Cycling an Aquarium

[angsess]

Maybe since it's a 15 good luck rushing is never a good idea. My guide said bring ammonia to 4 it should be zero 22 hours later

It did zero out within 24 hours on dose 3. It was 3ppm not 4, but it consumed that.

 

[angsess]

Sounds like you are good to go. You don't need to add ammonia any longer, and you don't really need to test nitrates if you don't want to, they aren't much of an issue in saltwater except making your nitrate test overly high.

You can start to SLOWLY add whatever livestock you have planned. Make sure you have something for your clean up crew to eat before you add them.

Good to know. I am thinking my stocking goal is a pair of clowns, snails, hermits, and some kind of shrimp for cuc to start, obviously added a little along. Depending on how we do maybe another small fish or 2 after a while. I plan to do corals but not until I have a stable tank with the correct parameters. Is this a realistic plan, and what should I add first? I do have some diatoms on the sand and glass, but only small spots.i can feed algae wafers and shrimp pellets to cuc if I need to.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes. Dr. Tim’s ammonium chloride to get to 2-3ppm. They suggest dosing 3 different times with 48 hours in between as long as ammonia and nitrite are below 5ppm.

i RECOMMEND 1-2x BUT ALL GOOD

 

[BeanAnimal]

Yes. Dr. Tim’s ammonium chloride to get to 2-3ppm. They suggest dosing 3 different times with 48 hours in between as long as ammonia and nitrite are below 5ppm.

I would dose to ~2ppm and test periodically, watching it drop toward zero, then dose a second time once it does.

I don't think that arbitrarily dosing 3 different times in 48 hours accomplishes anything meaningful, but does increase the chance of overdose.

 

[angsess]

I would dose to ~2ppm and test periodically, watching it drop toward zero, then dose a second time once it does.

I don't think that arbitrarily dosing 3 different times in 48 hours accomplishes anything meaningful, but does increase the chance of overdose.

I am sorry, I don’t think I was clear. I dosed to 2ppm, waited 48 hours, testing in between, then dosed again, dosing back up to 2ppm, another 48 hours, ammonia was at zero then a 3rd dose, which zeroed out in 24 hours.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Thank you for the clarification. I thought that we were talking about a proposed plan. My fault for not reading back far enough.

You are cycled and ready to go.

 

[ScottJ]

Good to know. I am thinking my stocking goal is a pair of clowns, snails, hermits, and some kind of shrimp for cuc to start, obviously added a little along. Depending on how we do maybe another small fish or 2 after a while. I plan to do corals but not until I have a stable tank with the correct parameters. Is this a realistic plan, and what should I add first? I do have some diatoms on the sand and glass, but only small spots.i can feed algae wafers and shrimp pellets to cuc if I need to.

As you can see... Lots of differing methods to get to the same place

For a 15 gallon, a pair of clowns would be about it, IMHO. (And not my choice, if I were starting a 15g tank. But that's only me, I don't really like Clowns) Are you going to quarantine, or buy pre-QT'ed?

As to CUC, until you have algae (AND IT WILL COME!) all you have is left over fish food. A 3 or 4 Nassarius snails will clean that up. As you get more algae, add the grazers.

You can add easy coral really any time, but it doesn't hurt to let everything settle. You are in for the long game. Don't get discouraged about the 'ugly stage' happening. It can last a few months, a year, it's natural and a process and needs to happen.

 

[angsess]

As you can see... Lots of differing methods to get to the same place

For a 15 gallon, a pair of clowns would be about it, IMHO. (And not my choice, if I were starting a 15g tank. But that's only me, I don't really like Clowns) Are you going to quarantine, or buy pre-QT'ed?

As to CUC, until you have algae (AND IT WILL COME!) all you have is left over fish food. A 3 or 4 Nassarius snails will clean that up. As you get more algae, add the grazers.

You can add easy coral really any time, but it doesn't hurt to let everything settle. You are in for the long game. Don't get discouraged about the 'ugly stage' happening. It can last a few months, a year, it's natural and a process and needs to happen.

I have a good local fish store that does QT so for right now I am going to buy pre QTed from them since I have such a small tank and only need a few fish.

What don't you like about clowns and what might be a better alternative?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a good local fish store that does QT so for right now I am going to buy pre QTed from them since I have such a small tank and only need a few fish.

What don't you like about clowns and what might be a better alternative?

Clowns can be territorial and cause damage to other tankmates

 

[ScottJ]

I have a good local fish store that does QT so for right now I am going to buy pre QTed from them since I have such a small tank and only need a few fish.

What don't you like about clowns and what might be a better alternative?

Clowns can be pretty mean. I had one who every time I put my hand in the tank, she would attack. And my story is far from unique I think they are worse in smaller tanks. I moved that fish from a 20g to a 55g and she settled down and didn't attack any more.

I like Tailspot blennies, Gobies (clown gobbies especially) Fire Fish. Little fish with big personalities.

 

[angsess]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I ended up going with the pair of clowns that I had picked out and picked up 2 small zoa frags. I really wanted the clowns, they were doing well together at the LFS and they will be the only fish in the tank so no aggression issues. Clowns have settled in nicely and ate for me last night. Zoas are opening, and there is no ammonia!

 

[BeanAnimal]

That is great to hear.