Tank Cycling with a pair of clowns and LawnMower Blenny??

jrcastro · 10/23/2007, 10:07 AM

I just started my cycle (3rd day) with my 210 gallon. I will be adding 50 pounds of LS from my buddies system.

My buddy is moving and is giving me a pair of clown fish, lawn mower blenny, coral banded shrimp & serp star.

Question is will they make it through the cycle?

Or should I just move them into a 29 gallon I can quickly setup and add LS / LR and some water from buddies tank.

This way I can monitor and change water more easily then the 210 gallon.

Just a few suggestions so these guys have a good chance of survival.

adambaron · 10/23/2007, 10:18 AM

Don't try it. Put them in the 29 as long as your buddys live rock is totally cured and established enough to handle the bioload. You don't want the 29 to cycle.

skeletor121 · 10/23/2007, 10:18 AM

I would put them in the 29 gallon until the 210 is through the cycle. They may make it through the cycling process, but why chance it? That's just my $.02 though.

spleify · 10/23/2007, 10:21 AM

Please give the new 210 its time to cycle, then put the fish in there.
No reason to torture the fish.
That's just my $.02
Spleify

Python73 · 10/23/2007, 10:39 AM

Um, when you say "I just started my cycle" what do you mean exactly? Did you put fresh / transshipped liverock in the tank? Did you put in a sandbed of some sort with dry sand? Are you putting food in an empty tank to establish a bacterial load?

The word cycle is grossly overused in this hobby, and it can mean a hundred different things. We need to know what you have put in the 210 already, and where it came from. Then we can decide how adding established rock and livestock will affect it.

S !

jrcastro · 10/23/2007, 12:01 PM

This is the order of my setup.
I put in pre-mixed saltwater, added dried base rock & dry sand 4days ago.
Added 3 damsels last night. I will add 50lbs of live sand to seed the rock & sand and will be adding 4 more damsels tonight .

I don't know when the cycle when technicaly start. I assume when i get the ammonia levels to rise with the waste the fish will produce.

Python73 · 10/23/2007, 12:20 PM

So you have 3 damsels in 200 gallons of water. You won't have a cycle. You could BLEND the three damsels and dump the juice in the tank, and you might see a small cycle.

Now adding 50 lbs of live sand will do something, depending on the condition of the sand and where you got it. For instance, if it was from a big tub of live sand, and you got to scoop the top couple inches to make the 50 lbs, then you won't get a cycle. It is full of critters and bacteria already. This assumes you keep it at least damp and warmish on the way to your tank.

Say instead that you get a bucket dug deep into a sandbed somewhere, getting many inches of sand. This you pour on top of your existing sand. This WILL have to cycle, as critters that are normally anaerobic die off and detritus and gasses trapped in the deeper bed are now on top, until a new balance is achieved.

Frankly, I'd say that if you just huck all the stuff from the original question into this tank, everything will be fine. You may see a small ammonia spike, but I'm doubting it. This is assuming you treat the liverock right and that there is no die-off, which there shouldn't be.

Keep in mind that your lawnmower blenny will be starving until you have algae growth, if he lasts that long. Some of them take prepared food, if he is one of those disregard.

Good luck.

S !

spleify · 10/23/2007, 12:28 PM

JMO, so please don't take offense, but I think you need to slow down a little. As long as you take care of you're tank, you will be able to enjoy YEARS of you're tank.
I think you need to add some LR and LS, AND WAIT for the tank to actually cycle. As Python said there are a lot of factors in cycling a tank. Ask some more questions, get some more experience, and most of all PLEASE BE PATIENT.
Patience is a virtue in this hobby.
I am not trying to be harsh, so please don't take it like that. I just want to share some of my experience with you.
HTH
Spleify

jrcastro · 10/23/2007, 01:17 PM

No offense to anyones responses. This is why I asked.

I'am getting most of the LS from my buddies established reef tank so it should be full of life & it will be transferred accordingly.

I'd rather put the fish in a 29G add old water from where they came from, add some LS and LR. This way if it does go through a cycle it should be minimal & if needed change out some water with new seawater.

Do you guys think this is the safest?

kimm · 10/23/2007, 02:20 PM

can you add some of your friends LR also? with LR, LS and water from his established tank, possibly no cycle, or at least no ammonia cycle.

uscharalph · 10/23/2007, 02:47 PM

Ammonia is the sign of a cycle.

Craig Lambert · 10/23/2007, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrcastro
No offense to anyones responses. This is why I asked.

I'am getting most of the LS from my buddies established reef tank so it should be full of life & it will be transferred accordingly.

I'd rather put the fish in a 29G add old water from where they came from, add some LS and LR. This way if it does go through a cycle it should be minimal & if needed change out some water with new seawater.

Do you guys think this is the safest?

Transferring most of his sandbed to your tank will be a mistake. Just a few cups from the top layer to seed your own sandbed. Preferably this would take place after the liverock has been established for a few weeks.

2farNorth · 10/23/2007, 03:43 PM

7 Damsels? I know it's a 210, but sheesh... Must like Damsels!!

rustybucket145 · 10/23/2007, 03:56 PM

heheh... those are going to be fun to get out!

catfisher · 10/23/2007, 04:15 PM

When I originally set up my tank I used live rock and live sand. I never saw a cycle. After a month and a half I slowly added fish, inverts, etc. I never got an ammonia reading and my Nitrates have always been zero. I guess what I'm trying to say is you might not see the cycle if you are using live rock from another tank.

kidchill · 10/23/2007, 05:13 PM

I say throw them in and see what happens!! J/K, kinda. I wouldn't put 50lbs of LS in there though.....Just seed it like everyone said. The clown fish should be fine...after all they ARE a type of damsel!! The shrimp, star, and blennie....could go either way. I would think with that large of a tank, you would really have to increase the ammonium drastically to make much of a difference, and by that time you should have the bacteria to modify it!! I would NOT spend anymore money on fish or inverts of any kind until your water quality is good. Be sure there is no ammoniom or nitrites before you go adding more fish...they'll just get sick and you'll have a whole new set of issues....Just my 2Cents!!

uscharalph · 10/23/2007, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrcastro
My buddy is moving and is giving me a pair of clown fish, lawn mower blenny, coral banded shrimp & serp star.

Question is will they make it through the cycle?

Don't add these fish into a tank that's cycling. I know from experience about the Lawnmower Blenny and Clowns. I was too impatient in the beginning.

jrcastro · 10/24/2007, 11:22 AM

Thanks for all the advice guys. I put them in a 29 gallon with alot of the old water, LR & LS from the original tank. They all looked good this morning & water parameters are fine.

10/23/2007, 10:07 AM	#1
jrcastro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA. Posts: 456	Tank Cycling with a pair of clowns and LawnMower Blenny?? I just started my cycle (3rd day) with my 210 gallon. I will be adding 50 pounds of LS from my buddies system. My buddy is moving and is giving me a pair of clown fish, lawn mower blenny, coral banded shrimp & serp star. Question is will they make it through the cycle? Or should I just move them into a 29 gallon I can quickly setup and add LS / LR and some water from buddies tank. This way I can monitor and change water more easily then the 210 gallon. Just a few suggestions so these guys have a good chance of survival.

10/23/2007, 10:18 AM	#2
adambaron Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pooler, GA Posts: 208	Don't try it. Put them in the 29 as long as your buddys live rock is totally cured and established enough to handle the bioload. You don't want the 29 to cycle. __________________ "In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move." -Douglas Adams Current Tank Info: 180 reef, 55gal african cichlid

10/23/2007, 10:18 AM	#3
skeletor121 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Anchorage, AK Posts: 126	I would put them in the 29 gallon until the 210 is through the cycle. They may make it through the cycling process, but why chance it? That's just my $.02 though. __________________ -Scott Marriage: "Yeah, we're both all in but she's freerolling for half." -Phil Gordon Current Tank Info: 60 gallon (plus sump) FOWLR, 30 Gallon reef, 55 gallon african cichlid

10/23/2007, 10:21 AM	#4
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	Please give the new 210 its time to cycle, then put the fish in there. No reason to torture the fish. That's just my $.02 Spleify __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

10/23/2007, 10:39 AM	#5
Python73 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Fombell, PA Posts: 1,832	Um, when you say "I just started my cycle" what do you mean exactly? Did you put fresh / transshipped liverock in the tank? Did you put in a sandbed of some sort with dry sand? Are you putting food in an empty tank to establish a bacterial load? The word cycle is grossly overused in this hobby, and it can mean a hundred different things. We need to know what you have put in the 210 already, and where it came from. Then we can decide how adding established rock and livestock will affect it. S ! __________________ Sam Pistachio PMASI Life Member "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

10/23/2007, 12:01 PM	#6
jrcastro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA. Posts: 456	This is the order of my setup. I put in pre-mixed saltwater, added dried base rock & dry sand 4days ago. Added 3 damsels last night. I will add 50lbs of live sand to seed the rock & sand and will be adding 4 more damsels tonight . I don't know when the cycle when technicaly start. I assume when i get the ammonia levels to rise with the waste the fish will produce.

10/23/2007, 12:20 PM	#7
Python73 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Fombell, PA Posts: 1,832	So you have 3 damsels in 200 gallons of water. You won't have a cycle. You could BLEND the three damsels and dump the juice in the tank, and you might see a small cycle. Now adding 50 lbs of live sand will do something, depending on the condition of the sand and where you got it. For instance, if it was from a big tub of live sand, and you got to scoop the top couple inches to make the 50 lbs, then you won't get a cycle. It is full of critters and bacteria already. This assumes you keep it at least damp and warmish on the way to your tank. Say instead that you get a bucket dug deep into a sandbed somewhere, getting many inches of sand. This you pour on top of your existing sand. This WILL have to cycle, as critters that are normally anaerobic die off and detritus and gasses trapped in the deeper bed are now on top, until a new balance is achieved. Frankly, I'd say that if you just huck all the stuff from the original question into this tank, everything will be fine. You may see a small ammonia spike, but I'm doubting it. This is assuming you treat the liverock right and that there is no die-off, which there shouldn't be. Keep in mind that your lawnmower blenny will be starving until you have algae growth, if he lasts that long. Some of them take prepared food, if he is one of those disregard. Good luck. S ! __________________ Sam Pistachio PMASI Life Member "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

10/23/2007, 12:28 PM	#8
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	JMO, so please don't take offense, but I think you need to slow down a little. As long as you take care of you're tank, you will be able to enjoy YEARS of you're tank. I think you need to add some LR and LS, AND WAIT for the tank to actually cycle. As Python said there are a lot of factors in cycling a tank. Ask some more questions, get some more experience, and most of all PLEASE BE PATIENT. Patience is a virtue in this hobby. I am not trying to be harsh, so please don't take it like that. I just want to share some of my experience with you. HTH Spleify __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

10/23/2007, 01:17 PM	#9
jrcastro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA. Posts: 456	No offense to anyones responses. This is why I asked. I'am getting most of the LS from my buddies established reef tank so it should be full of life & it will be transferred accordingly. I'd rather put the fish in a 29G add old water from where they came from, add some LS and LR. This way if it does go through a cycle it should be minimal & if needed change out some water with new seawater. Do you guys think this is the safest?

10/23/2007, 02:20 PM	#10
kimm Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sunny SoCal Posts: 45	can you add some of your friends LR also? with LR, LS and water from his established tank, possibly no cycle, or at least no ammonia cycle. __________________ Kimm Current Tank Info: 75G reef

10/23/2007, 02:47 PM	#11
uscharalph Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,248	Ammonia is the sign of a cycle. __________________ Ralph Mendoza Jr. Long Beach, CA Current Tank Info: 80 Gallon Reef Tank

10/23/2007, 03:43 PM	#13
2farNorth Moved On Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upper Peninsula, Michigan Posts: 929	7 Damsels? I know it's a 210, but sheesh... Must like Damsels!!

10/23/2007, 03:56 PM	#14
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	heheh... those are going to be fun to get out! __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

10/23/2007, 04:15 PM	#15
catfisher Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 527	When I originally set up my tank I used live rock and live sand. I never saw a cycle. After a month and a half I slowly added fish, inverts, etc. I never got an ammonia reading and my Nitrates have always been zero. I guess what I'm trying to say is you might not see the cycle if you are using live rock from another tank. __________________ Current Tank- 90 Gallon mixed reef, 20 Gallon Sump. Evergrow WiFi Black boxes, JBJ ATO, TLF Reactor w/GFO, Reef Octopus NWB110 Skimmer. Coral- Red Lobo, Orange Blast Acan, Frogspawn, Hammer, War, Ac

10/23/2007, 05:13 PM	#16
kidchill Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 78	I say throw them in and see what happens!! J/K, kinda. I wouldn't put 50lbs of LS in there though.....Just seed it like everyone said. The clown fish should be fine...after all they ARE a type of damsel!! The shrimp, star, and blennie....could go either way. I would think with that large of a tank, you would really have to increase the ammonium drastically to make much of a difference, and by that time you should have the bacteria to modify it!! I would NOT spend anymore money on fish or inverts of any kind until your water quality is good. Be sure there is no ammoniom or nitrites before you go adding more fish...they'll just get sick and you'll have a whole new set of issues....Just my 2Cents!!

10/24/2007, 11:22 AM	#18
jrcastro Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, WA. Posts: 456	Thanks for all the advice guys. I put them in a 29 gallon with alot of the old water, LR & LS from the original tank. They all looked good this morning & water parameters are fine.