Ammonia should be 0, it is toxic to fish even in small amounts
Do you have any dry or live rock in there or just fake rock/decorations?
Do you have any dry or live rock in there or just fake rock/decorations?
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just decorationsAmmonia should be 0, it is toxic to fish even in small amounts
Do you have any dry or live rock in there or just decorations?
just decorations
it's one huge piece and why not remove it all at once?This is a potential problem. Bacteria need places to colonize and actual reef rock is a perfect medium to do so. It is very porous. The fake rock is not. The bacteria converts waste/ammonia.
I would not pull it all out at once but yes I would replace it a section at a time.
it's one huge piece and why not remove it all at once?
no never any signsAh in that case I guess you have to. All surface area has some bacteria on it so was just trying to keep as much bacteria as possible. You could buy some good seeded rock and keep it in water till you get home, if you don't have access to that or it is out of the budget and you need to use dry rock, I recommend adding some biospira with it (bottled bacteria).
It isn't ideal to make big changes with live fish in the tank but at the same time, it is going to be better in the long run.
Did the fish ever show signs of disease like odd spots or scratching themselves?
so you're saying add live rock and then a small bottle of bacteria the same as when you first start the tank?no never any signs
so you're saying add live rock and then a small bottle of bacteria the same as when you first start the tank?
They provide great hiding spots in that instance when you need to tread for disease.Yes, I cycled the tankDid you cycle the tank at all?
Sounds like it was set up, filled with plastic decorations and fish.
OP, you have come to the right place here in Reef2Reef. Don't best yourself up yet.
This is what I would do in your situation.
Remove anything plastic from the tank and throw it away or place it on a shelf next to the tank. That where they belong anyway.
Next, go to your LFS, bring a small bucket and ask them for a live rock. One from there sump, about the size of a baseball, maybe a little bigger. They do sell them this way, or a least a good LFS does. Put it in the bucket and bring it home. Put that in your tank.
Take a picture and post it here. Then we can help you out some more.
thank you for your help, but what will that do if I take a picture with live rock in the tank?Did you cycle the tank at all?
Sounds like it was set up, filled with plastic decorations and fish.
OP, you have come to the right place here in Reef2Reef. Don't best yourself up yet.
This is what I would do in your situation.
Remove anything plastic from the tank and throw it away or place it on a shelf next to the tank. That where they belong anyway.
Next, go to your LFS, bring a small bucket and ask them for a live rock. One from there sump, about the size of a baseball, maybe a little bigger. They do sell them this way, or a least a good LFS does. Put it in the bucket and bring it home. Put that in your tank.
Take a picture and post it here. Then we can help you out some more.
Sorry, I said that because you claimed you have "fake" rock. I'm saying take that out.Yes, I cycled the tank
thank you for your help, but what will that do if I take a picture with live rock in the tank?
got it, I want to keep around 5 fish, how many hiding places would you recommend?Sorry, I said that because you claimed you have "fake" rock. I'm saying take that out.
After "real" live rock goes in, I would want to "see" how much real live rock is there in your tank.
1) you need enough for processing ammonia.
2) hiding places for your fish.
Edit: fake rock being plastic??
8got it, I want to keep around 5 fish, how many hiding places would you recommend?

