Cycling my 20g saltwater tank

[346700984]

Proper placement within the tank is important too. How much light they get and flow are important factors based on the type of coral.

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Proper placement within the tank is important too. How much light they get and flow are important factors based on the type of coral.

Yup watch your hammers make sure you are feeding them a propper diet I feed mine mysis shrimp,when ever my fish eat it get some and oyster feast when I dose my sps(weekly) then reefroids once a week before water changes) if they're unhappy they will retract(underffeding underligting overlighting will throw elongated tentacles and sweeper tentacles wont come out at night to eat) personally I'd keep them on a sand bed for a week and move them to a rock were they're up off the substrate(sanburn on polyps bleaching on skeleton)and getting more light and a more moderate to swifter flow getting more par in the middle of the tank

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Also look for bleaching this means that the alk is off and cal mag needs to be dosed

 

[UnderseaOddities]

@gmeazy01

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Also look for brown discoloration (bjs or high phosphate causing micro algae growth on skeleton spreading to polyps will make your eupiliya look something like this(brown jelly disease)

 

[gmeazy01]

No i did not test. I would assume

Did you test calcium, magnesium, alkalinity and phosphates prior to adding the coral?

no i did not test. I would assume my level should be fine since its a new tank. And bought my rodi water. Used live sand and made my saltwater by mixing this instant ocean salt

 

[gmeazy01]

Dip the fish in a separate container and then dip in water to remove the copper treatment prior to returning the fish to the tank.

Hmm so take him in a bowl then add copper treatment then grab saltwater from my tank or just regular freshlymade saltwater to rinse him off?

 

[UnderseaOddities]

No i did not test. I would assume

no i did not test. I would assume my level should be fine since its a new tank. And bought my rodi water. Used live sand and made my saltwater by mixing this instant ocean salt

Again there is a 5 week tartration curve look into biogeochemical cycling it will fluctuate you want your calcium at about 400 450 dkh 8 to 9.5 depending on salinity and 0 to 5 ppm of nitrate

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Hmm so take him in a bowl then add copper treatment then grab saltwater from my tank or just regular freshlymade saltwater to rinse him off?

Not freshly made their is no biological filter(microbes)and will be to harsh on fish

 

[UnderseaOddities]

You can add 3 quarter tank water 1 quarter freshly made

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Then have a separate vessel with just plain tank water then dip and scoop

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Again there is a 5 week tartration curve look into biogeochemical cycling it will fluctuate you want your calcium at about 400 450 dkh 8 to 9.5 depending on salinity and 0 to 5 ppm of nitrate

How it was done before lfs and internet(no medicine used 98%praziquantal powder deworm for horses watered down only medicine around in 2006 then a dewormer with a wetting agent was pit out sometime later and was a game changer

 

[CrimsonTide]

Or leave him alone for 30 days and take a chance hes healthy. Thats also an easy option.

 

[346700984]

No i did not test. I would assume

no i did not test. I would assume my level should be fine since its a new tank. And bought my rodi water. Used live sand and made my saltwater by mixing this instant ocean salt

Never assume your parameters are perfect, always test not only for your fish but for corals who absolutely need the correct balance of those nutrients. I know from experience that even though your tank is newly cycled your nutrients can be off even if you did everything right and that is why we wait a while for the tank to be more established with time and parameters stabilized before putting in corals right away. Red Sea makes a foundation kit where you can test for those nutrients. You don’t want to spend good money on corals and put them in your tank too early or without testing.

 

[gmeazy01]

Never assume your parameters are perfect, always test not only for your fish but for corals who absolutely need the correct balance of those nutrients. I know from experience that even though your tank is newly cycled your nutrients can be off even if you did everything right and that is why we wait a while for the tank to be more established with time and parameters stabilized before putting in corals right away. Red Sea makes a foundation kit where you can test for those nutrients. You don’t want to spend good money on corals and put them in your tank too early or without testing.

is there a device that I can use to test that? IDK the API test I got for NH3, NO3- and NO2- were kinda inaccurate even though I got it tested from lfs and paid $10. Id rather invest in like a nice device that can accurately check my parameters. but I also just have a 20gallon tank.Attach files

 

[gmeazy01]

Also I found these very tiny tiny like a less than a mm white bug that walks around my glass and jump. one more question, for my ato system I put that in my rodi water right and not salt since salt stays in tank when water is evaporating?

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Also I found these very tiny tiny like a less than a mm white bug that walks around my glass and jump. one more question, for my ato system I put that in my rodi water right and not salt since salt stays in tank when water is evaporating?

Yes rodi, also down the line you can buy a hannah electronic 5 way test kit off brs or hannah directly for 269$ and a refractometer or electronic pen(ppt) but this isn't truly necessary, what's the point of testing when your new if you dont know what to look for yet or how to buffer your water, you can probably get away the first month just using litmus paper if u keep up on proper maintenance and water change weekly . keep it simple at first but with the technology today it takes alot of the guess work out and sets you up for longevity and success if you test regularly

 

[gmeazy01]

Yes rodi, also down the line you can buy a hannah electronic 5 way test kit off brs or hannah directly for 269$ and a refractometer or electronic pen(ppt) but this isn't truly necessary, what's the point of testing when your new if you dont know what to look for yet or how to buffer your water, you can probably get away the first month just using litmus paper if u keep up on proper maintenance and water change weekly . keep it simple at first but with the technology today it takes alot of the guess work out and sets you up for longevity and success if you test regularly

Actually work as a microbiologist so testing my water and wanting to keep my water parameter stable would be something Id be very interested in learning more. the lfs told me that since I have all lps, it shouldn't really change my water parameter too bad. I will check that device tho.

 

[gmeazy01]

I've been doing a little bit of research here and there to keep these corals alive and healthy looking.

 

[gmeazy01]

The bubble coral is looking so plumpy. My pink goni oppenee up and as usual the green torch is illuminating. Not sure about my alveopora, it is slowly opening up. Idk if my flow pump is creating too much flow?? Then my trumpet, its creating another mouth underneath