Acclimation for a new tank

[Islander722]

Good Morning Everyone!
Last night I picked up my first fish for my newly cycled 15Gal AIO, a pair of Black Ice Clownfish. I spent several hours acclimating due to major salinity differences (1.030 in the bag, versus my 1.025) and kept the lights off.

This morning I fed them a few pieces of thawed brine shrimp and they were being silly going around the tank. (I've read all about their weird behavior when in a new tank, and it's so fun to watch). What I'm wondering is when I should start introducing some light, keeping in mind it's a new tank, and if the feeding behaviors may be a little off as the acclimate.
I'm also not sure how much flow they should need, it seemed a little too strong yesterday so I lowered the pump power a little bit, but there is still agitation on the surface in hopes of making sure they have enough oxygen. I'm at work now but can add a video of the flow as soon as I get home in a few hours.

 

[TX_REEF]

congrats on the new tank. You should start using the light now, it's unnatural for fish to have no light cycle. 8-10 hours a day lights on, you don't need them to be very intense since you have no corals right now, extra light will just encourage algae growth. For flow, you just need to have enough flow to ensure detritus doesn't settle on the rock and substrate. You don't have to worry about flow being too strong - clownfish look silly when they swim, but they are very strong swimmers. As long as the flow isn't stirring up your substrate, it is fine.

 

[Islander722]

congrats on the new tank. You should start using the light now, it's unnatural for fish to have no light cycle. 8-10 hours a day lights on, you don't need them to be very intense since you have no corals right now, extra light will just encourage algae growth. For flow, you just need to have enough flow to ensure detritus doesn't settle on the rock and substrate. You don't have to worry about flow being too strong - clownfish look silly when they swim, but they are very strong swimmers. As long as the flow isn't stirring up your substrate, it is fine.

Thank you!
We were so excited to get the tank stocked and they are already such silly little housemates!

When I bought the used setup it came with a Kessil A360X and I bought the dongle, so I've already been playing with the light settings and I'll do a very low intensity based on what I've read on R2R.

 

[TX_REEF]

Thank you!
We were so excited to get the tank stocked and they are already such silly little housemates!

When I bought the used setup it came with a Kessil A360X and I bought the dongle, so I've already been playing with the light settings and I'll do a very low intensity based on what I've read on R2R.

yes, 10% max is all you need for now, you can probably keep it around 5% intensity until you decide to add corals. Don''t rush to add an anemone, they tend to not survive in brand new tanks.

 

[steveschuerger]

Thank you!
We were so excited to get the tank stocked and they are already such silly little housemates!

When I bought the used setup it came with a Kessil A360X and I bought the dongle, so I've already been playing with the light settings and I'll do a very low intensity based on what I've read on R2R.

Wait til they get bigger , more territorial and try to bite the hand that feeds them when you are cleaning the tank lol. But yes they are very silly at times.

 

[Islander722]

Wait til they get bigger , more territorial and try to bite the hand that feeds them when you are cleaning the tank lol. But yes they are very silly at times.

I was an animal medicine for over a decade, getting bit was part of the deal, but fish bites will be a new experience!

 

[steveschuerger]

By the way I hope you enjoy the tank. I’m an avowed AIO person myself

 

[Islander722]

By the way I hope you enjoy the tank. I’m an avowed AIO person myself

This tank has been almost 5 years in the making, so I’ve loved every part of it.