Need advise on new tank setup.

Hi Guys,

Finally got myself an account for this web site.
Anyway my name's jim and charmaine (inuki) my wife.

Seeking you guy's professionalism to make my fish tanks looks more beautiful.

Ok, my fish tank 2ft wide x 30cm x 44cm in height.

Had filled up my tank with fine sand. about 5cm in height. And setup of 1 gravel air pipe on each of both corners diagonally. One of the other corner, I've place a filter with powerhead. Lighting wise I've a blue and a pink lighting. Is it ok that i switch on both lightning day and night ?

The water had been pumped for a week and I believe I can start to put in my LR and let it pump for another 2-3 week right? Also at the meantime I'll test the nitrate lvl every 1.5 weeks or so before I start adding in my LS. Is there any advice on this? Normally for you guys adding LR prior to putting it into the tank. Do you isolate and pump the LR for a period of time ? Pls advice. Thanks




;D Moderator ... can you delete the same thread from inuki's posting earlier on. Made a mistake on that. Should've use my logon instead.

 

Hi Origin05,
I didn't realize you were Inuki's husband. Boy you two are really getting into Aquarium keeping.
So you have an under gravel (Sand) filter? that is why you have gravel air pipes? If so it is not nesessary and I would remove it before you put your LR in.
As for your lights. All lights have a "colour temperature" that is measured in "Kalvin" Try to find out what the Kalvin is as well as how many Watts the light use. This will help us a lot.

Jason

 

Both the lightning is @ 15w. Is the gravel not that necessary? How do I see kelvin rating? ITs not anywhere on the fluorescent tube though....

If I had put in the LR roughly how long will I need to settle the water before putting in LS.

Thanx for yr help Jason

Jim

 

The time it takes between adding LR until it is ok to add fish all depends on the level on amonia, nitirites, and nitrates. When you add LR to the tank odds are the levels will be close to zero, after a couple of days the levels will start to go up. with in a few weeks the levels will start to come back down. Your pet store should have test kits to measure the level of these chemicals in your tank water. When amonia is 0 and nitrite is 0 and nitrate is less than 10 it ok.

J

 

well, juz add in some LR again. Is 9KG of LR for a 2feet tank abit overcrowded .... this is only the 2nd week ....
probably 2 more weeks to go before i can start adding in LS. What do ya guys think ????

 

You can start to add LS once the Amonia and Nitrite levels equal zero. You should also test the water for Nitate it should be no hight that 10
I would not add anything alive until these level are correct


J

 

IMHO.. Wouldn't you add at least a few hardy fish like damsels to speed up the cycle ? I mean Damsels can pretty much handle high levels of Nitrite. When you notice that the Nitrite levels have come down, sell back the fish for some really nice fish or Corals...

When I started my tank, that is what I did.... but it is up to you...

 

OK I'll be the "No Cycling with Fish Nazi"! I really discourage this archaivc method of cycling the tank. Imagine yourself being thrown into ye old tear gas chamber with no gas mask just because you were considered a tough guy. Well welcome to the world of the damsel fish.

I recommend using a cup of live sand to seed the cycle or a nylon stocking with raw shrimp. Both will cycle your tank with no unecassary harm to any fish.

The second issue is one of stocking the tank. Unless you really want damsels as part of your fish community, don't put them in your tank. They can be very aggressive toward other fish and are difficult to catch if you want to remove them from a tank with live rock. More aggressive fish should be the lat fish introduced to the tank and this method of cycling gums that up pretty good.

Just some friendly advice, no criticism or put down intended.

Soap box officially retired!

;D 8) :

 

I hope I didn't sound too mean... but I always had the impression that even with live sand or live rock, you still need to create secretion/ammonia waste to get the nitrogen cycle going. A couple of dead shrimp in a nylon stocking will not be able to generate any waste for the cycle to start or so I was led to believe.

Of course, as I am somewhat new to the "reef" world, I could be all wrong.

Who told me this ???? Well a few books and - believe it or not a few "fish" stores... they probably just wanted my business so they were more than eager to sacrifice a few damsels for return business - they were very eager to buy back my damsels when my tank had completed its nitrite/ammonia cycle.

If sacrificing Damsels is not the proper way, what is the best way to start the cycle then ?

 

I am new to salt water aquariums and I was told the same thing. They told me to cycle with damsels and they would buy them back afterwards. This seems to be the way that it is done here in Ontario according to Big Als. I am presently cycling with shrimp. But I have no idea how long this will take, or how many shrimp I should be using. I have a 75 gal aquarium.