Just started cycling

[Hooked on Corals]

I just finished filling the 250 gallon tank with salt water and years of cycled live rock. It’s been running about a week. I added some niteout bacteria. Is it too early to add a hardy fish?

If I were to add one what would be the best fish?

I tested water and levels were
Ammonia around 0.15
Nitrite was 0
Nitrate was 0
High range PH 8.1

 

[castellanamattia]

I just finished filling the 250 gallon tank with salt water and years of cycled live rock. It’s been running about a week. I added some niteout bacteria. Is it too early to add a hardy fish?

If I were to add one what would be the best fish?

I tested water and levels were
Ammonia around 0.15
Nitrite was 0
Nitrate was 0
High range PH 8.1

Wait another week, then you can try to add one or two but only if the ammonia is going down ;-)

You could add clowns or chromis

 

[Fish Fan]

Ammonia at 0.15 ppm is of no real concern, and quite likely test kit error, especially if you're using the API brand test kit. The API ammonia kit often shows a very low level of ammonia when other indicators (such as the age of the tank) would suggest that it's much lower or even zero.

I wouldn't worry about the ammonia unless it's rising, and reaching above 0.50 ppm. You have mature live rock that should easily be able to support livestock. I say add your fish

What fish to add depends a little on your overall stocking plan. Generally, it can be a good idea to add the most shy, timid fish first to give them a chance to find their hiding places and feel comfortable, and add more aggressive fish (like Clownfish) last.

It's also a really great idea, in my opinion, to consider QT'ing your own fish at home, or purchasing pre-QT'd fish from one of the vendors offering that service now.

This is the R2R QT protocol many of us use, if it's helpful:

Current Quarantine Protocol

2024 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these...

www.reef2reef.com

Good luck!

 

[lieberca]

I always test my cycling by adding a small raw shrimp from the grocery store to slowly decay. If you don't see any ammonia in a few days then the bacteria is doing its job :]

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would say your tank has not started cycling, I see no sign of it. Nitrates should be somewhere around 20 ish IMO. The .15 can easily be error, and based on 0 nitrite/nitrate I would say it is error. It needs some kind of ammonia to start, how did you start the cycle?

EDIT: just saw you started with live rock, disregard my comment sorry

 

[Rob A]

I cycled my 180 gal that was set up with live rock from an 5+ year old tank. I filled it with fresh saltwater turned everything on for a few days and added 5 Chromis no issues and I still have one 5 years later. I started adding my other fish about 2 months after that.

 

[Uncle99]

I just finished filling the 250 gallon tank with salt water and years of cycled live rock. It’s been running about a week. I added some niteout bacteria. Is it too early to add a hardy fish?

If I were to add one what would be the best fish?

I tested water and levels were
Ammonia around 0.15
Nitrite was 0
Nitrate was 0
High range PH 8.1

If you filled with “years of cycled live rock” , then cycle is already completed last week.

Secondary is adding bacteria and a week would amount to the same.

You could have put a fish in right away, or latest, at weeks end.

Or do I misunderstand?

 

[BeanAnimal]

Wait another week, then you can try to add one or two but only if the ammonia is going down ;-)

You could add clowns or chromis

Why wait another week? The tank was started with cycled rock to begin with and ammonia is zero within the margin of error of testing.

 

[Hooked on Corals]

I just finished filling the 250 gallon tank with salt water and years of cycled live rock. It’s been running about a week. I added some niteout bacteria. Is it too early to add a hardy fish?

If I were to add one what would be the best fish?

I tested water and levels were
Ammonia around 0.15
Nitrite was 0
Nitrate was 0
High range PH 8.1

You understood correctly. I bought live rock that had been cycling for years from someone that had a large gray trashcan of clean cycled rock in saltwater in the garage. All I did was put RODI water with red sea salt in the tank
And have the tank on.

 

[Hooked on Corals]

 

[Hooked on Corals]

 

[JumboShrimp]

250 gallons with cycled rock? I definitely vote "Yes" for one small fish!

 

[castellanamattia]

Sure but I prefer to wait for few days more to be sure that it works. Why rush it?

 

[Hooked on Corals]

Sure but I prefer to wait for few days more to be sure that it works. Why rush it?

Yes very true.

 

[Uncle99]

Then ready she is!
Enjoy

That’s going to be a Beauty!

 

[Hooked on Corals]

Then ready she is!
Enjoy

That’s going to be a Beauty!

Thank you so much!