Should I be worried?

[sooz]

I have been reading a lot here since I discovered this wonderful forum just a few days ago - and although I am still really excited about my salt tank I am also a little scared. As a newbie, I didn't know all about the nitrogen cycle and such and I have been reading up on it, and now I am wondering if i should be worried about my tank.
The tank (55g Hex) came to me from a guy who was "tired of messing with it," through a guy who sets ups and services tanks for a living, so I do not know how well established it was or how long he had it before it came to me. When it was brought to my house, the fish guy had removed about 2/3 of the water and placed the live rock in buckets with water. The fish and inverts were in the tank with the substrate and remaining water. He set up the stand and tank, then replaced the live rock and filled the remaining water (he makes his own RO water), set up the filter and put in a powerhead. He told me to take it easy on food and lights for the first month, which I have done.
It has now been 2 1/2 weeks, and everything seems OK, but I am worried -- should I be expecting a big algae bloom? Should I expect to lose some creatures? I am already very attached to each of them.
When a tank is brand new, I know (now) that it has to do a full cycle before you add fish, but what aout a transplanted tank like mine? Will it go through the full cycle just like a new tank? Or does the substrate/water/LR that came with it help avoid some of that?
I am going to the LPS today to buy some testing supplies (those didn't come with the tank!) - can I tell where my tank is in the cycle by checking the ammonia/nitrate/nitrite levels?
Thanks for your extreme patience with a newbie who is working hard to become a knowledgable hobbyist!

 

[jba6511]

yes you can tell where the tank is by testing. The results in a cycled tank will read as follows :ammonia should be 0, nitrites 0 and most likely the nitrates will vary from 0 on up if cycled (mine are at 0). Post your results and we can help you out. I would not think you would experience another cycle since the tank is already established. I have never moved a tank like that though so someone with more experience can provide you with a better answer, but you should be alright.

 

[sooz]

I will test tonight and post results tonight or tomorrow.
If my ammonia or nitrites are elevated, will i be able to do something to help it? Partial water change maybe? *bites nails*

 

[1journeyman]

Yup. Water changes. Get salt and RO/DI water and mix some up. Saltwater should be mixed ahead of time before a water change (24 hours or so. put it in a bucket and put a powerhead in to keep it stirred).

 

[sooz]

My fish guy provided me with 10 gallons of water - he makes his own RO water in his garage. Can I use that water to start with?

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by sooz
My fish guy provided me with 10 gallons of water - he makes his own RO water in his garage. Can I use that water to start with?
Of course, is it deionzied as well? That will be really polished water, ask him.

 

[sooz]

probably. he says he has turned his whole garage into saltwater central - I will call him and ask him if it is deionized.
I know i should probably call him and ask him stuff more often, but then he will lecture me and y'all (on the boards) are so much more patient
Besides, I don't want to develop too much dependance on him, because once I get the hang of the salt tank, i want to caring for it myself instead of paying someone to do it, you know? Although I could still buy his water.

 

[sooz]

OK - I just tested my water and here are the results. I used master kit (with reagents) for all but alkalinity - used a dip test for that one as that was all LFS had.
pH = 7.8 - low
alkalinity = 300 ppm (16.8 dkH) - High
ammonia = .5 - High
nitrite = 0 (whew)
nitate = 30? 40? It's TOO HIGH, but i am not sure on color chart how high
Temp = 80 F
SG = 1.025
Calcium = 400 ppm
I have some dkH buffer - should I put some in?
I will also do a 10% water change right away - should I vacuum the gravel or just put a tube on my powerhead?
I am going to cut back on feeding!
What else can I do to fix things?

 

[mcbdz]

Hey. I'll try to help a little until someone with more experince chimes in.
First. Mix your fresh batch of saltwater and try to match it to your SG and temp. Do not use it until it has been mixing in a buck with a power head and heater for at least 24hrs. I would not add chemicals. Check your levels on new batch of water before adding to make sure they are good, then the day after you do water change check tank levels.
How often are you feeding?
What livestock do you have?
What filtration are you using?
What do you have on the bottom? Hopefully sand and not gravel or crushed coral. If sand leave it alone, if not post what it is.
Do you have a clean up crew? If so what? If not that maybe the next thing you need to get.
Hope some helps.

 

[sooz]

How often are you feeding? every morning, about 30 min. after the lights come on - i am rotating among the following: Mysis Shrimp, Marine Cuisine, Emrald Entree, Formula 2, algae sheets, algae pellets, Shrimp Pellets. Each day I feed 1 cube of frozen something (thawed in tank water) and either a couple algae wafers, a couple shrimp pellets or a thin strip of algae on a vaggie clip. I am also target feeding my CC Starfish squid about every 4 days.
What livestock do you have?
2 Pajama Cardinals, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 reef lobster, 1 chocolate chip starfish (they came with the tank)
What filtration are you using?
It was set up for me, so I am not sure - there is a canister about 12" tall and 6" diameter in the tank stand. Two green tubes run up to the tank (1 intake, 1 outgo, I assume). I also have 1 power head. I was offered a protein skimmer at setup but it was HUGE and UGLY - it hung on the tank but it extended about 8 inches above it and was obtrusive - plus the guy who offered it to me said it had to be constantly adjusted. So I declined.
What do you have on the bottom?
Dunno - see my avatar!
Do you have a clean up crew?
Yes - 5 turbo snails, 4 red/blue leged hermit crabs, and 1 conch

 

[sooz]

closer up of my substrate:

 

[symon]

Originally Posted by sooz
How often are you feeding?
every morning, about 30 min. after the lights come on - i am rotating among the following: Mysis Shrimp, Marine Cuisine, Emrald Entree, Formula 2, algae sheets, algae pellets, Shrimp Pellets. Each day I feed 1 cube of frozen something (thawed in tank water) and either a couple algae wafers, a couple shrimp pellets or a thin strip of algae on a vaggie clip. I am also target feeding my CC Starfish squid about every 4 days.
What livestock do you have?
2 Pajama Cardinals, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 reef lobster, 1 chocolate chip starfish (they came with the tank)
What filtration are you using?
It was set up for me, so I am not sure - there is a canister about 12" tall and 6" diameter in the tank stand. Two green tubes run up to the tank (1 intake, 1 outgo, I assume). I also have 1 power head. I was offered a protein skimmer at setup but it was HUGE and UGLY - it hung on the tank but it extended about 8 inches above it and was obtrusive - plus the guy who offered it to me said it had to be constantly adjusted. So I declined.
What do you have on the bottom?
Dunno - see my avatar!
Do you have a clean up crew?
Yes - 5 turbo snails, 4 red/blue leged hermit crabs, and 1 conch
IN your avatar you have crushed coral, It needs to be vaccumed! It can and will trap nitrates and cause alge blooms, also as food decays it will cause high ammonia! IMO for a fish guy he should know better then to use Crushed coral for substrate! But some people really like the look!

 

[myreef05]

The tang is not suited for such a small tank (it's tall, not long) and the star will kill any snail or crab you put in there. The lobster will outgrow the tank as well.
Start mixing new salt water and in 24 hrs. of mixing and heating it, do a water change. You want to mix the sw so it is stablized before using. Good luck.

 

[sooz]

Originally Posted by Symon
IN your avatar you have crushed coral, It needs to be vaccumed! It can and will trap nitrates and cause alge blooms, also as food decays it will cause high ammonia! IMO for a fish guy he should know better then to use Crushed coral for substrate! But some people really like the look!
Thanks - I have a nice gravel vacuum. The fish guy has maintained my Mom's reef tank for several years - it's a beautiful tank and very healthy. I plan to call him today to ask him if he wants to come and service it this weekend or if I should go ahead with the 10% change myself.

 

[sooz]

Originally Posted by myreef05
The tang is not suited for such a small tank (it's tall, not long) and the star will kill any snail or crab you put in there. The lobster will outgrow the tank as well.
The Tang's prior home was a 25 gallon reef tank stuffed full of coral. So she is better off in my tank than where she was before and I am open to the idea of giving her to someone with a larger tank at some point. But not today.
As for the Star, he came from the same prior tank as the Tang, where he peacefully coexisted with snails, shrimp, and hermits for 2 years. So I am not worried about him at this time.
The lobster came with the tank and I have no great affection for him, if he gets too big, I will take him out.
Thanks for the advice, but IMO every creature is different - just because some German Shepherds are aggressive doesn't mean they all are.

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by myreef05
and the star will kill any snail or crab you put in there.
Thats not for certain...I had a CCS in a tank with a huge cleanup crew...Never once did it bother anything (except knocking things over)

 

[sooz]

If I add some some dkH buffer will it help the pH AND the alkalinity??

 

[bizkitpug]

I agree, I had a cc that never bothered anything. He always sucked on empty shells but never went after anything live.