes no sense. I myself do hire a lady to help me with water changes, I'm disabled and can no longer do it on my own. I can't imagine my home without a fish tank or two...no matter how old and crippled I get.

 

[justaddsalt]

Hi Flower,

Thank you SO MUCH for all of your advise, it's wonderful!!! All I have in the tank are 2 small clown fish. I ONLY put them in for our daughter to have something to see. I know we should have waited but ugh, we got them anyways. When we set it up last night, we put in the sand, live rock, water from the aquarium store (not a pet store, a specialty shop) I know, still a shop... and 1/2 bottle of Fritz Zyme 9 (Live Nitrifying Bacteria). I was told to put the other 1/2 bottle in on Friday. I am feeding the clowns New Life Spectrum about 5 to 10 pellets a day.

As for testing the water, I don't plan on doing that until maybe Wednesday. For that I have API Saltwater Master Test Kit. I know i'm not going to really see anything worth while when I test but I suppose I should just do it.

As for equipment, I purchased an Oceanic Biocube 5W UV Sterilizer today (on line WAY cheaper). Tomorrow I plan on purchasing a skimmer as well. My Temp read tonight is ranging between 77 and 79.3 degrees.

I am typing all of this but have NO IDEA what I am talking about LOL. I plan on getting the "Dummies" book tomorrow. When I read your reply out loud to my husband he cracked up. He thinks your advise is wonderful but we are still lost LOL. He's a Physician and still can't figure all of this out haha. I am running all the lights (white x 4 and LED's x 5) for 10 hours all together from 5pm till 3am. During the day I have everything off.

I agree that it's a waste to have someone come out and service this 29 gal tank LOL but I figured for the first 1 or 2 months it might be helpful to see how they do it......???

I'm not really sure that I needed to purchase the UV Sterilizer considering my temp is pretty good. If you can suggest that I keep it or send it back, I would be grateful.

Lastly, my plan is to purchase the live coral first and stabilize that before we even think about purchasing fish (other than Fred and Ginger LOL).

So, after reading all of this, how off base am I with this thing already?

Thanks So Much!!!

 

[dmanatee]

Before you spend any more money on live stock, take a few breaths. I know how exciting all of this is, but I think you are going a little too fast.
Yes, your live rock might have been cycled in the tank that it came from but your tank has yet to cycle. Over the next week to months... your tank is going to do all sorts of crazy things. Be ready to do small water changes "once a week" as your tank is small and a tiny spike in ammonia can be disastrous.
Definitely wait for corals for a while, safe bet three months, or till you know you have done enough research and understand how to keep your tank stable.

As a personal note. I like to keep my tanks on a day time scheduled. Light on during the day time (8:30am) and light out at 9:45ish at night. Fish do rest too and then at night you get to see the "hidden" creatures in your live rock.

 

[justaddsalt]

Dmanatee,
Thank you for your advise. I agree, I need to slow it down lol. It's probably in my and my tanks best interest to learn what I'm doing before adding anything more than my 2 small clowns . I thought that having the lights timed to be on at night would be nice so we could enjoy looking at it but, do you think daytime is better overall or is it just a personal preference? Also, I was told to only keep the lights on for 10 hours a day. Would increasing hurt anything? Like I said I only have 2 tiny clowns and the live rock in there now although we counted 3 snails so far as well. Not sure how they got there...
Thanks for any and all advise. I'm getting the Aquarium for Dummies book tomorrow. I have A LOT to learn
-J

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by justaddsalt http:///t/396475/newbie-novice-help#post_3532678
Hi Flower,

Thank you SO MUCH for all of your advise, it's wonderful!!! All I have in the tank are 2 small clown fish. I ONLY put them in for our daughter to have something to see. I know we should have waited but ugh, we got them anyways. When we set it up last night, we put in the sand, live rock, water from the aquarium store (not a pet store, a specialty shop) I know, still a shop... and 1/2 bottle of Fritz Zyme 9 (Live Nitrifying Bacteria). I was told to put the other 1/2 bottle in on Friday. I am feeding the clowns New Life Spectrum about 5 to 10 pellets a day.

As for testing the water, I don't plan on doing that until maybe Wednesday. For that I have API Saltwater Master Test Kit. I know i'm not going to really see anything worth while when I test but I suppose I should just do it.

As for equipment, I purchased an Oceanic Biocube 5W UV Sterilizer today (on line WAY cheaper). Tomorrow I plan on purchasing a skimmer as well. My Temp read tonight is ranging between 77 and 79.3 degrees.

I am typing all of this but have NO IDEA what I am talking about LOL. I plan on getting the "Dummies" book tomorrow. When I read your reply out loud to my husband he cracked up. He thinks your advise is wonderful but we are still lost LOL. He's a Physician and still can't figure all of this out haha. I am running all the lights (white x 4 and LED's x 5) for 10 hours all together from 5pm till 3am. During the day I have everything off.

I agree that it's a waste to have someone come out and service this 29 gal tank LOL but I figured for the first 1 or 2 months it might be helpful to see how they do it......???

I'm not really sure that I needed to purchase the UV Sterilizer considering my temp is pretty good. If you can suggest that I keep it or send it back, I would be grateful.

Lastly, my plan is to purchase the live coral first and stabilize that before we even think about purchasing fish (other than Fred and Ginger LOL).

So, after reading all of this, how off base am I with this thing already?

Thanks So Much!!!

Hi,

I hope you filled the tank with premixed RO (reverse Osmosis) water. tap water will cause all kinds of headaches. Always let the salt mix churn (use a utility power head) in a tub 24 hours before you use it.

API kits are no longer trustworthy. They USED TO BE good kits. The nitrate test is the worst. I ordered seachem on-line myself. Salifert and Instant Ocean are also pretty good. Multi or master kits are cheaper then purchasing each test individually. Anyway, since you added fish immediately and didn't let the tank cycle, you need to test ammonia daily, and at first hint of ammonia, do a water change. For that daily testing of just ammonia, you can use strips (it's the only time to use strips)

UV sterilizer is a waste of your money and it kills the little tiny good guys that come out at night.

 

[geridoc]

There are definitely disadvantages to leaving you lights on too long. You tank is new, and unstable, meaning over the next several months lots of unusual things will appear, then disappear as conditions continuously change. Too much light now will favor the growth of very annoying algae. I would go with much less than the 10 hours you plan, and gradually increase the lighting over the first year of operation until you know your particular tank, and how much lighting will be a problem. Remember, the fish don't care about the light, it is only for your enjoyment, so put on the lights when you are generally home. Since your tank is not properly cycled, watch for the appearance of ammonia in the water. If (when) it comes, either start do water changes, or (preferably, IMO), add Amquel+ as directed on the bottle to detoxify the ammonia. Amquel will still allow the bacteria to develop, leading to a complete cycle. Do be sure, if you use Amquel, that you have good circulation, since it can reduce the oxygen in the water.

 

[justaddsalt]

Flower,
I will look into those kits and order one. Thanks for the advice.
Geridoc,
Can you please tell me the name of the ammonia test strips to purchase so I can pick them up tomorrow?
Thanks,
J-

 

[geridoc]

i don't have a preference for ammonia test kits, but am not a fan of test strips. Also, several people on this site have reported dissatisfaction with API kits.

 

[justaddsalt]

Hi Jeridoc,

I will plan to check the ammonia level daily starting tomorrow. Will any siphon do? I don't want to get on that vacuums gravel or sand... I put a 1/2 bottle of Fitz Zyme 9 in on Saturday and I am supposed to put the remaining in this Friday...

I have premixed RO water in the tank. I suppose if the ammonia level goes up, i'll do a water change. I read that if I add Amquel+ rather than a water change, It may interfere with getting an accurate ammonia reading???

I wish I actually new what I was talking about LOL.

Do you have a suggestion of a good test kit for a salt/reef tank that is all in 1?

Thank you again for your help!!!

 

[geridoc]

Quote:
Originally Posted by justaddsalt http:///t/396475/newbie-novice-help#post_3532726
Hi Jeridoc,

I will plan to check the ammonia level daily starting tomorrow. Will any siphon do? I don't want to get on that vacuums gravel or sand... I put a 1/2 bottle of Fitz Zyme 9 in on Saturday and I am supposed to put the remaining in this Friday...

I have premixed RO water in the tank. I suppose if the ammonia level goes up, i'll do a water change. I read that if I add Amquel+ rather than a water change, It may interfere with getting an accurate ammonia reading???

I wish I actually new what I was talking about LOL.

Do you have a suggestion of a good test kit for a salt/reef tank that is all in 1?

Thank you again for your help!!!
Amquel+ will not work well with ammonia tests that use Nessler's reagent. However, salicylate work just fine in the presence of Amquel+. I always have a bottle of Amquel+ handy for my qt since sometimes, even cycled, the addition of a newcomer can overwhelm the bacterial colony and I need to provide a little help. As for using FitzZyme9, I have to admit that I am old school, and have never added a commercial bacterial culture to cycle any tank I have had. In the early days I used to get a handful of gravel from an established tank at the lfs, but now I just add ammonia in some form and let the bacteria on the live rock grow up to accommodate the load.

 

[geridoc]

Forgot to mention in my previous post: As to which tests for ammonia will work in the presence of Amquel+, just loook at the color chart that comes with the kit. If the color reaction is in the yellow-orange-brown range, then the kit is based on Nessler's reagent, which not only won't work in the presence of Amquel+, but probably contains mercury and may be hazardous. If the color range is in the yellow-green you are dealing with a salicylate-based test, which will detect ammonia fine in the presence of Amquel. Don't expect the ammonia to disappear when you add Amquel+ - it will still react in the kit until the bacteria process it, so the normal cycle proceeds...well, normally.

 

[jay0705]

Amquel+ is excellent stuff. I use it in my qthospital tank and it works well