Adding fish

yanksfan11 · Oct 6, 2020

Starting up with my first saltwater tank (30 gallon) and I had a couple of questions for you pros out there. Been cycling my tank now for about 3 1/2 weeks and looking to finally introduce a couple of clownfish maybe this weekend and then introduce a couple other fish in a few weeks. I've watched hours of videos and read up on a lot but I'm seeing mixed reviews on adding fish this early into the cycling process. My plan was to introduce these fish the same time I add the Dr. Tims One and Only Nitifying Bacteria as a lot of videos have said this is totally fine and a few pros even recommend it. Would love some feedback/thoughts on this. Also, I'm ordering these fish online through LiveAquaria, do you recommend I quarantine these clowns for a couple of weeks in a separate tank?
Here are my current levels:
Salinity 1.023
Temp 79
pH 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Alkalinity 10

Webslinger · Oct 6, 2020

I would throw in a couple cheap black freshwater mollies and finish cycle with them. They are cheap, easy to catch and algae eating monsters. You should decide which method works best for you, if your a quarantiner or going immunity way. both have advantages/disadvantages. I'm a immunity person which there are few here (PaulB). I have never lost a fish to disease. Slow and steady.

brandon429 · Oct 6, 2020

heres where you stand: you need to dose the ammonia into the system until the color rises slightly, not 2ppm, slightly, above current levels and we see if it moves back down. since you dont have any nitrate listed, we're using this ammonia movement proofing to see that your bottle bac was alive. you are just about ready though, pending this oxidation step.

Super Fly · Oct 6, 2020

Welcome. What filtration method are you using, i.e.. live rocks, sump, skimmer?
Since this will be ur first addition, i wouldn't bother quarantining. I don't quarantine, instead I buy from lfs who medicate all livestock and only buy fish that have been in the lfs for few weeks (this way I know they're healthy and have already been treated).
When starting a new system, I like to give the tank's beneficial bacteria few weeks to catch up between adding new livestock so tank can handle new bioload.
Around Cranford there are 2 really good lfs - Aquatic Obsession (Avenel) and ReefCo (Green Brook), both carry quality livestock.

yanksfan11 · Oct 6, 2020

Super Fly said:
Welcome. What filtration method are you using, i.e.. live rocks, sump, skimmer?
Since this will be ur first addition, i wouldn't bother quarantining. I don't quarantine, instead I buy from lfs who medicate all livestock and only buy fish that have been in the lfs for few weeks (this way I know they're healthy and have already been treated).
When starting a new system, I like to give the tank's beneficial bacteria few weeks to catch up between adding new livestock so tank can handle new bioload.
Around Cranford there are 2 really good lfs - Aquatic Obsession (Avenel) and ReefCo (Green Brook), both carry quality livestock.

The only filtration I have going on right now is the tanks filter itself along with 4 dry live rocks I ordered through bulk reef supply and then a live rock I purchased from my lfs about 3 1/2 weeks ago. I'm not sure why but I have a slight spike in ammonia right now in the tank <2 ppm but the rest of my levels are still within the right parameters. 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate and my ph is still at about 8.1 and I'm keeping the tank light off and the temp at 78. I have not added the bottle of dr tims nitrifying bacteria yet as I was going to do so when I added the clownfish. Would you recommend I add that bottle today instead of waiting till I have the fish?

Super Fly · Oct 6, 2020

did the tank finish/go through the cycle process, i.e. spike in amonnia then to nitrite then nitrate in the 3.5 weeks?

yanksfan11 · Oct 6, 2020

Super Fly said:
did the tank finish/go through the cycle process, i.e. spike in amonnia then to nitrite then nitrate in the 3.5 weeks?

This is the first spike in ammonia in the 3 1/2 weeks. Everything has been reading 0 since day one, with a minor drop in the pH which was corrected. Oddly the ammonia spike came a day after the dry live rocks were installed in the tank, just a coincidence maybe?...

brandon429 · Oct 6, 2020

See directions on dr tims

It's built for ten day completion. Currently it hasn't been used per directions but it won't matter, the live rock component masks the non cycled portions anyway, you have a blended cycle, doesn't follow the time frames from unassisted cycling charts.

the live rock portion is already cycled, we would not expect any ammonia, nitrate or nitrite from it although your tester sure might report low level free ammonia, most non seneye testers do report some in the tenths ppm, though nh3 is actually much lower hundredths/thousandths and nh3 is the only parameter that matters in cycling / start dates...although per above nitrate can be a handy predictor of arrangments given known submersion times.

running the ammonia test advised initially specifically tells you where your cycle is at as a whole, vs any guess. its a direct measure. take pic and post current reading.

then raise up a tiny increment darker by adding liquid ammonia, dont go very much, .1 if possible

then see it in 24 hours for movement

if you have no movement down, you can see there wasn't enough transfer from the live rock onto inactive surfaces, and you'll needed to have added the bac ten days ago to meet instruction timeframes.

PBnJOnWheat · Oct 6, 2020

yanksfan11 said:
Starting up with my first saltwater tank (30 gallon) and I had a couple of questions for you pros out there. Been cycling my tank now for about 3 1/2 weeks and looking to finally introduce a couple of clownfish maybe this weekend and then introduce a couple other fish in a few weeks. I've watched hours of videos and read up on a lot but I'm seeing mixed reviews on adding fish this early into the cycling process. My plan was to introduce these fish the same time I add the Dr. Tims One and Only Nitifying Bacteria as a lot of videos have said this is totally fine and a few pros even recommend it. Would love some feedback/thoughts on this. Also, I'm ordering these fish online through LiveAquaria, do you recommend I quarantine these clowns for a couple of weeks in a separate tank?
Here are my current levels:
Salinity 1.023
Temp 79
pH 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Alkalinity 10

I read through the forum and in my opinion 90% of what people talk about when it comes to this hobby is a lot of crap and it’s just overrated and way hyped up. If you have the ammonia, then nitrite, then nitrate spike each time then it’s ready for gosh. Clownfish are extremely durable fish and being that there aren’t any corals or other fish, you shouldn’t have to worry about quarantining them honestly. Especially from liveaquaria they guarantee the livelihood of them sometimes so check on that but even if they contract something, which is extremely unlikely from them, you can treat them right there. Quarantine is mainly for fish that are really susceptible to disease and stressed out easily, or if you’re worried about what the fish might bring to your system.

recap~ If you’re worried just use the Dr.Tim’s bacteria and plump some in there. You can instant start a tank with that stuff.

On a side note what kind of clowns? And add some pics of the tank!!! Love to see your setup. (Don’t make my mistake and get the freshwater Dr.Tim’s, I prefer MB-7).

yanksfan11 · Oct 6, 2020

Thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it. There is still so much to learn about saltwater but it's quite enjoyable and this forum has helped out a lot. I read the label and google searched some more info on Dr Tims and it's saying ' Add One and Only after the aquarium has been set up. Be sure the water has reached the proper temperature and has been dechlorinated. Start the filter and make sure it is functioning, and then add One & Only. Add fish within 24 hours of adding One and Only nitrifying bacteria.' So it sounds like I should add this come Thursday as I'm trying to add the two clowns on Friday. I'm attaching my most recent ammonia test which was just done about 20 minutes ago as well as the ammonia thing I have attached to my tank. Looks to be reading 0.25 ppm still. It read the same when I tested early this morning too.