Can I add fish know???
16 posts • Page 1 of 2
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mro2you2 - Posts: 625
- Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:37 pm
Can I add fish know???
I have cycled for about 2 weeks and I didnt test amonenia but I tested nitrite and thats zero. Am I good to go?? A guy at a fish store said some hermit crabs first then fish. Should I get a couple of hermits?? I have no algea ( well, a little but not much ) nor food for them to scavange & I know I shouldnt just dump food in inless I have fish. My first fish I was thinking was a royal gramma or a clown. And I only plan to have a bioload of four fish besides inverbrates.
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newbie916 - Posts: 375
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:12 pm
Welcome to the hobby:) I would probably hold off on getting fish or corals right now. The tank hasn't had time to cycle and for the most part you should wait at least a month before adding livestock. If your planning to add more live rock. I would do it early on in the process. How are your other readings. PH, Alk, Calcium, magnesium, phos, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia. You want to make sure these are stable for a few weeks. What happens is you'll get some die off from your rocks and it'll cause your water to deteriate. Do small weekly water changes and then add a few cleaning crew. If those survive, start adding a fish here and there. Are you planning to have a reef system or fish only? Hope this helps.
Chris
Chris
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mro2you2 - Posts: 625
- Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:37 pm
thank I love to be in it. I have alot of inverbrates all ready that are all fine and happy ( bristle stars, sponges, sand sifting stars, copeapods etc.) I dont have a test kit yet ran out of money when I bought every thing ( heater, hyrometer, and a test kit). When I said I only tested nitrite it was the only thing that my fresh test kit said would work with a salt as it said on the sheet. So I should go and (well first buy what I dont have yet of course) buy some cleaners and after a week/month get some fish ???
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newbie916 - Posts: 375
- Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:12 pm
If you don't have the money to buy the test kits the LFS's will usually test for free. Just bring in a water sample. What kind of fish to add depends on what kind of tank you want. If you want corals you'll have to avoid most angel fish and butterfly fish. Some fish such as blenny's will nip at clams and some fish are very territorial. Make sure you do your research before buying any coral or fish. It'll save you a lot of money and heartache in the future. I started about 2 years ago and now I have three tanks going. A 95 gallon reef mostly LPS and softees with a variety of fish. My 24 gallon is a mixed reef with SPS,LPS, Softees and only two fish. The third tank is just a 12 gallon with a little live rock and a Majenta Dottyback. I use it as a quarantine tank. Anyways, it's an addicting and expensive hobby, but it's awesome:) Good luck and have fun.
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puffedupseagull - Posts: 623
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:38 am
No no and no is what i say unfortunately.
The tank will not cycle in 2 weeks, more like 6 or so.
You can really speed it up by putting a decaying or rotten shrimp in a ladies old stocking and hang it in front of a power head, once you see 0 ammonia, and 0 nitRITE then your nitRATE will rise. That is when you start water changes and add fish. Do no put in inverts first, as they perish much easier than most fish. Hardy species like blue chromis are a good start but only one or two.Algae is a natural part of the cycle, and so is diatom, the brown scum that willl settle on everything, stir it up and let ur filter catch it.
IT WILL GO
And finally, Royal Grammer is a bad FIRST fish, they become dominant and will smash any new commers to the tank. RG are fine in large tanks but even then would not be my first in fish.
Hope I have helped save you some $$$$
Ur LFS will test all necessary parameters that you should only be worrying about.
They are Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate and PH
move on to others later when experience is getting bigger
The tank will not cycle in 2 weeks, more like 6 or so.
You can really speed it up by putting a decaying or rotten shrimp in a ladies old stocking and hang it in front of a power head, once you see 0 ammonia, and 0 nitRITE then your nitRATE will rise. That is when you start water changes and add fish. Do no put in inverts first, as they perish much easier than most fish. Hardy species like blue chromis are a good start but only one or two.Algae is a natural part of the cycle, and so is diatom, the brown scum that willl settle on everything, stir it up and let ur filter catch it.
IT WILL GO
And finally, Royal Grammer is a bad FIRST fish, they become dominant and will smash any new commers to the tank. RG are fine in large tanks but even then would not be my first in fish.
Hope I have helped save you some $$$$
Ur LFS will test all necessary parameters that you should only be worrying about.
They are Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate and PH
move on to others later when experience is getting bigger
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jdak702 - Posts: 382
- Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:26 am
I have a pair of clownfish in a 46 gal tank and they don't really let any other fish live within. They are fine at first but all fish grow up. Your tank is a 20 gal? Thats a lot of fish you listed.
