Saltwater Aquarium Newbie

[pizano911]

Hi Guys! I am pretty new to the hobby.
I am stuck on what to do next. A friend order me 2 Orange Strom Clownfish that will arrive March 1st, and he cant cacel the order for some reason.
I need to know how to get my tank ready fro thrm.


My set up:

Waterbox AIO 20g cube.
Hygger mini wave maker
Nitecrew 50 watt led light
Tunze Nano ATO 3152
Syncra Silent 1.5 pump
Comline Doc Skimmer, (Not yet installed)
100W Titanium Aquarium Heater System Wifi

I am on week two of cycling my tank, I used Live sand but Marco reef rocks.

I added Bacteria from Microbe-Lift Special Blend, guy at the fish store said to pour half of bottle right away and wait 3 weeks.

Current Levels:
Ammonia Levels: .2
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 2
Salinity -35ppt

 

[Idech]

I’ve never used that Microbe lift but how are you dosing ammonia ? If you have nitrates, then ammonia is being converted for sure.

You have very little nitrate though so you could be cycled, but only for a very light bio load.

 

[pizano911]

I have not been dosing ammonia, which one do you recommend?

 

[pizano911]

I’ve never used that Microbe lift but how are you dosing ammonia ? If you have nitrates, then ammonia is being converted for sure.

You have very little nitrate though so you could be cycled, but only for a very light bio load.

I have not been dosing ammonia, which one do you recommend?

 

[Idech]

I have not been dosing ammonia, which one do you recommend?

I really don’t know what the protocol is when you add bacteria like microbe lift. I don’t know if you need to add ammonia but the easiest thing to add is Dr Tim’s ammonia.

If you decide to get some, just don’t do what it says on the bottle as it will be way too much. Start with 25% of what it says and monitor how much ammonia you get from it. People usually want 2 ppm, and you want it to convert to nitrates in 24 hours. So when you test the next day, ammonia should be 0 and nitrates should have increased. When your tank can process 2 ppm ammonia in 24 hours, it can withstand 1-2 small fish to start with. Then you wait a few weeks and add a little more. And so forth.

But then again, check the protocol with the bacteria you added.

 

[pizano911]

You said to

I really don’t know what the protocol is when you add bacteria like microbe lift. I don’t know if you need to add ammonia but the easiest thing to add is Dr Tim’s ammonia.

If you decide to get some, just don’t do what it says on the bottle as it will be way too much. Start with 25% of what it says and monitor how much ammonia you get from it. People usually want 2 ppm, and you want it to convert to nitrates in 24 hours. So when you test the next day, ammonia should be 0 and nitrates should have increased. When your tank can process 2 ppm ammonia in 24 hours, it can withstand 1-2 small fish to start with. Then you wait a few weeks and add a little more. And so forth.

But then again, check the protocol with the bacteria you added.

wait

 

[pizano911]

You said to wait a few weeks to add more, add more ammonia or more fish?

 

[Idech]

You said to wait a few weeks to add more, add more ammonia or more fish?

Wait a few weeks between fish additions, to give time for more bacteria to form, so your tank can handle a bigger bioload.

Once your ammonia is converted to nitrates within 24 hours, you’re cycled. You never have to add anymore ammonia.

 

[pizano911]

Thanks for the info, I will let you know what happens