Started my 30 gal :-)

milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
woo hoo I am so excited
Finally after many threads on this board and asking a ton of questions and reading a ton of stuff. I finally did it.
Here is what I have:
30 gal tank
15 # LR (suppose to be uncured, but the LFS said it was uncured but in the same breathe said it was from and established tank
) I am thinking NOT an Einstein :hilarious
15# Limestone for Base Rock
CaribSea Aragonite Substrate (purchased 30# bag still have about 1/4 bag left)
Peguin Bio Filter 350- 350gph
Powersweep self rotating powerhead wavemaker 228 - 270gph
Water parameters:
Nitrate 10
PH 8.0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia .50
Salinity 1.024 (checked with Coralife Deep Six hydrometer)
Alkalinity 180
Is there anything else I should check for? Is it safe to say that my cycle has started since the Ammonia reads .50? When I check everything I have jewlery on. Is this ok or should I take it all off? I have put a picture here (hopefully it works) so you can give me any input.
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
Gold jewelry is ok, like a wedding ring. Other stuff I'd take off, if for no other reason than the SW will dirty it up.
 
oozy

oozy

Member
HI! congrats! on the tank, looks good!
your tank will need to cycle until amonia=0 after that your nitritates will spike, then =0 then your nitrites will spike then =0
this will take aprox. 2-3 weeks
then your tank will need a partial 10% water change
and waa-laa your tank is cycled!
you can add 1 fish per week max, remember to test often and your tank wont be completely stable for a month or 2
my tanks amonia spiked to 8.0 off the chart!!! before is came down
so i would say YES your cycle has started,
goodluck!

-oozy-
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
You ammonia should go even higher, like the color on your test will be off the chart, but yes, it has begun.
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
How can I add a fish a week if I am suppose to Quarantine for a least 4 weeks? Of is this information not correct? When the cycle is complete do I add the cleaning crew next? I do have 1 clomis (sp) damselfish that is in my 2.5 gal QT as it help that one cycle. Can I add him once the cylce is complete with the cleaning crew (if I do add a Clean Crew at that time)
What should be in my Cleaning crew when it is time for the 30 gal.
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
If you quarantine, you obviously can't add them that fast. One a month (after beeing quarantined for a month) is good. WHen the QT gets empty, start a new fish and repeat. =) Remember in a 30 gallon you want 3 or 4 small fish tops. You can go ahead and add your Chromis once your cycle is complete. As far as cleaners, I'd go with 2 Trochus or Astraea snails, 5 Nassarius snails, 5 hermits of your choice (scarlet, blue, red, zebra) and 1 Cleaner or Fire shrimp (mostly for the cool factor).
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Yeah I wanted a shrimp. They are neat. Do I need to QT these items? Should I get them now or wait until the cycle is complete? Can I mix the scarlet and blue hermits? This is going to be a reef tank eventually I don't know if I mentioned that. So does that matter? My husband would like some sort of small starfish is this ok when the time is right?
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
Some people QT everything. I tend to just drip acclimate inverts and add them into the display. Wait till the cycle is complete, or at least until you see zero ammonia and nitrites, some nitrates is ok. You can tell when you are close when you start seeing brown algae which is diatoms on everything. That's when you add your snails and hermits. Some ppl say the different hermits fight, but I have had as many as six species at once with little or no problems. These critters are all perfect for a reef tank. As far as starfish... about all you can do in a small, new tank is a serpent star like this one:
http://www.zooxanthellae.com
Ophioderma sp.
Later on you can try a Linckia like this one:

Linckia multiflora
I had one in my 30 for a few months before moving to the 70.
 
oozy

oozy

Member
yes when your cycle is complete you can add your clean up crew,
i was saying the MAX your tank will be able to handle is 1 fish /week.
its better to wait longer though,
you will not need to quarantine your first fish, as the reason to quarantine is to prevent new fish from infecting your established fish.
but sense your tank is cycling wait till its finished before you add it.
its great that your quarantining your fish! as this will save you problems and $ down the road!
i agree with wax32, in the amount and choices of cleaning crew, and fish.
sorry for any confusion!
-oozy-
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
Main thing is: don't let the pet store talk you into a huge pile of snails that will starve because you don't have enough algae for them.
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
How long after the cycle is it ok to add a starfish? I know that for anneomes and corals it is best to wait at least 6 months. So how long for a starfish?
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
another question. The nano pack on this site says
Scarlet Hermit Crab: 5
Blueleg Hermit Crab: 5
Turbo/Astrea Snail: 10
Nasssarius Snail: 5
Queen Conch - Aquacultured: 2
Is this ok for my size tank with a fire shrimp or cleaner as well or is this to much?
 
wax32

wax32

Active Member
It's too much IMO, but you could always bring some to a LFS for some store credit.

The serpent star you could add when you add your cleanup crew. Make sure you research about acclimating them... you don't ever want to take them fully out of the water.
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
OK thank you so much!! I will go with what you suggested. I would think it is better to have less than to much :)
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Also a question about hermit. Sorry for all the questions
Can I get 3 dwarf red tip hermits and 3 dwarf blue hermit? Will those do the same as the ones you mentioned above?
 
milomlo

milomlo

Active Member
Maybe 2 dwarf Zebra, 2 dwarf red tips, 2 dwarf blue hermits, serpent starfish, 1 or 2 fire shrimp,
5 nassarius snails, 2 trochus snails????
 
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