Suggestions on knowing I am ready for fish/ or inverts

[Kizzy911]

i'm still pretty new myself, but i've had my 40 gallon set up for about 5 months now. I've recently started another 40b as a frag tank and it's cycling.
I know for sure that you won't need a CUC just yet because theres nothing to be cleaned at the moment. I've waited a month until i actually saw algae on the rocks. I've asked my local group when i should add some and that CUC will starve if i put them in too early.
They also mentioned that the CUC work fast so they'll eventually not have much to eat.

 

[shifty51008]

Top off varies from tank to tank but you will want to top off daily or your salinity will be jumping all over the place, a nice ato is very good to have. But yes water movement, humidity, temp, ect will all effect your evaporation rate.

As for a cuc take it slow, while hermits are great to watch they will eat your snails for their shells or just because they can so i steer away from hermits. You can always put in a little nori in the tank for the cuc to eat if you think they dont have enough to eat. You can get nori real cheap at an asian store just make sure there are no additives in it, much cheaper than buying it from a lfs.

Otherwise it looks like your cycle is going good, just take your time and go slow and youll do fine.

If your going to qt your fish, now would be a good time to start your first fish and by the time the qt period is over your cycle should be finished.

Good luck

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Top off varies from tank to tank but you will want to top off daily or your salinity will be jumping all over the place, a nice ato is very good to have. But yes water movement, humidity, temp, ect will all effect your evaporation rate.

As for a cuc take it slow, while hermits are great to watch they will eat your snails for their shells or just because they can so i steer away from hermits. You can always put in a little nori in the tank for the cuc to eat if you think they dont have enough to eat. You can get nori real cheap at an asian store just make sure there are no additives in it, much cheaper than buying it from a lfs.

Otherwise it looks like your cycle is going good, just take your time and go slow and youll do fine.

If your going to qt your fish, now would be a good time to start your first fish and by the time the qt period is over your cycle should be finished.

Good luck

Thanks for the feedback Kizzy and Shifty

Last night test
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite - holding at 0.5
Nitrate - close to 50 (little surprised this high with only live sand and live rock) I think I do water change after I hold Ammonia and Nitrite steady at 0 for a few days?

Unfortunately the wife killed the QT tank so I will fight that battle another day lol (I am slowly buying the components so next $1 a gallon sale it will be like well....)

 

[gone fishin]

Getting close I think one more algae brush and your there

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Getting close I think one more algae brush and your there

Lol next trip this week "I need" more RO/DI so I think I am good.

If it gets bad I can visit my B store they haven't seen me this week. Lol

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .5 (Tank letting me know who runs the time schedule)
Nitrate: 50 (If it is still that this weekend do I hit that first water change?)

 

[gone fishin]

I would say if the nitrite is gone then yes I would do a WC.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

I would say if the nitrite is gone then yes I would do a WC.

thanks will wait for those to cycle out

I have live rock do you believe in the pure ammonia test to see how long it takes for it to get filtered out?

Seems like an unnecessary step that could do more harm then good. I believe in my local fish store and their live rock...they fancy

 

[gone fishin]

I usually cycle a tank with pure ammonia. As far as spiking the the ammonia at the end of the cycle, I think it depends on the situation. If I am unsure of the robustness of the cycle I will spike it to verify. On the other hand if I am confident I had a good cycle I will then let the good times roll.

 

[JMorris271]

I usually cycle a tank with pure ammonia. As far as spiking the the ammonia at the end of the cycle, I think it depends on the situation. If I am unsure of the robustness of the cycle I will spike it to verify. On the other hand if I am confident I had a good cycle I will then let the good times roll.

By spiking it, do you mean hitting it with another .2 of ammonia and waiting 24 hrs?

 

[gone fishin]

By spiking it, do you mean hitting it with another .2 of ammonia and waiting 24 hrs?

Yes that is what I was referring to.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Good reading today nitrites down to .2.

Got ro/di water so I didn't have to buy algae brush today lol

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Top off varies from tank to tank but you will want to top off daily or your salinity will be jumping all over the place, a nice ato is very good to have. But yes water movement, humidity, temp, ect will all effect your evaporation rate.

As for a cuc take it slow, while hermits are great to watch they will eat your snails for their shells or just because they can so i steer away from hermits. You can always put in a little nori in the tank for the cuc to eat if you think they dont have enough to eat. You can get nori real cheap at an asian store just make sure there are no additives in it, much cheaper than buying it from a lfs.

Otherwise it looks like your cycle is going good, just take your time and go slow and youll do fine.

If your going to qt your fish, now would be a good time to start your first fish and by the time the qt period is over your cycle should be finished.

Good luck

I wanted to address this about hermits. I completely agree about hermits killing for sport but this goes for the very common blue legged hermits. The scarlet legged hermits are wonderful and don't kill anything. Scarlet legged hermits are the only crab of any kind that I allow in my DT. All of my blue legged hermits are in my sump and so is my very large emerald green crab that was said to be reef safe. Well they will eat corals and catch fish while they're sleeping and eat them. :hammer:

So I do agree with having a mix of snails as well but don't overdo the snails or scarlet legged hermits because once all of the algae is gone they could starve.

 

[gone fishin]

Good reading today nitrites down to .2.

Got ro/di water so I didn't have to buy algae brush today lol

:lolspin:

 

[thelawnwrangler]

RTOM - December 2018

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yrcm235493jl8uy/P1000927.JPG?dl=0

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Nitrites .05 last 2 days

Any chance I can count that zero and get CUC Monday

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I honestly don't know where it comes from with people chasing 0 nitrates. Nitrates are needed to some degree for a healthy tank. All corals consume them to varying degrees with even SPS doing better with some in the system. As long as you're under 10 nitrates you're fine. If you have SPS better if 5 or less.

Thelawnwrangler yes go get your cuc as long as you've got algae growing in your tank. If not wait until it starts and then get your cuc in moderation. If you buy too many some will die due to not enough food for them.

 

[ZeeSparrow]

OP - Just curious what test kit you are using to show 0.05 nitrite? Did you spike ammonia again?

Dkuhlmann, who said 0 nitrates in this thread?

 

[gone fishin]

Nitrites .05 last 2 days

Any chance I can count that zero and get CUC Monday

For me personally I would count that as zero. With our test kits we use I would think it is in the margin of error.

 

[thelawnwrangler]

OP - Just curious what test kit you are using to show 0.05 nitrite? Did you spike ammonia again?

Dkuhlmann, who said 0 nitrates in this thread?

Red Sea Master Kit

I didn't spike kind of nervous to spike. The suggestion makes sense, but I have confidence in lFS live rock. Also I am more concern I screw it up testing vs getting that good feeling rock is ready.

I don't see a much algae though so worried if Cuc first is way to go. I am sure I would be getting clown pair soon after. I guess it is a see if you kill these snails first situation?