Starting To Cycle and I have questions

fishorbust

fishorbust

Member
I have a 20 Gallon FOWLR tank, its been cycling for about a week, the ammonia is at stress, and the ph is ok, i have about 10 lbs of live rock in the tank so far and have damsels in it to cycle, I have a Millennium 2000 Wet/Dry Filter on the right side of the tank, i just got my Maxi Jet Powerhead/Pump, and i was wondering where i should place the pump in the tank. Should i buy another pump to go along with the one i have?
Also i wanted to add coral in the near future. What kind of light should i get? I heard Power Compact but i didn't know what kinda i should get. I have a 20 Gallon tank, so a 24" Light would be good for it.
 
chris17

chris17

Member
I will help you out as much as I can, but I am no expert.
ok, first off alot of people on this board dont take kindly to Damsels.........at all. I would go and take the damsels back to the LFS, have fun catching them. Alot of people have to take all of their LR out just to catch them. It is better to just use a raw shrimp to start your cycle.... also what is your Amonia, Nitrite, and Nitrates??? what are the levels in numbers, that will help more. After about 3-4 weeks I would get a few snails and a few hermits, but only if the amonia is not off the charts! When your tank is close to the end of cycling you get an accumulation of diatom, a brownish/goldish stuff that will start to appear on the LR , the glass and your substrate......that is what the snails and hermits will be for, they will eat it all and keep it away. My 30 gal has been running for about 2 months now and all I still have is 2 mexican turbo grazers, and 4 hermit crabs.....just wait a little bit to get some fish, the longer you take to everything the better.............For your lights I have no idea, and the same for your PH placement.......well hope it all works out......remember this is all just my opinion, dont take it word for word.........
 
eg_hatch

eg_hatch

Member
Make sure you plan out the fish you want BEFORE you get the corals..Dont want anything eating them, thats what I learned.
The power compacts are good, just get about 2-3 watts per gallon, which is the recomendation for LPS,mushrooms, and all the lower light inverts..
 
fishorbust

fishorbust

Member
I have noticed my substrate is now getting this light brown stuff on it. I have LR that has algae already on the rocks so i dont know if i would be able to tell if it gets on there, how come people don't like the damsels when cycling?
 
kittykitty

kittykitty

Member
Because first of all, it's kinda mean to put fish in to cycle your tank. The levels of ammonia/nitrates/nitrites will stress them out. Second, damsels are little

[hr]
, and you're more than likely gonna want them OUTTA there when you start seeing all of the pretty peaceful fish that you could put in there, that they would ultimately beat up and kill. Third, GOOD luck catchin' em!
 
greatfullreefer

greatfullreefer

Active Member
Brown is diatoms good sign that your tank is on its way. Peeps including myself dont like damsils cause its cruel to put a fish through a cycle and its very heavy toxic conditions. A raw coctail shrimp would do the same thing then add a fish after the cycle. Imagine sitting in a room being pumped full of barely breathable gas where it burns your lungs to inhale but you have to endure it to survive. Wouldnt wish that on my worst enemy let alone a poor innocent fish.
 
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