New reef tank owner questions

[Fish Fan]

I’m kind of on the same boat, i bought a used tank, did a 100% water change last week and added 3/4 new live sand from my LFS. My tank came with aged live rock, water and sand.

My test results within the last two days ;
Ph 8
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10ppm

Ph 8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10ppm

I’ve dosed microbactor for the last two days as well

-32G BioCube

If you used wet rocks from another tank that had been running some time, you're cycled

I would not continue with the MicroBacter7 product. The rock not only has all the bacteria you need, but many of those bacteria products don't included the bacteria that we really want to grow long term. Think of them more like a band-aid, not a cure. They often included hetortrophic bacteria that are facultative nitrifying bacteria that *can* process ammonia, but do not always have to process ammonia. What you really want are obligate nitrifying bacteria that *have* to process ammonia all the time to survive. The rock should already have those desirable bacteria.

There's also no need to do a water change at this point. Typically, a water change after the cycle is suggested as a way to lower nitrate (which are often very high because people add too much ammonia), but your nitrate at 10 ppm is absolutely fine.

I would feel comfortable starting to add some hardy livestock. Good luck!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

You have gotten some great advice here! As Mojo said, I would always check any advice given from a LFS, remember they are there to make money. Folks here just want to help others succeed in this hobby. Please get rid of those test strips. Salifert makes some great test kits, at a very reasonable price. Hanna are a gold standard of sorts, but rather pricey for first starting out. Also, please do not add fish until you know your tank has cycled. That is old school info and actually rather cruel to the animals. There are many methods of getting thru your cycle quickly, and if you started with rock and or sand from an established tank, well that is an unbeatable starting point. I also FULLY agree with keeping lights off at first. Even once you introduce fish, they don't need light and it only feeds the "ugly phase" I kept my lights off for the 1st 3.5 months, and avoided the ugly phase altogether.

 

[baba.aqua]

If you used wet rocks from another tank that had been running some time, you're cycled

I would not continue with the MicroBacter7 product. The rock not only has all the bacteria you need, but many of those bacteria products don't included the bacteria that we really want to grow long term. Think of them more like a band-aid, not a cure. They often included hetortrophic bacteria that are facultative nitrifying bacteria that *can* process ammonia, but do not always have to process ammonia. What you really want are obligate nitrifying bacteria that *have* to process ammonia all the time to survive. The rock should already have those desirable bacteria.

There's also no need to do a water change at this point. Typically, a water change after the cycle is suggested as a way to lower nitrate (which are often very high because people add too much ammonia), but your nitrate at 10 ppm is absolutely fine.

I would feel comfortable starting to add some hardy livestock. Good luck!

I’ve been hearing about apex pods, should i even worry about that?

 

[Fish Fan]

I’ve been hearing about apex pods, should i even worry about that?

Do you mean adding Copepods? You can, just make sure there's something in the tank for them to eat, and if not you may've to add some phytoplankton for them.

Many R2R members will tell you that you don't have to add copepods, that they will come all on their own, and this is true. Once you add your first coral frags, 'pods will hitchhike in and populate your tank in no time.

If you do want to buy some to add, check out R2R member @Eldredge he does a great job with both 'pods and phytoplankton. You can reach out to him here on R2R, or through his website:
https://reefplantation.com/

 

[baba.aqua]

Do you mean adding Copepods? You can, just make sure there's something in the tank for them to eat, and if not you may've to add some phytoplankton for them.

Many R2R members will tell you that you don't have to add copepods, that they will come all on their own, and this is true. Once you add your first coral frags, 'pods will hitchhike in and populate your tank in no time.

If you do want to buy some to add, check out R2R member @Eldredge he does a great job with both 'pods and phytoplankton. You can reach out to him here on R2R, or through his website:
https://reefplantation.com/

I have some algae on my live rocks, do they eat that?

 

[Fish Fan]

I have some algae on my live rocks, do they eat that?

Yes, they eat diatoms and some algae too.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Yes, they eat diatoms and some algae too.

I have a question for you on the copepod subject. My tank is 2 years old now, 90 gallons, with about 75 lbs. of live rock. I have been adding 2 jars of pods monthly since the beginning. So the question is , is it a good idea to continue this practice, or would it be okay to refrain from that at this point? I don't mind doing it, and can afford it, just don't want to throw money away if it is no longer a necessity .

 

[Fish Fan]

I have a question for you on the copepod subject. My tank is 2 years old now, 90 gallons, with about 75 lbs. of live rock. I have been adding 2 jars of pods monthly since the beginning. So the question is , is it a good idea to continue this practice, or would it be okay to refrain from that at this point? I don't mind doing it, and can afford it, just don't want to throw money away if it is no longer a necessity .

Just for me personally, I don't typically add 'pods, I've done so here and there, but I'm kind of in the camp that once they are in your tank, the population self regulates depending on how much food they have. Continuously adding them I believe may be a waste of money because unless you add more food for them (phyto), what are they going to do but die?

Where I am on this now, I think it's a better idea to regularly dose phyto to bolster the 'pods already in the tank, and because other organisms can filter feed the phytoplankton too. I am now getting into culturing my own phyto to have to it super fresh, on hand, and a little cheaper too, though it's not expensive to buy. I do recommend @eldrege I mentioned above, I got phytoplankton, 'pods, and a fertilizer to culture the phyto from him, very good price, service, and products.

Of course, that advice may be totally wrong if you're trying to keep enough 'pods to feed fish like a Mandarin. In this case, the fish may be putting a hurting on the 'pods, and adding them routinely may be a good idea.

I hope that helps!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Just for me personally, I don't typically add 'pods, I've done so here and there, but I'm kind of in the camp that once they are in your tank, the population self regulates depending on how much food they have. Continuously adding them I believe may be a waste of money because unless you add more food for them (phyto), what are they going to do but die?

Where I am on this now, I think it's a better idea to regularly dose phyto to bolster the 'pods already in the tank, and because other organisms can filter feed the phytoplankton too. I am now getting into culturing my own phyto to have to it super fresh, on hand, and a little cheaper too, though it's not expensive to buy. I do recommend @eldrege I mentioned above, I got phytoplankton, 'pods, and a fertilizer to culture the phyto from him, very good price, service, and products.

Of course, that advice may be totally wrong if you're trying to keep enough 'pods to feed fish like a Mandarin. In this case, the fish may be putting a hurting on the 'pods, and adding them routinely may be a good idea.

I hope that helps!

This does help! Thank you. I have been thinking about stopping. I do really want a Mandarin dragonet! But the only ones I can find are from Biota, and they are VERY TINY! I feel like a 3/4" fish in my tank would just become a snack for someone! I do have a Diamond goby and a YWG, so I know they both eat pods. I may give it a go, and see how the tank fairs. Thank you again for your help.

 

[Fish Fan]

This does help! Thank you. I have been thinking about stopping. I do really want a Mandarin dragonet! But the only ones I can find are from Biota, and they are VERY TINY! I feel like a 3/4" fish in my tank would just become a snack for someone! I do have a Diamond goby and a YWG, so I know they both eat pods. I may give it a go, and see how the tank fairs. Thank you again for your help.

Yes, from what I've read the Mandarins from Biota come in quite small, in fact, I believe most of their fish do. But, the Mandarins from Biota are said to eat prepared foods, not just live 'pods, which is awesome. I once ordered a Court Jester Goby from Biota, and the wild caught ones are said to be hard to feed. My Court Jester from Biota ate everything and everything, even pellets, so I think when I get my future pair of Mandarins I'm going to go with Biota. Maybe the thing to do would be to setup a temporary tank for them and grow them out a bit before adding them to a large tank.