Next Step

[grant778]

So I have been cycling my tank for about 2 and a half weeks now and am ready for the next step whatever that is. I'm not sure if i'm supposed to add coral now or fish or both at the same time. Or there might be some other step I'm supposed to do first. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[jay0705]

Ok coral I know know very little about. So I LL look at this threw fish eyes lol. Has your tank cycled? Do u have live rock? I ask BC w just a tank u need something to start the cycle. Some people use a peice of shrimp to start the cycle. Live rock alone will also start the process. If this has happened I'd start w the hardiest fish you'd like to keep. How big is your tank? W my 75 I added 3 fish then waited a month to add more

 

[grant778]

It is 29 gallons and it has had 1 piece of live rock in it for about 2 and a half weeks.

 

[jay0705]

Ok. Have u tested your water? Ammonia,nitrate,nitrite.

 

[grant778]

I have done nitrates. Nitrates are 0. Have not done ammonia yet though. I'll do that now.

 

[jay0705]

Ok. Ammonia would spike first then nitrate then nitrite. Ammonia is the biggy

 

[grant778]

Well ammonia is 0 right now but to be honest, I haven't been testing it up until now so I have no idea if I have had a spike or not.... I imagine the spike has occurred but I really have no idea...

 

[jay0705]

Lol ok. What kind of fish r u looking for?

 

[jay0705]

Lol ok. What kind of fish r u looking for?

 

[grant778]

I'm thinking about two clownfish and a filamented flasher wrasse.

 

[tthemadd1]

Grant. If you haven't put anything in the tank other than live rock and sand you may not have cycled at all. Through a piece of raw shrimp in the tank and leave it for three to four days. Then test water. If you have 0 ammonia and nitrates you should be good.
Afterwards start with the clown and test your water daily for one week, weekly for one month, and the. Stay on that regiment unless something changes in your tank.

 

[grant778]

Ok thanks a ton. I think we just ate the last of our shrimp yesterday lol

 

[grant778]

k put a piece in, guess we got some more shrimp

 

[grant778]

It is 1 day after the shrimp was put in. ammonia 0ppm

 

[tthemadd1]

Give it a few days to begin the decomp process. If you hit a full week and no spike your golden

 

[grant778]

Ok then. I will post the ammonia here each day for the next week

 

[grant778]

3/2/13
2 days after the shrimp was put into the tank. Ammonia: 0.25 ppm

 

[grant778]

Ok so I have a feeling this is gonna spike. How long after the spike do you suggest I let it cycle?

 

[tthemadd1]

So when ammonia drops nitrites will spike, then Nitrates. Once the nitrate reading drops you will be done. At this point you will have created atmosphere rich Nitrogen. Just like the ocean as a whole. This process will continue on as long as there is waste decomposing In Your tank. To help speed this process make sure there is a powerhead blowing water towards to the surface to improve the transfer of gases. You want a lot of surface movement or ripples. A week or two and this should be complete. Then get one or two fish. The bacteria in the tank only grow to balance the amount of waste. So if you add too many fish too fast you overwhelm the bacteria. After a few months your bioload will be well established and diverse.

 

[grant778]

3/3/13
3 days after the shrimp was first put in. Ammonia: 0.25 ppm or 0.50 ppm. Can't really differentiate.