new to the hobby

kdub2332 · 05/09/2009, 08:56 PM

hi i am new to the the hobby and i started out with a 55 gal saltwater tank, i purchased 38 pounds of cured live rock and 20 pounds of live sand with 40 pounds of regular gravel i added 3 damsels in the tank i was just wondering how long should i let the tank cycle before i start ot add other fish in it

Sisterlimonpot · 05/09/2009, 08:59 PM

Welcome to RC.... I'd say give it a good 4-6 weeks. test your water and watch for the ammonia spike and when that goes back down to 0 then your nitrites are going to rise and then fall and once that happens you can add more fish.

Now bring on the flamers for the using fish for cycling......

imcosmokramer · 05/09/2009, 09:41 PM

To Reef Central

finding RC early on is a good start. You don't actually need the damsels to have/complete your cycle. I would recommend that if you don't plan on keeping them, you take them out of the tank and back to the store for credit (for later fish). If, on the other hand, you do like them (damsels do get aggressive and territorials, depending on which you got), hopefully they will survive the ammonia spike.

Don't feel bad, we all made mistakes. If anything, it's the salesperson's fault for actually selling you the fish this early on. As sister said, you might get bashed on here for doing that, however, Let he who has made no mistakes, cast the first stone.

Keep a diary on here, take pictures. It's great to go back and look at the progression of your tank.

IMM3DOORSDOWN · 05/09/2009, 10:19 PM

second that about the demsel but then again i did the same thing !!! i knew the fish were just temps though.i had spent alot of money for tank,stand,lights and live rock i needed a fish to look at.

try getting some green chromis.there about the same price as the demsels,but there not so agressive.also pretty hardy

IMM3DOORSDOWN · 05/09/2009, 10:21 PM

oh yea welcome to rc.this is going to be your lifeline when ever you have questions or problems.i wish i knew about this site when i first started.

kdub2332 · 05/10/2009, 01:15 AM

thats what i was thinking to i was going to let the tank go through the ammonia and nitrite spikes but some people that i have been talking to said if the rock is cured well enough and you have good water filtration i really wouldnt see high levels of ammonia and nitrite... is that right?

Michael · 05/10/2009, 01:26 AM

your cycle may be brief as you added live sand and cured rock, it was a mistake to add damsels.

you dont need fish at this early stage, however its done now, what have you got in the way of flow and a skimmer?

dont be in a rush to stock the tank kdub, just add slowly and research the fish you want first.

To Reef Central

imcosmokramer · 05/10/2009, 08:32 AM

kdub, I agree with Michael. Take your time in selecting tank inhabitants. It's much easier to add a fish later, than it is to try to catch one to get out. I still have my first fish from my first tank. it's a domino damsel and he's grown into a beast. I would not want him in my display tank, but he's in my anemone tank with 4 clowns and a scopas tang and doing just fine. Well, except for the times that he tries to host in any of the anemones that are there, and the clowns try to beat it up.

My point is that I would hate to try to catch that sucker in my reef tank.

What's done is done, it is what it is, let's move forward.

Are you setting up a sump? refugium? planning on running gfo/carbon? do you use ro/di water?

good luck, and keep asking q's

kdub2332 · 05/10/2009, 09:35 AM

when i did my first fill up it was water from my friends 180 gal tank he uses RO water and is readings are zero... i have listened to him on a lot of things but he can sometimes over do it sometimes. i have a very small skimmer that came with my sump. im using bio balls as well i have a overflow box

PRDubois · 05/10/2009, 10:27 AM

Since you used 100% old water you may not see a large cycle depending on if the rock you bought was truly cycled and had no die off.

I would let it sit for 3 to 4 weeks to settle down. Keep testing and do 10% water change a week.

Make sure you replace evaporated water with Fresh RODI
Add aome snails and hermits when you start seeing algae.

Replace the Boi balls with live or base rock rubble

kdub2332 · 05/10/2009, 01:44 PM

i did a test today and my ammonia came up as zero and it showed very low level of nitrite like around .1 %

05/09/2009, 08:56 PM	#1
kdub2332 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 22	new to the hobby hi i am new to the the hobby and i started out with a 55 gal saltwater tank, i purchased 38 pounds of cured live rock and 20 pounds of live sand with 40 pounds of regular gravel i added 3 damsels in the tank i was just wondering how long should i let the tank cycle before i start ot add other fish in it

05/09/2009, 08:59 PM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Welcome to RC.... I'd say give it a good 4-6 weeks. test your water and watch for the ammonia spike and when that goes back down to 0 then your nitrites are going to rise and then fall and once that happens you can add more fish. Now bring on the flamers for the using fish for cycling...... __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

05/09/2009, 09:41 PM	#3
imcosmokramer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 1,709	*To Reef Central* finding RC early on is a good start. You don't actually need the damsels to have/complete your cycle. I would recommend that if you don't plan on keeping them, you take them out of the tank and back to the store for credit (for later fish). If, on the other hand, you do like them (damsels do get aggressive and territorials, depending on which you got), hopefully they will survive the ammonia spike. Don't feel bad, we all made mistakes. If anything, it's the salesperson's fault for actually selling you the fish this early on. As sister said, you might get bashed on here for doing that, however, Let he who has made no mistakes, cast the first stone. Keep a diary on here, take pictures. It's great to go back and look at the progression of your tank. __________________ You can agree with me, or you can be wrong. You pick.

05/09/2009, 10:19 PM	#4
IMM3DOORSDOWN Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: ct Posts: 1,092	second that about the demsel but then again i did the same thing !!! i knew the fish were just temps though.i had spent alot of money for tank,stand,lights and live rock i needed a fish to look at. try getting some green chromis.there about the same price as the demsels,but there not so agressive.also pretty hardy __________________ rules? rules were ment to be broken Current Tank Info: PAST EXPERIANCE::180 gal fish only,120 gal reef,65 gal MAN TANK lionfish and eel,54 gal corner dwarf angel tank. CURRENT. WORKING ON 90 gal MIXED REEF, 29 gal sump & refuge.20 gal long qt tank.120 gal uv steralizer.29 gal fowlr and annemonies

05/09/2009, 10:21 PM	#5
IMM3DOORSDOWN Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: ct Posts: 1,092	oh yea welcome to rc.this is going to be your lifeline when ever you have questions or problems.i wish i knew about this site when i first started. __________________ rules? rules were ment to be broken Current Tank Info: PAST EXPERIANCE::180 gal fish only,120 gal reef,65 gal MAN TANK lionfish and eel,54 gal corner dwarf angel tank. CURRENT. WORKING ON 90 gal MIXED REEF, 29 gal sump & refuge.20 gal long qt tank.120 gal uv steralizer.29 gal fowlr and annemonies

05/10/2009, 01:15 AM	#6
kdub2332 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 22	thats what i was thinking to i was going to let the tank go through the ammonia and nitrite spikes but some people that i have been talking to said if the rock is cured well enough and you have good water filtration i really wouldnt see high levels of ammonia and nitrite... is that right?

05/10/2009, 01:26 AM	#7
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	your cycle may be brief as you added live sand and cured rock, it was a mistake to add damsels. you dont need fish at this early stage, however its done now, what have you got in the way of flow and a skimmer? dont be in a rush to stock the tank kdub, just add slowly and research the fish you want first. *To Reef Central* __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

05/10/2009, 08:32 AM	#8
imcosmokramer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 1,709	kdub, I agree with Michael. Take your time in selecting tank inhabitants. It's much easier to add a fish later, than it is to try to catch one to get out. I still have my first fish from my first tank. it's a domino damsel and he's grown into a beast. I would not want him in my display tank, but he's in my anemone tank with 4 clowns and a scopas tang and doing just fine. Well, except for the times that he tries to host in any of the anemones that are there, and the clowns try to beat it up. My point is that I would hate to try to catch that sucker in my reef tank. What's done is done, it is what it is, let's move forward. Are you setting up a sump? refugium? planning on running gfo/carbon? do you use ro/di water? good luck, and keep asking q's __________________ You can agree with me, or you can be wrong. You pick.

05/10/2009, 09:35 AM	#9
kdub2332 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 22	when i did my first fill up it was water from my friends 180 gal tank he uses RO water and is readings are zero... i have listened to him on a lot of things but he can sometimes over do it sometimes. i have a very small skimmer that came with my sump. im using bio balls as well i have a overflow box

05/10/2009, 10:27 AM	#10
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	Since you used 100% old water you may not see a large cycle depending on if the rock you bought was truly cycled and had no die off. I would let it sit for 3 to 4 weeks to settle down. Keep testing and do 10% water change a week. Make sure you replace evaporated water with Fresh RODI Add aome snails and hermits when you start seeing algae. Replace the Boi balls with live or base rock rubble __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

05/10/2009, 01:44 PM	#11
kdub2332 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 22	i did a test today and my ammonia came up as zero and it showed very low level of nitrite like around .1 %