Ready for fish?

I

ibanezgfx

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Nov 7, 2005
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my tank has been up and running for 2 weeks now, 1.5 with live rock which is starting to grow nice coraline algae, but also some ugly brown algae.

parameters are
ammonia : 0
nitrites : 0
nitrates : 5-10
pH : 8.4
sg : 1.023

ready for a fish? im thinking 1 false percula clown for now

EDIT: i also have a cleaning crew of 10 hermits (4 zebra, 4 blue leg, 2 scarlet) and 4 astrea snails
 
It sounds like you are through with your cycling but I would still wait another 30 days so your tank becomes more mature. That's what I did, anyway. The brown algae is diatoms and normal for a new tank.
If it were my tank, I would add 2 false percs. :)
 
It's not fair to the damnsels to add them to a tank just to get a cycle going. Just because they are cheap does not mean they are expendable.
Instead of adding a fish for your cycle, you could drop a couple flakes of fish food to get your cycle going. I didn't add anything to my tank except playsand, base rock and live rock and my tank cycled in only 18 days.
 
caro pero said:
add damsel fish and keep them until ammonia levels go up and then back down again.
Click to expand...

In addition to the above the previous poster's coment on using damsels to cycle the tank, I'd also like to add that they really aren't that hardy in my epierience, just cheap enough that people don't think about them that much.
 
IF you are going to use anything (fish that is) to cycle your tank, my suggestion would be to use reef chromis. They are inexpensive, very tough, and no where near as territorial as damsels. Most of them should survive the cycle, and you will be better off for it. Damsels are a terror in the tank, they will pick on fish 3 or 4 times there size; and try catching them once you have rock in your tank!

Hint: if you have a friend or a trusted (key word trusted) source, you can borrow or exchange bio balls from an established tank, or some live sand, this will help speed up your cycle. AGAIN, key word is trusted!!
 
depending on how much live rock you have add a few hermits the`l keep your lr in good shape also give u summat to look at while your still in cycling but remember to acclimitise them
 
The fact that you are testing nitrates means your tank has at least cycled for the load it is carrying (which is not much). The live rock has done its purpose and sped up the cycle. I would say, IMO, you are safe to add your clownfish at this point. Make it two right off the bat, or else if you just got one and decided to do one later then they'll likely fight. Pick up some Ammonia Detoxifer (such as PRIME) just in case, and test your levels daily. If you notice a slight ammonia spike due to the increased bioload then add the reccommended dose to the tank to remove it. Slowly lower the dose and you should be fine, it wont have too much effect on the cycling process.

That is, if you get any ammonia at all. I'm not sure the tank size so I can't say for sure whether the load of 2 clowns would effect it or not.

:)
-Diana
 
ok well i got one in there now, seems to be doing ok, levels still are good

the fish doesnt move much. he stays in the corner of the tank and just goes up and down and seems like he wont eat. been in there for 2 days now, so maybe hes just still not used to the tank i suppose.

could the flow be too strong for it? i have an aquaclear 110 fuge running the slowest it can and a maxijet 900, so could it just have too strong of flow?
 
What fish did you add? My percula does exactly what yours is doing quite a bit (He's been like that for about the 7 years or so I've had him). I doubt the flow is too strong, but I guess could be. You could try to experiment with it some if you want to. What are you feeding him? Same thing that the store owner (or wherever you bought him from) fed him?

My perc is pretty choosy about what he eats. Won't hardly eat flake food at all and just a little bit of frozen brine/mysis or a cuisine of sorts. What he really likes and really goes after is frozen formula one. I slice off 6 or 7 small slices and he will eat them all if he can.

I would not worry too much about the brown algae. Most new tanks go thru it. I would suggest getting 2, 3 or 4 different kinds of snails (one or two each) and put in there. I think a couple of margarita snails would do a good job on it.

Since it is still pretty new, I would keep a close eye on it, do a water change every couple of days or so (or keep up with the tests).

Good Luck. Frank
 
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