Tank Cycle Advice

[BNanch86]

Hello Everybody,

My tank has been set up for two days now and I’m almost certainly going to go down the ATM Colony route for cycling.

Set-up below ...

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fluval-evo-13-5.755325/
My question is, should I test my parameters before I add Colony? This maybe a stupid question so please go easy on me!

Ideally, I’m going to go into my LFS on Sunday and pick up two platinum clowns with the required amount of colony added too. This route might I add was suggested earlier this week at my LFS after a lengthy discussion with the owner

Thanks in advance
Ben

 

[brandon429]

that tank is likely already cycled we are about to find out

(not the glass part, the rocks, they appear to be pre-wet already live rocks from another reef. moving them to your reef preserves the bacteria, it doesnt kill it, they transfer 100%)


before adding fish we need to choose a disease protocol, it likely can house some, but we need to verify first.


did those rocks come from another container of water when you got them, the growths on them cannot just appear in 76 hours. it takes days underwater to have partial matted coverage of living materials


are those live rocks, from a tank at the pet store

if those were totally dry rocks when you added them Ill be astounded beyond measure.

 

[brandon429]

let's pretend this is vegas and your cycle is a roulette wheel.

Im placing a james bond sized stack of orange chips, the 10K ones, that the reef has pre cycled live rock from another tank and he has mentioned fish to you so early because the rock is 100% ready.

all chips in, on that even before any confirmation, based on visual benthic clues.

 

[BNanch86]

Hi @brandon429,

it’s caribsea life rock.
https://charterhouse-aquatics.com/shop/aquatics/decoration/life-rock/caribsea-life-rock-shapes-20lb

 

[Labora]

let's pretend this is vegas and your cycle is a roulette wheel.

Im placing a james bond sized stack of orange chips, the 10K ones, that the reef has pre cycled live rock from another tank and he has mentioned fish to you so early because the rock is 100% ready.

all chips in, on that even before any confirmation, based on visual benthic clues.

Ouch. We weren't all made to be gamblers my friend.

 

[Labora]

Hi @brandon429,

it’s caribsea life rock.
https://charterhouse-aquatics.com/shop/aquatics/decoration/life-rock/caribsea-life-rock-shapes-20lb

I use LifeRock as well. Your tank still looks like it's got the new tank syndrome though with the haziness and all. I would try to give it a few weeks before adding clowns for bacteria to settle.

 

[BNanch86]

@Labora thanks but I’ve not added colony yet.

I think maybe I’ve confused myself :D. what I was told by my LFS is that I can pick up the two clowns and use colony when I put them in?

 

[terraincognita]

Just go to your LFS, grab this now, throw it in, and then on Sunday get your clowns.

Safer route.

 

[terraincognita]

@Labora thanks but I’ve not added colony yet.

I think maybe I’ve confused myself :D. what I was told by my LFS is that I can pick up the two clowns and use colony when I put them in?

you can, and they will be 90% okay, pending they're not already undergoing some other type of stress from parasites or a disease.

clownfish are very hardy.

would be better to add the colony sooner.

but you can do it same day.

just to be fair I'd give it an hour or so before you add the clowns.

i.e. add the colony, and just dump the clowns in the bag in the tank.

wait half an hour, then start acclimating the clowns (since they're the first thing in your tank you don't need to QT, but just wait 3 weeks to observe them before you add anything else, and then you will want to QT future additions) with a inline tube tied in a knot, put them in the bag in a tupperware container next to the tank and tighten the knot to a slow dribble.

and then add them to the tank.

Or just add the colony now and save the half an hour extra time later.

will also be easier on the fish.

 

[brandon429]

liferock will self activate in 12 days no extra bac, they charge for having included it already in the paint

give the caribsea liferock site a good read through, see if you think they still need more bacteria. they sell it in bags of wet sand, like bottle items...painting it on in a shellac that releases when hydrated is about right for 2020

aware most reefers add the bottle bac anyway, but check their site out see if it really seems like they're incapable of providing bacteria already in the painted coralline
https://caribsea.com/aquarium/#LifeRock
orange chips = $5 ones heh

in a few more days time, you can ammonia oxidize test this sitting setup to see if its ready/no guess required. if it didnt pass, and liferock did not self activate, we could work em over good for the wrong info