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Nothing like jumping back into the hobby. Welcome back!!!
Not a total newbie but...
- Thread starter SebM
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SebM
Community Member
As expected ammonia and nitrites further reduced in the last 48 hours. I did a 30% watcher change this morning and got two clowns shortly after.
After initially getting separated when I put them in and then hiding, they eventually found each other and are happy. They both have picked on the tiny amount of food I offered earlier.
Dr Tim rocks as does @brandon429 here. Without his threads about “new science” of cycling I would have stared at false ammonia readings for months and nitrites would have driven me insane.
I’ll keep measuring ammonia every day and should there be a small spike then it’s time for a water change.
Next week we are planning to add some GSP and a week later a CUC. Then, very slowly, add the fish we want to end up with plus more corals. The goal is, if all goes well, to have everything we want in by the new year.
Thanks everybody for their input
No live rock really freaked me out so people here putting my mind at ease was great!
After initially getting separated when I put them in and then hiding, they eventually found each other and are happy. They both have picked on the tiny amount of food I offered earlier.
Dr Tim rocks as does @brandon429 here. Without his threads about “new science” of cycling I would have stared at false ammonia readings for months and nitrites would have driven me insane.
I’ll keep measuring ammonia every day and should there be a small spike then it’s time for a water change.
Next week we are planning to add some GSP and a week later a CUC. Then, very slowly, add the fish we want to end up with plus more corals. The goal is, if all goes well, to have everything we want in by the new year.
Thanks everybody for their input
No live rock really freaked me out so people here putting my mind at ease was great!
SlugSnorter
2500 Club Member
Good job man, keep us updated!As expected ammonia and nitrites further reduced in the last 48 hours. I did a 30% watcher change this morning and got two clowns shortly after.
After initially getting separated when I put them in and then hiding, they eventually found each other and are happy. They both have picked on the tiny amount of food I offered earlier.
Dr Tim rocks as does @brandon429 here. Without his threads about “new science” of cycling I would have stared at false ammonia readings for months and nitrites would have driven me insane.
I’ll keep measuring ammonia every day and should there be a small spike then it’s time for a water change.
Next week we are planning to add some GSP and a week later a CUC. Then, very slowly, add the fish we want to end up with plus more corals. The goal is, if all goes well, to have everything we want in by the new year.
Thanks everybody for their input
SebM
Community Member
All going well
Two very happy clowns.
Ammonia has dropped a bit more, Nitrites steady at 1.5 and Nitrates around 30.
3 (very small) feeds in.
Old school skimmer (cylinder tank is too awkward to fit a hang on or internal so ended up going back in time and am using a air pump and limewood air stone) is working a treat.
Two very happy clowns.
Ammonia has dropped a bit more, Nitrites steady at 1.5 and Nitrates around 30.
3 (very small) feeds in.
Old school skimmer (cylinder tank is too awkward to fit a hang on or internal so ended up going back in time and am using a air pump and limewood air stone) is working a treat.
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SebM
Community Member
A little update.
Clowns are very happy. It took them until yesterday to finally come to the top when offered food (until then they picked up a little piece of food whenever it happened to float in front of them).
They have settled into their routine now. Sleep in a cave at the very bottom of the rock, go to their favourite spot (unfortunately at back of tank near the heater and skimmer) and spend most of the day there and then swim around the reef late afternoon and evening until lights out.
Parameters are stable on API with ammonia of course showing 0.3 (but no change despite fish and feeding) and nitrates slowly increasing every day (around 50 now). Bacteria clearly doing its job which is no surprise after two bottles of Dr Tim’s and three ammonia dosings over 10 days prior to adding the clowns.
I’ve so far topped up once on Saturday as the salinity had increased a tiny amount due to evaporation. As a an extra safety net I added a small amount of Prime (about half way to the recommended dose to “detoxify” ammonia).
Overall I’m very impressed with the “new” cycling method of live sand, Caribsea and TMC rock and Dr Tim’s.
I’ll probably do a small water change on Wednesday in advance of getting the first GSP frag on Thursday.
We will hold off on more fish for another few weeks but I’ll probably get a small CUC next week or the week after.
Clowns are very happy. It took them until yesterday to finally come to the top when offered food (until then they picked up a little piece of food whenever it happened to float in front of them).
They have settled into their routine now. Sleep in a cave at the very bottom of the rock, go to their favourite spot (unfortunately at back of tank near the heater and skimmer) and spend most of the day there and then swim around the reef late afternoon and evening until lights out.
Parameters are stable on API with ammonia of course showing 0.3 (but no change despite fish and feeding) and nitrates slowly increasing every day (around 50 now). Bacteria clearly doing its job which is no surprise after two bottles of Dr Tim’s and three ammonia dosings over 10 days prior to adding the clowns.
I’ve so far topped up once on Saturday as the salinity had increased a tiny amount due to evaporation. As a an extra safety net I added a small amount of Prime (about half way to the recommended dose to “detoxify” ammonia).
Overall I’m very impressed with the “new” cycling method of live sand, Caribsea and TMC rock and Dr Tim’s.
I’ll probably do a small water change on Wednesday in advance of getting the first GSP frag on Thursday.
We will hold off on more fish for another few weeks but I’ll probably get a small CUC next week or the week after.
SebM
Community Member
Our two clowns continue to be happy and yesterday our coral frags arrived.
We have a small and medium sized GSP and both are happy after a day without light (and the shipping ordeal plus dipping), a purple pavona, a green pavona (both look happy) and a small Kenya tree.
The tree was laying on its side and looked pretty sorry for itself. This morning still the same but less shrivelled up. Next thing I know the top half split off and what is left is now slowly standing up. The top half attached itself in a small hole on a rock and started opening up a little but it has now disappeared. From reading things I guess this may still attach itself somewhere and then grow?
Next stop: Clean up grew. I'm not 100% sure yet what to get so any suggestions welcome. Also, how long should we wait after having added the corals yesterday? All parameters are fine. I've also added a Seachem ammonia badge and that looks good too.
We have a small and medium sized GSP and both are happy after a day without light (and the shipping ordeal plus dipping), a purple pavona, a green pavona (both look happy) and a small Kenya tree.
The tree was laying on its side and looked pretty sorry for itself. This morning still the same but less shrivelled up. Next thing I know the top half split off and what is left is now slowly standing up. The top half attached itself in a small hole on a rock and started opening up a little but it has now disappeared. From reading things I guess this may still attach itself somewhere and then grow?
Next stop: Clean up grew. I'm not 100% sure yet what to get so any suggestions welcome. Also, how long should we wait after having added the corals yesterday? All parameters are fine. I've also added a Seachem ammonia badge and that looks good too.
SlugSnorter
2500 Club Member
Kenya trees will take over the tank, so be careful if you don't want that
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