is my tank ready for a pair of clowns?

A

aquariumpav

New member
Tank has been up and running for about 5 weeks, 4 of which salt and heater were working, last night installed media basket from intank and aquaticlife 115 skimmer - wont turn skimmer on till there is something to skim, also got my test kit yesterday - here is what I came up with.

Jcr5b.jpg


ph - 8.0
ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - really purple in color but not as purple as on the paper, matches maybe 1.0ppm, I could be wrong and it might be 5.0ppm if its suppose to go by darkness.
Nitrate - 20ppm

Temp stays at 78-82, Heater is being a pain for what ever reason its not turning off and keeps heating the tank up instead of keeping it at 78.

My salinity is at about 1.022 - 1.023...so should I got out and get a pair?
 
Ammonia and nitrites must be zero. Nitrates must be as low as you can get them (typically via water changes). What is in the tank? You are showing a lot of nitrogenous waste... what do you have in there currently?
 
I have nothing in the tank, its a new biocube I picked up, set up. All I have is roughly 20lbs of live rock and 30lbs of live sand - and water.
 
The correct response to your question is to wait until ammonia and nitrites are zero. Suggestion is to continue tO cycle
 
It shouldn't take months. Assuming you have adequate circulation it should be a week or two before the tank can support FISH - though it will be longer before you should risk inverts.

It is somewhat unusual to show such a spike in ammonia. Often I will cycle a tank and show no ammonia at all, ever, and only a tiny bump in nitrite for a day or two before it too is gone.

Where did you get your live rock? Do you have a full tank shot? Something doesn't appear to be adding up...
 
9MTY4.jpg


nothing special - now that I have the vortech mp10 and the media basket with chempure and purigen and chemipure maybe things will get in check. Could it be from things dying in that lived in the rocks?
 
It's not ready yet, give it a little more time until your Ammonia and Nitrite are zero. It took my tank around 2 months to be ready. A little patience will last a long way and save $ (dead fish) too.
 
Should have put the media basket in first off to get bacteria on it. I like I use the aquaclear bio ceramic pieces.

Anyway, no your water is still way off. I you put anything in there yet, it will all die. You can PM me and I can send you info in cyclin that in 24 hours.
 
probably just another week or two your ammonia and nitrite will drop to zoro, and you should be ready for a clean up crew. After that way about a week then add the clowns.
 
thats what Ill do - Ill retest next week and see whats up. I want the clowns to live a long and happy life, i dont want to stress them or kill them by any means :(.
 
HurricaneSystem said:
Should have put the media basket in first off to get bacteria on it. I like I use the aquaclear bio ceramic pieces.

Anyway, no your water is still way off. I you put anything in there yet, it will all die. You can PM me and I can send you info in cyclin that in 24 hours.
Click to expand...

I didnt have money to buy the media tank, I wanted to buy my vortech mp10 and my skimmer from intank when i ordered the basket. Should I have the skimmer running now or no? Will that help? There probably isnt anything in there to skim.
 
aquariumpav said:
9MTY4.jpg


nothing special - now that I have the vortech mp10 and the media basket with chempure and purigen and chemipure maybe things will get in check. Could it be from things dying in that lived in the rocks?
Click to expand...

I really like your aquascape. It's very natural-looking. And I'm glad you're being so conscientious about checking to see if your system's ready for livestock. You'll find that being patient and cautious serves you well as an aquarist. And while your tank finishes cycling, you can pass the time researching which kind of clownfish you want to keep. :)
 
Just putting it out there....the tank water is clear. If it's cycling it should be a bit cloudy. Has anything been introduced to the tank as a catalyst to start the cycle?
 
What do you mean by catalyst zeeter? There is nothing in the tank besides what might be possibily hiding in the rock - I found two pieces of green poop (what looked like poop) floating about when I kicked up the mp10 to kill time looking at my empty tank today. Ill retest this weekend see what happens.

velvetelvis - thanks, It was by random luck that I got something that looks nice lol I bought pieces of rock here and there and finally it all sorta worked itself out, Im not looking for anything fancy clown wise just a pair of regular tank born clowns.
 
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