Is my tank ready for fish?

[Dominic M]

Hello, this will be my first saltwater tank so I'm a little worried about doing every thing right so I need some help deciding if I've done everything right with my tank and can I put a pair of clowns in there today. So here are some pictures of my tank...

I'm currently making a acrylic tank lid and will put the light over that and will add a surge protector/power strip btw.

Here's a list of all of my tank equipment...

Aqueon 29 gallon tank
Ehiem jager 125watt heater
Inkbird aquarium heater controller
Nicrew Classic LED 18-24in 11watt light
Marineland Penguin 150 (using 1 filter cartridge)
Acrylic tank lid
Surge protector/power strip
API Saltwater master test kit (Nitrate, Nitrite, Ph, Ammonia)
API Kh test kit
Caribsea live sand 20lb
12lb of dry reef rock
RODI system
Salinity refractometer
TDS meter

I'm also planning on doing a tank cycle with fish and will be adding a bottle of bacteria when I put the fish in and there is also caribsea live sand that already has some in there too.

Here are my current water parameters...

Before salt is added water is 0tds
Temp is set to 77f (thermometer is set to other end of tank by filter is this good?)
Salinity is 1.025
Ph is 8.0
Kh is 8
Ammonia is 0
Nitrate is 0
Nitrite is 0

Any responses are appreciated thanks : )

 

[BackToTheReef]

I'm not going to be much help but hopefully the community will be able to help!!

There are definitely some good threads on cycling tanks and using bottled bacteria you can check out!

 

[Dominic M]

Forgot to mention I'm using instant ocean reef salt.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I would not put the fish in your tank to begin with. Big mistake if you do and in all likelihood you run the risk of killing them. I used Seachem Stability in my 29 gal and put in a pinch of flake fish food everyday. I also used Caribsea live sand and a bit of sand and rock from my LFS. Wait a couple of weeks at least and test for everything. If all checks out still take a sample of your water to the LFS for a double check before you add fish. I have about the same setup as you including the stand but I am running currently with an Eheim 250 canister.

 

[SPR1968]

Provided you use bottled bacteria that tells you to add fish straight away then your good to go.

Something like ATM Colony will work which ive used, I added 30 fish and 5 bottles on day one so it works (big tank! lol) but there are others.

 

[Dominic M]

I would not put the fish in your tank to begin with. Big mistake if you do and in all likelihood you run the risk of killing them. I used Seachem Stability in my 29 gal and put in a pinch of flake fish food everyday. I also used Caribsea live sand and a bit of sand and rock from my LFS. Wait a couple of weeks at least and test for everything. If all checks out still take a sample of your water to the LFS for a double check before you add fish.

Thanks for your response, I've heard many people online say that you can cycle your tank with fish and used bottled bacteria if you only add 1 or 2 fish which is what I'm planning to do and I heard tanks at the start don't have enough heterotrophic bacteria so just putting food straight in would prolong the process. What are your opinion on that? Also once again thanks for the reply : )

 

[Dominic M]

Provided you use bottled bacteria that tells you to add fish straight away then your good to go.

Something like ATM Colony will work which ive used, I added 30 fish and 5 bottles on day one so it works (big tank! lol) but there are others.

Thanks for the response, are my other parameters and equipment good? Yeah sounds like a big tank lol.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

It may work but is it worth taking the risk after spending the money? I prefer to err on the side of caution and not risk hurting one of God's creatures.

 

[KrisReef]

Your tank is ready to start cycling today, without fish. Your fish don't need to go through the ammonia build up and then the nitrite build up, and finally the nitrate build up.

Cycle with flake as mentioned earlier and wait 2 weeks at least to add happy fish into a ready-cycled tank.

Glad you asked, but sorry to give you the NOT TODay! reply. Good luck!

 

[Twoddler]

I would research the nitrogen cycle, and how to cycle a tank, there is a sticky on here, and not be too hasty to add fish.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Suggest you read Ron Reefman's articles on this blog. This is a hobby where you need to have a lot patience and go slow.

 

[SPR1968]

Thanks for the response, are my other parameters and equipment good? Yeah sounds like a big tank lol.

Yes your good to go.

You don’t mention an auto top off system (ATO) so if you don’t have one keep an eye on your salinity, but you really need get one if you haven’t already. The Tunze Osmolator is the ’gold standard’

 

[Dominic M]

Your tank is ready to start cycling today, without fish. Your fish don't need to go through the ammonia build up and then the nitrite build up, and finally the nitrate build up.

Cycle with flake as mentioned earlier and wait 2 weeks at least to add happy fish into a ready-cycled tank.

Glad you asked, but sorry to give you the NOT TODay! reply. Good luck!

Lol, ill look into that somemore.

 

[SPR1968]

This was my big day by the way and the 30 fish!

You will need to scale it back a little

 

[Dominic M]

This was my big day by the way and the 30 fish!

You will need to scale it back a little

Quite a few people have told me not to do this and cycle it with fish food flakes for 2 weeks what are your thoughts on this? Also was your whole 2000 liter tank cycled with fish?

 

[SPR1968]

Quite a few people have told me not to do this and cycle it with fish food flakes for 2 weeks what are your thoughts on this?

What do you think my thoughts are. It’s 2020 and although there is nothing wrong with using dead shrimps and other methods which of course work, modern science has provided better ways.

You need to be aware of all the basics, your equipment list is good, you have prepared you tank with the correct water parameters ready to start so you’ve obviously been reading up on things

Do I know what Im talking about, who knows. The link to my build thread is below so you decide

 

[Dominic M]

What do you think my thoughts are. It’s 2020 and although there is nothing wrong with using dead shrimps and other methods which of course work, modern science has provided better ways.

You need to be aware of all the basics, your equipment list is good, you have prepared you tank with the correct water parameters ready to start so you’ve obviously been reading up on things

Do I know what Im talking about, who knows. The link to my build thread is below so you decide

Was that the tank you cycled with bacteria and fish? Very impressive tank btw I'm sure you get that a lot lol.

 

[schuby]

As a suggestion, consider putting more rock in your tank. A lot of the bacteria that does good things for our tanks requires a lot of surface area to thrive. The porous rock provides this (porous rock has many times more surface area than a smooth rock). You don't need a large rock wall, but more is better than less.

Regarding the rock in the middle, is it from another reef tank? If it was and it was kept wet when transferred, then that will give you a head-start on the bacteria that will make your tank more successful, long-term (but still add the bacteria-in-a-bottle). Diversity of bacteria is always a plus for a reef tank.

When I use bacteria-in-a-bottle to start my QT tank (Dr Tim's One and Only for Saltwater), I don't add any pure ammonia, unless I'm going to perform a full, fishless cycle. When I want to add fish right away, I fill QT tank with fresh salt water, put the bacteria in, add air-stone for O2 saturation and water movement, and a heater. After temp is up to 78 and I've drip-acclimated fish for 30-45 minutes, I put the fish in the tank. I keep an ammonia badge in tank. If badge reads high, then I do a water-change to lower ammonia levels. If you add small clowns, their poop is very unlikely to overwhelm the bacteria from the bottle (feed lightly: what fish eat right away).

 

[sfairtx]

Do not add fish. You need to cycle your reef even with the “instant bacteria.” Put the bacteria in and then wait and test in a few days or even a week. I used bacteria too and I took 2 months to cycle to be sure. Had a mini second cycle after 3 weeks. This hobby is about patience. You will always find someone who cares more about instant gratification than taking care of animals and their husbandry. The overwhelming majority of reefers would tell you the same. Good luck, be patient, put the animals’ welfare first, and have fun!

 

[SPR1968]

Was that the tank you cycled with bacteria and fish? Very impressive tank btw I'm sure you get that a lot lol.

Day 1 life....