Hello All... New to the Hobby, have a ?

[tinydove]

Hi all ...real nice site. I have just set up a 55g and it has been running for about 4 weeks now; my ? is... is it OK to add cured rock a little at a time while it is cycling? ( it tends to add up $$$$ wise ) I have about 20 lbs of live rock right now. My LFS has a tank set up that you can buy it from and said I can put it right in my tank.

the LFS also sold me a few damsels to help with the cycling and all have been doing great so far (they have been in and swimming for just over 2 weeks now and all are eating )

I plan on it being a reef tank w/ corals and fish. so is it OK to add the LR a bit at a time each week? I am quite willing to wait to add fish and coral if adding the LR will be a problem...i'm not in a hurry to see any fish I buy die.

Any input anyone has to help me better understand this hobby would be a great help. Thanks

[karlas]

if its completly cured lr and fresh from the lfs you can add it to the tank without anything happening. its when its been shipped overnigt and has a lot of die off when it needs to be cured seperatly after fish have been added. i did that with mine, started with 55 lb box in the mail after the cycle added fresh lr here and there and it was all fine.

its actually better to cycle fishless with some peel and eat shrimp. a lot of lfs still go with damsels to cycle but even though they may live its still very hard on them physically. and not reccomended by most hobbyist.

sites

nitrogen cycle

reef keeping 101

[NUGIO]

Welcome Tinydove!
Like Karlas said its better to cycle w/shrimp than fish but we all make that mistake!
If them little guys werent in there Id say put in any LR you wanted that way the die off would fuel the cycle and you'd cure your LR at the same time.
Karma 4 ya! no one should have 0

[Jason McKenzie]

I agree with above. The propose of the damsels are to start the LR cycling. Using the damsels will cause them a great deal of stress. I hope they do OK. If the LR is fully cured by the LFS you should only have small cycles every time you add a bit more rock. this will decrease as the ratio of rock in your tank to the rock you add becomes larger. I would not add anything until all the rock is in the tank and the cycle is completed for at least a week.
if Damsels are a fish you wish to keeping your reef then at this point I would keep them but if not I would take them back to the LFS and cycle your tank with shrimp.

Good Luck and keep us posted . It sounds like you've got a good handle on start up.


In your profile page you can add you tank details in the box marked signature. That way it will post at the bottom of all you threads and you don't have to write it every time.

J

[Craig Manoukian]

Welcome to 3Reef tinydove, you've gotten great advice from everyone!

[tinydove]

Thank You All so very much for all your help with my ?s.

It is nice to know that there are people out there that are willing to help a lil' dove in distress...LOL

As for the damsels they seem to be doing just fine...I do not plan on keeping them once my tank is all set, the LFS said I could bring them back and I would get credit for them for any other fish I may want.

I plan on having some soft corals and I would love a pair of Maroon clowns ( I think they are beautiful) also I just might try my luck at a BTA when the time comes.

Any info anyone feels I might need to keep the clowns and anemone, would be of great help. Thanks again to all

PS: I have been told to wait about 8 weeks before my tank is ready, is this a true statement I should go by.

[Jason McKenzie]

I would go by what the water parameters staight. So get the store credit and us it to but test kits for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nirtate.

J

[Craig Manoukian]

Eight weeks is too short a time in my opinion for a BTA. Anenomes need a well established tank and a year is better. I would add the soft corals and a few fish, leaving room for the BTA and the clown fish. Then add the BTA and let it get acclimated and comfortable for a couple of months before adding the clowns last, juvenile clowns would be preferable.

We can discuss your stocking plan in more detail once you have removed the damsels.

[blue_eyes53813]

Just wanted to say HI,,, Welcome to 3reef.

[Speedy]

Welcome to 3reef dove. *Here you're in good hands.

On the cycle, it is very important that you remember that patience pays off in this hobby. *Quoting the great Kingfish "Go slow, let it grow". * Especially as newbies in the hobby we tend to let our impulses take over from time to time. Practice going to LFS just to ask questions and making it a goal to walk out empty- handed. Let your cycle finish, before adding your livestock. *

My landlord setup a beautiful tank, must be at least 55 gal. *He didn't wait long enough for his cycle to finish. *Within a week he lost most of his livestock including several really expensive fish. *Now he hates the fact that his $2000 hobby hasn't turned out the way he wanted. *And has to practically start from scratch.

Now the maroons. *Beautiful fish that they are. *Personally I prefer the gold-stripe variety. *However, allow me to warn you that they are very aggressive. *Mine wants to eat me through the aquarium glass. Introduce the pair at the same time or they will have it out to the death. *Let the BTA acclimate for awhile before introducing the maroons. *And as previously stated, I'd wait a while before introducing the BTA.

For the time being I suggest, that you spare the lives of the damsels. Use the credit to get more LR and thus help speed up the duration of your cycle. *Once the cycle is completed, add snails, hermits and a sand-sifting star. *This will be your clean-up crew. *I'd add at least one snail and hermit per gallon. *Be careful in the selection of hermits, some aren't very friendly. *If I'm not mistaken the blue legged hermits are pretty safe. *These little guys should make it pretty interesting and easy to keep the tank clean. *Also as time goes by watch your LR closely. You will see why they call it Live Rock * *

But be patient my friend it pays off.

Happy Reefing!