Want to start over the right way - advice plz?

[row-z]

Well I am new to salt water and after having my 72 gallon tank that I started last February crash, lost all fish but 3 (sixline wrasse, chalk bass, twinspot candy hogfish) I am ready to start over. I recently set up a 90 gallon tank and have my newly purchased live rock in there cycling. I have been told and have read several different opinions of what should happen after cycling. Some say can add a few fish pretty much immediately. Some say wait 4-5 weeks then add clean-up crew, wait another 4-6 weeks add few corals, wait another 4-6 weeks then add few fish. I want to do things right this time so can you guys give me advice on my next step. I have a huge sump (probably 40 gals) with built in refugium, protein skimmer, Mag Drive pump (12), and about 2 inches of aragonite for substrate. Please help

 

[DonW]

There is no set time frame. What your looking for is stability. The tanks ability to keep ammonia and nitrites in check. Test the tank every week for a few weeks, keep track of the reading. Also check nitrates watch the up and down trends. If your tank can keep all three down then start slowly adding hardy live stock. Continue watching the levels and add livestock accordingly. Go slow and youll have a better chance at success.

Don

 

[Planet Reef]

Don,

Great answer as usual.


Row-Z,

Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!!

 

[NC2WA]

Row-z,

Patience, Patience, Patience. IMO, this is what is needed to successfully keep a saltwater tank (whether it be a FO or a Reef tank). I have seen too many people try this hobby thinking they can get a tank, fill it with water, wait several weeks, add way too many fish at once, and then wonder why nothing lives. Frustration usually sets in and then they lose interest in the hobby (prolly telling everyone that keeping a saltwater tank is too hard), when in fact if you take your time and let nature work for you, it is just as easy as keeping a freshwater tank. (IMO).

So, sorry for the sermon, but I love this hobby too much and want to see you enjoy this hobby.

Kirk

 

[Sparks]

I would not put any fish in there. Start your tank, let it cycle completely then wait a few days more just to be sure. Want to help it along, and ensure you have all your beneficial bacterias going, have a fellow reefer here give you some of their water from their perfectly established reef, we all do water changes and usually just send it all down the drain, when it would be perfect for establishing a new tank.

When I went to set up my little 16, I took only water from my well established 36gallon, did a small water change a week later and then it's 100% cycled (obviously), ready for fish/coral/live rock. I'll give you a 5gallon bucket if you want free of charge of course, and i'm sure many reefers here do much larger water changes and could really fill you up.

there are so many reefers that live in the north end of seattle here, you probably won't have any problem finding some nice people to help.

 

[DonW]

Used water will not make the process any less painful. LR alone has more than enough bacteria to cycle a tank properly. Bacterial populations need to be stabilized, it takes time for the oxygen free zones to stabilize and begin denitrification. Attempts at rushing this along will do more harm than good, you have no control over this.
Used water, scoops of sand are a thing of yester year and only needed if your starting with a totally dead sterile tank.

Don

 

[Holygral]

A point that may not be portrayed, is if you take it slow and do your home work, it will save you a lot of money. When we get into this expensive, addictive hobby we find ourself spending a lot of money to start and later when we are more knowledgeable we find out that there are better cheaper and DIY ways to accomplish what we intended to do. Also when we start out we do not see down the road to upgrading so it is not planned ahead so when we do upgrade (and you will ) we have to start over in buying equipment, especially the lighting./

 

[row-z]

Thanks for all your help you guys. I will go very slow this time. So glad I found this forum, just joined PSAS and they gave me website. I look forward to picking your brains more later. For now I will wait and test and wait and test. My three surviving fish are in Quarantine tanks for now and thriving, YEAH!!!!!

 

[NC2WA]

Row-z,

I highly recommend the following book:

http://www.amazon.com/Conscientious...0945521?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192833398&sr=1-1

I use it as a reference book especially when I'm doing research on a potential fish I'm going to buy.

Kirk

 

[logiktest]

I second that. Good book. Welcome to RF.

 

[row-z]

Thanks for the help. I have that book and read it over and over, I just get confused when I read one thing and then others tell me to do it differently. For instance with my first tank the LFS said when doing water changes just pour RO water in tank and put salt in filter sock and let it disolve, no need to pre-mix!!!!! I figured since they were in the business they knew what they were talking about. That along with misinformation from others and my inexperience led to a very expensive and sad first attempt at reefing. I still feel bad for all the fish I've killed, but am committed to doing it right this time. For now I'm having fun just looking at my new tank with only rock and sand in it, it's exciting!!!!

 

[NC2WA]

Row-z,

Well, IMO, your LFS steered you wrong. You should always prex-mix your salt before it is added to *any* tank. I have a 55 gallon vat with a pump at the bottom to mix my salt water. It should be the same salinity as your display tank.

 

[Holygral]

Well, putting you salt in a filter bag and let it dissolve is a first for me. This would most surely kill or damage any corals you might have if it was not in a sump at least. Not to mention that if you dump 10-15 gallons of fresh water into you tank, the quick change in salinity alone would kill or shock everything. I swear LFS are probably accountable for 80% of people getting out of the hobby due to bad advise :-(. You want to mix you water in a separate container with a power head and let it mix until clear. Some will say overnight but I usually mix mine 4-8 hours, just depends when I mix it up. When you add water to top off from evaporation you only want to use RODI water only, (no salt), only the water evaporates not the salt.

 

[bbehring]

Nothing can beat good tank maintenance practices with good nutrient export. Employ both a good solid skimmer and regular, weekly, smaller water changes. Also the longer you wait to add fish and corals the better off you will be. Add a good clean up crew early. Plan your list of fish and the take 10% off your list. Do the same for corals as all things grow (usually fast). As noted above, go slow. Good luck I think you'll succeed this time around! Oh ya that salt mixing thing your LFS recommend is the goofiest thing I've ever heard. I'd run away from that store!