I recently started a 20 gallon saltwater tank, I need some help with knowing where I am for the cycle...
tank has been running about a week with cured live rock.
I tested the water and both ammonia and nitrite are at 0, nitrate was at 5.
would appreciate some help with knowing where about I am.
I plan on getting 2 -3 small fish max, would also appreciate any suggestions
I wouldn't be worried about "live" sand. The sand bed will quickly populate and become live in a few short months. If cost is a serious issue, i'd rather see you get everything in place immediately and let this tank start to mature.
it says shipping/handling N/A ? strange, maybe when I place an acutal order it will show?
I placed an order, but before you enter your credit card number the total shows, and no shipping or handling
not too much of an issue, I don't mind to spend 50$ for a bag of sand, but tonight I got the biggest discount of all...OUT OF STOCK.....LOL, guess I'll have to venture out this weekend again, I did pickup a mushroom along the way...
I think 5 hermits are plenty for a 20 gallon. In fact, depending on the tank, you many only want 2 or 3 for now. Most hermits slowly starve to death because of overstocking.
When it comes to diet, you should be rotating 4 or 5 different foods. Brine is not really a healthy diet, but it is great for triggering a feeding response in difficult to feed fish. I personally feed Formula One and Formula Two pellets by Ocean Nutrition, 2 different flake foods, and several different frozen foods, including Angel Formula.
Two different shrimp I believe. As Pasfur mentioned, formula two is what I'm gonna start using tonight. Got some today, I feed my fish frozen mysis, the formula 2, squid, and a little seaweed. The seaweed usually being defaulted to all the snails and crabs.
Will check it out this weekend, as mentioned I only plan on having the one clown, the crabs, maybe a cleaner shrimp and a couple of mushrooms, I will definately buy the seaweed, not sure if I have seen squid though, and will have to look for the pellets, any knowledge on the porous white rock from cuba ? I'd really like to put it in the tank, but am holding off until I know it's safe
I suggest that you mix up a batch of saltwater and place the rock inside. Add a powerhead or air stone for circulation. Wait a few days and then test for ammonia, nitrite, and pH. If all 3 of these levels have not changed, then add a couple small hermit crabs. Again, wait a few days, and see how the crabs are doing. Again, test for ammonia, nitirite, and pH. If everything is still going well, then you are probably fine to add the rock.
Two 24 Watt SlimPaq 10K T5 HO
Two 24 watt 460nm Actinic Blue T5 HO
Dimensions: 24" x 8" x 2.5"
96 Watts/.84 Amps
Mounting legs
Performance driven electronic ballasts. Independent control over 10K and Actinic lamps.
Yes, this light should be fine for most corals you will be keeping. You will need to avoid some of the more high-light demanding corals, such as Clams and Acropora colonies, but for the most past you should be fine.
picked up the light second hand, in great shape, like new! what are the 2 tiny led lights, are these moon lights? they are always on if plugged in, the others work off switches
I am amazed by the difference in color WOW.....how long should I leave them on, and is there any particular order? or rotate them ? right now I have both on
And by the way, I did end up adding one more and the last fish, sold to me as a sailfin blenny, but after getting him home, looks more like a scooter blenny, so I am not sure what to do?
I fed them the brine shrimp and I saw him eat, I also bought a quality flake, but actually saw him eat the brine shrimp, I will soon take a picture and post it, and maybe you can confirm whether it is a sailfin or a scooter.
he has red in his tail and dorsal fin, just a little....will he die if he is infact a scooter???
If this fish is in fact a Scooter Blenny, then you need to return the fish to the LFS. Without a doubt, the Scooter will die of starvation in your tank, EVEN IF IT IS EATING WELL.
Peppermint Shrimp are generally reef safe. Camel Shrimp will sometimes nip at corals. Look, this situation is unacceptable. You simply can not do business with an LFS that does not know what livestock they are offering to you. This does not live up to any reasonable level of expected service.
I'm going to stick to Big Al's (soon to be known as Aquatica here in Quebec), the staff there seem to have more experience, it is further but will be worth the trip, how do I post a picture on here??
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