Cycle Questions???

[chuckdallas]

I live in Miami FL. I have had my 120 gallon tank for about 2 months and have been on Reef Central asking questions about equipment for 3-4 months. I didn't want to spend $300 on water & sand to setup the tank, so when I was ready to begin, I went to the ocean to get water and sand. I waded out to about 6 feet to get the sand. After setting up the sand and water, I realized I didn't have enough sand, so I bought two boxes of live sand from the Local Fish Store (LFS) and mixed the fine white sand from the LFS with the sand from the ocean. I ran the pump with just water and sand for about two weeks. I didn't see big spikes in ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. I figured since I used live sand from the ocean and ocean water, it was pretty balanced by nature and was ready for some rock and 2 fish. Then I bought about 40 pounds of live rock and two 1 inch damselfish. I let that go for two more weeks. I didn't see a big spike in ammonia, nitrites or nitrates, and my wife wanted something else. I felt it was a little early in the new tank process, but she wanted a fish to add with the damsels. After a week of seeing those tiny fish, she wanted a clownfish. About a week after purchasing a Maroon Clown, she suggested we get an anemone to go with the clown. My LFS sold me a nice size (6 inches in diameter) yellow carpet anemone without telling me all clowns don't always move into all anemones. I should have guessed that and asked, but didn't. At the same time as the anemone, I bought a sand starfish and a horsecrab. Of course, the Maroon Clown won't move into the carpet (found out it's normal), so the LFS sold me two really nice Saddleback clowns, without telling me that Maroons and Saddlebacks don't mix well. (P.S. I know what you are all getting ready to type back now....just know that I'm starting to wean myself off this LFS.) Since the Maroon was badgering and nipping at the smaller Saddlebacks the first day, the LFS said to cover the aquarium completely and in the morning the Maroon wouldn't think the Saddlebacks had moved into his territory. That didn't work, so I quarantined the Maroon while we discussed our options with the LFS. That same day, we bought a small (2-3 inches in diameter) Bubble Anemone from a different LFS and put it on the opposite end of the aquarium. The Maroon has moved into the Bubble Anemone and now doesn't badger the Saddlebacks. I'm still expecting that we are going to lose one species of clowns and have prepared my wife for what can be a expensive mistake. A separate LFS told me that you shouldn't quarantine a fish in a bag in the aqaurium with slits in it because it will run out of oxygen. The Maroon Clown lasted in the bag with slits in the aquarium for about 3 hours before we released him and hasn't fought with the Saddlebacks for 3 days. Either, we deprived him of oxygen and he's half brain dead or he's just happy to have a home now. My dilemma:

The nitrates, nitrites and ammonia are all in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of the lowest blocks on the color charts. The ammonia hasn't gone above 0.5 and when it did, I did a 1/5 water change. In the first 2 months, everytime I saw the ammonia or nitrites or nitrates go up, I did a 1/8 to 1/4 water change. I'm not sure the tank has done a complete cycle, so I'm wondering with the extra anemones and extra fish, what to expect if I put too much livestock in the tank before it has cycled once. What do I do now, if I get an ammonia spike? If the nitrites haven't had enough time to spike and go back to make the nitrates spike and go back down, what are some things I can do to make it through the next month? Thanks in advance.

Signed,
Going too fast with livestock

[jonbry123]

If you're seeing ammonia and nitrites you've cannot put anything in the tank. These two elements particularly ammonia will kill quickly and it also means the tank has not cycled and you may have added to much to quickly.

[thegrun]

WOW!!!! I'm not sure where to start, but SLOW DOWN!!! You should not even think about an anemone until the tank is 6 months old. NO MORE LIVESTOCK until the tank has cycled/stabilized. Spend the next month reading instead of visiting the fish store. Read everything in the Reef keeping 101 sticky at the top of the new to the hobby forum twice. You are going to waste a fortune and kill countless fish and corals if you proceed on your current course. Hate to take a hard a&& stand, but you re only going to end up frustrated if you do not rethink what you are doing. This is a great hobby and nothing beats relaxing in front of a tank at the end of a hard day, but you need to understand every move you make in the aquarium to avoid problems or even disasters. You have actually been lucky so far, but your luck may run out soon.

[chuckdallas]

Should I ask the LFS where I bought the anemone and the Saddleback Clowns to take them back and hold them until my aquarium is more developed? Will water changes every week help with keeping the ammonia, nitrites and nitrate levels within reason? What do I do now to avoid a disaster?

[jonbry123]

Chuck if you can take them back do so. Ammonia and nitrites are deadly. You then have to go through the remaining cycle of a nitrate spike. Anemones are difficult at best without optimum water conditions and you really need to get some experience with just fish first. I wouldn't even consider a reef tank until this one has been up and running for at least 6 to 8 months.

Yikes a Maroon clown with saddlebacks it will kill them if it lives. They do not tolerate any other clowns unless you have a huge tank which you don't. As mentioned above please research this hobby before doing anything else in fairness to these animals and yourself so you don't end up disappointed and as your are doing here ask questions there is no stupid one.