HELP , newbie to reefs

[Mortimer452]

I ran some tests and this is what the results are?

Are you sure this is a marine (saltwater) test kit? Looks like it might be for freshwater.

Your nitrate and nitrite are zero which is expected with freshly made water in a brand new tank. Your ammonia is probably zero, too (you should really be testing for this as well though)

The top one (general hardness) is off the charts but this is also to be expected in a marine system. It doesn't really make sense to test for hardness on saltwater, but should definitely check for hardness in your fresh water before mixing in the salt.

 

[cameron_atkinson]

Are you sure this is a marine (saltwater) test kit? Looks like it might be for freshwater.

Your nitrate and nitrite are zero which is expected with freshly made water in a brand new tank. Your ammonia is probably zero, too (you should really be testing for this as well though)

The top one (general hardness) is off the charts but this is also to be expected in a marine system. It doesn't really make sense to test for hardness on saltwater, but should definitely check for hardness in your fresh water before mixing in the salt.

It’s for freshwater but I had to pick up a test as soon as possible so this was all I could get. Saltwater test kit on its way.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I keep seeing 6 months for what people say when a tank is ready, I think there are a ton of factors, but the main indicator a tank is ready to run is when you stop seeing fluctuations and have stability in your tank, can be anywhere from 1 week to 2-3 months, I setup my 120g and put corals in it a week after and have yet to experience any coral death related to the topic.

True enough, but there is a big difference between 120 gallons and 5 gallons. The smaller the system the more can (and does) go wrong. 6 months is just a safe bet before you go putting tank inhabitants lives on the line. Just my 2 cents

 

[CoralsComeInMoreColors]

by all means i

True enough, but there is a big difference between 120 gallons and 5 gallons. The smaller the system the more can (and does) go wrong. 6 months is just a safe bet before you go putting tank inhabitants lives on the line. Just my 2 cents

i 100% agree, but 5g is easier to cycle, just needs more maitenance thats all

 

[cameron_atkinson]

I wanted to reiterate how much help you all provided me and knowledge. I just finished replacing all the water and though the corals were not salvageable I learned a lot and the water salinity is perfect now, before it was way to high, and no pollutents in the water. I also added the benefical bacteria and lowered the light settings. I will continue to cycle the tank for a while before adding anything and continue to gain more knowledge.

 

[donbreef]

This is them right now, the guy at the store told me I could put them in right away. I trusted that sorry. Let me know if I can do anything it looks like it’s rapidly declining

You should never add corals to a new tank for at least 4 to 6 months... saltwater aquarium fish and reef takes a lot of patients. I have been doing reef tanks for 30+ years. And the smaller the tank the more problems you will have keeping the water cemetery perfectly stable. But the biggest suggestion I have is patients patients patients!!!!!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Good job. Sorry nothing living was salvageable, but you learned from this experience, and you still want to move forward so this is a good thing. People here are very willing to help you on this journey. As I mentioned before, when you are done with the cycle, start with a couple small hardy fish like damsels, or clowns. Also search fish for size and compatibility before purchasing, as some fish don’t get along. Good luck, once you are there, this is a great hobby.

 

[cameron_atkinson]

I was doing some research what are everyone's thoughts about cycling using clownfish and bacteria; I was reading about it seems pretty cool.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I was doing some research what are everyone's thoughts about cycling using clownfish and bacteria; I was reading about it seems pretty cool.

That is an old school of thought. The better way is to NOT use fish. They MAY survive, but it is very cruel to them to have them swimming in ammonia.

 

[cameron_atkinson]

That is an old school of thought. The better way is to NOT use fish. They MAY survive, but it is very cruel to them to have them swimming in ammonia.

Yes that’s what I thought just thought I would make sure

 

[Mortimer452]

I was doing some research what are everyone's thoughts about cycling using clownfish and bacteria; I was reading about it seems pretty cool.

This is the method I used to cycle my tank. I added salt water, heater, filter, let it run for a couple days to stabilize temp, then added two clowns and a bottle of Frytz-Zyme 9. You mentioned mixing salt with plain tap water earlier in the thread - this is very ill-advised, you really should use RO/DI water if you are making your own saltwater. Your local fish store probably sells RO/DI water for a buck or two a gallon.

Don't do anything until you have a proper marine water test kit including Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Feed very sparingly (for two small clowns, using pellet food I'm talking like 8-10 pellets per day) and test at least every 2-3 days. Ammonia is the most important number to watch, as anything above 0.2 or so is unhealthy for the fish and above 0.5 becomes dangerous and can kill them. My ammonia never got above 0.25 during my cycle. I recommend just leaving your lights off during this time, or run them on a very short cycle (like just a couple hours a day), this will help slow the growth of algae.

Over the course of several weeks you'll see your ammonia spike upwards and slowly go down, as the ammonia goes down Nitrite will go up, eventually Nitrite will go down and Nitrate will begin going up, once the Nitrite hits zero your tank is cycled.

Some people do a 20% water change at this point, especially on a small tank like this. At this point you're good to add corals or slowly introduce new fish (max one at a time)

 

[reef guy 56]

Do you have a copper test kit? You could need it some water sources have copper and lead in them.

 

[kevgib67]

Eh that isn't what Taricha's thread shows in regards to live sand.

And why would the corals care about biological filtration? Coral zooxanthellae uses ammonia from the water column. Stability is more about the user than the rocks or sand imo. I agree they shouldn't have done this, but with the right methods its fine to do an instant tank.

That is how it is done at the big events like Reefapalooza and the others, they don’t have time to cycle a tank. Those vendors set up their display tanks and drop the corals in.

 

[RedOtterCoral]

That is how it is done at the big events like Reefapalooza and the others, they don’t have time to cycle a tank. Those vendors set up their display tanks and drop the corals in.

Yup, but that's not something that can or should be replicated in the home aquarium. They're just selling frags, not looking to establish ecosystems that grow healthy fish and coral.

Just my two cents, I don't think anything should be rushed in the hobby

 

[kevgib67]

Yup, but that's not something that can or should be replicated in the home aquarium. They're just selling frags, not looking to establish ecosystems that grow healthy fish and coral.

Just my two cents, I don't think anything should be rushed in the hobby

I agree, I was just agreeing with @i cant think that it can be done and op doesn’t have fish. Either way that’s not how I did or would do it.

 

[cameron_atkinson]

Hi guys been a while thought I would update you. I added Fritz Turbo start and I cycle that for a week. i’ve been testing every day for about one to two weeks. Ammonia is zero and Salinity is 1.026. Other tests look very good aswell. I just took a chance as I stopped by the local fish store and wanted to add a green star polyp as a test. I have it in the sand right now and I just put it in. I tried to feed it some food, but it would not open. How long should I wait for it to open? I have a bad relationship with corals lol.

 

[kevgib67]

Hi guys been a while thought I would update you. I added Fritz Turbo start and I cycle that for a week. i’ve been testing every day for about one to two weeks. Ammonia is zero and Salinity is 1.026. Other tests look very good aswell. I just took a chance as I stopped by the local fish store and wanted to add a green star polyp as a test. I have it in the sand right now and I just put it in. I tried to feed it some food, but it would not open. How long should I wait for it to open? I have a bad relationship with corals lol.

It is acclimating, it might take a few days until the little green polyps start coming out. Don’t worry after a nuclear apocalypse the only thing that will be alive are cockroaches and gsp. I just fragged some of mine for a friend it took 3 days to open.

 

[cameron_atkinson]

It is acclimating, it might take a few days until the little green polyps start coming out. Don’t worry after a nuclear apocalypse the only thing that will be alive are cockroaches and gsp. I just fragged some of mine for a friend it took 3 days to open.

Would you recommend having a blue light on or a white light?

 

[kevgib67]

Would you recommend having a blue light on or a white light?

I would just run your normal lights, they don’t require a lot of par.

 

[cameron_atkinson]

What are your thoughts on this coral? It’s been a two days , in the store it was wide open.