Dirtying Up a Tank

[Cetus]

I've been having trouble with a tank that's way too... Clean. Like 6 months already and it looks like it was just set up yesterday. I actually cycled it using Dr. Tim's and did it correctly, or so I believe so I'm not sure what's happening. I've been trying to look for good, low risk liverock or other potential bacteria products that might help establish some more dirt and growth. Someone also suggested adding a protein skimmer for stuff like oxygenation, but I'm not sure if adding a protein skimmer yet is a good idea if I'm struggling with getting the tank dirtier. Any suggestions? The tank is 145 gallons in total water volume. 125 main display and and a 20 gallon sump.

I know I need a lot more dry rock so I'm wondering if I should just get a bunch more rock then add another kind of bacteria starter? I'd really rather not risk liverock because I feel patience with dry rock leads to the same result without risk of pests but... Hm... Any suggestions?

 

[zalick]

What pests are you worried about? If you’ve waited 6 months, can you wait a few more?

I’d use some live rock personally. Or even just a scoop of sand from a local reefers established tank.

Then to be super safe, leave the tank at 82 degrees for 45 days.

that’s gotta be the most sparkly clean 6mo tank I’ve ever seen!

 

[Cetus]

What pests are you worried about? If you’ve waited 6 months, can you wait a few more?

I’d use some live rock personally. Or even just a scoop of sand from a local reefers established tank.

Then to be super safe, leave the tank at 82 degrees for 45 days.

that’s gotta be the most sparkly clean 6mo tank I’ve ever seen!

I've actually had fish but there've been mysterious deaths that I'm currently working on. There's a whole other post you can refer to in order to see if you want. The cycling was finished like... A long time ago according to some of my tests and the fish were very small like a royal gramma and a blenny. I've only ever had like one or two of them in the tank at any given time. I'm already working on the mysterious deaths part but people seemed to notice how clean the tank was and ushered me to add more live rock and dirty it up a bit so I'll be doing that regardless. Unfortunately, I'm a little secluded so I don't have connections yet. As for live rock... Hm... I'm conflicted.

 

[Cell]

More fish more food. QT everything.

 

[Cetus]

More fish more food. QT everything.

I'm starting off with smaller fish instead of larger ones but I'm wondering if I want to dirty up the tank earlier if I should add a larger fish first just to give it that extra boost. I was worried if I add a larger fish first it might be a problem with adding smaller fish later. Something like a blue throat trigger or a yellow tang.

 

[Heres_doe_]

I'm starting off with smaller fish instead of larger ones but I'm wondering if I want to dirty up the tank earlier if I should add a larger fish first just to give it that extra boost. I was worried if I add a larger fish first it might be a problem with adding smaller fish later. Something like a blue throat trigger or a yellow tang.

Get 2 clowns at once. Throw em in there. Feed 2 times a day dry and frozen. Get a Hanna tester for nitrates. API doesn't show anything for nitrates for me even when i was at 40+. Also check ammonia because if ur cycled why are they dying and 1 pound of rock per gallon of water

 

[Cetus]

Get 2 clowns at once. Throw em in there. Feed 2 times a day dry and frozen. Get a Hanna tester for nitrates. API doesn't show anything for nitrates for me even when i was at 40+. Also check ammonia because if ur cycled why are they dying and 1 pound of rock per gallon of water

Is there any difference between the HR and LR checkers to these purposes?

 

[Heres_doe_]

Is there any difference between the HR and LR checkers to these purposes?

Lr does 0-5ppm and if u want up to 50ppm u gotta do some extra steps i guess. HR does 0-75ppm and it's fast and simple only 1 reagent. I love it

 

[Heres_doe_]

Lr does 0-5ppm and if u want up to 50ppm u gotta do some extra steps i guess. HR does 0-75ppm and it's fast and simple only 1 reagent. I love it

So get the HR

 

[tehmadreefer]

Add about a hundred pounds of rock in that tank, a bottle micro bacter 7, then add fish and voila done

 

[AlgaeBarn]

If your tank is already cycled I would consider putting more rock in your tank and then starting with a small fish or two that you wanted. I don't think you would next to cycle it again. If you do want to hold off on fish and add more bacteria you might want to check out substrate sauce for more biodiversity https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/uncategorized/pns-substrate-sauce/

 

[lapin]

I've been having trouble with a tank that's way too... Clean.

I'd really rather not risk liverock because I feel patience with dry rock leads to the same result without risk of pests but... Hm... Any suggestions?

Ya the tank is really clean it has lack of any growth. Looks like it has chlorine or something keeping anything from living. I would take a water sample to your LFS. If you are over in the East Bay, Aquatic Collection in Hayward is good.
Once the water checks out add a few snails, crabs or shrimp. Stuff on them, in their poo ect.... will start your tank becoming full of life.

 

[DeniseAndy]

That is one clean tank, you are right. What water source do you use to make water? What is your salinity? You need to get some life in there to create more life. It is hard to start with clean up crew as they have nothing to eat. Same with some of the fish you may want. What fish are you thinking of and then we can give you which can go in to start dirtying up the tank.

Are you going corals? If so, what kinds?

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

The rational for not using live rock is that we don't want pests, but if you plan on introducing any corals you will wind up with pests anyways. Lots of people wind up with aiptasia, bubble algae, scary looking worms and all kinds of stuff right off the frag plug. If you start with live rock you get the benefit of diversity, from bacteria and micro fauna all the way up to some coral species and inverts, plus aiptasia, bubble algae and scary, scary worms, but much easier to deal with considering the absence of corals. Adding several small fish would help, also.

You can also run your skimmer to help with oxygenation and maintaining a stable ph while leaving the cup off so the skim mate drains back into the sump.

 

[Cetus]

Ya the tank is really clean it has lack of any growth. Looks like it has chlorine or something keeping anything from living. I would take a water sample to your LFS. If you are over in the East Bay, Aquatic Collection in Hayward is good.
Once the water checks out add a few snails, crabs or shrimp. Stuff on them, in their poo ect.... will start your tank becoming full of life.

Actually I just sent a sample to TRITON Labs just rn so I'm waiting to see what they think if I have any heavy metals or the like in the tank.

 

[Cetus]

That is one clean tank, you are right. What water source do you use to make water? What is your salinity? You need to get some life in there to create more life. It is hard to start with clean up crew as they have nothing to eat. Same with some of the fish you may want. What fish are you thinking of and then we can give you which can go in to start dirtying up the tank.

Are you going corals? If so, what kinds?

I get water from an LFS and my salinity is around.... 1.023-1.026.

Yeah lots of snails have died and I'm trying to give it some more life. Currently I have a royal gramma in a separate 10 gallon for the moment plus a firefish and a randall's goby undergoing QT in a 20 gallon system.

 

[Cetus]

The rational for not using live rock is that we don't want pests, but if you plan on introducing any corals you will wind up with pests anyways. Lots of people wind up with aiptasia, bubble algae, scary looking worms and all kinds of stuff right off the frag plug. If you start with live rock you get the benefit of diversity, from bacteria and micro fauna all the way up to some coral species and inverts, plus aiptasia, bubble algae and scary, scary worms, but much easier to deal with considering the absence of corals. Adding several small fish would help, also.

You can also run your skimmer to help with oxygenation and maintaining a stable ph while leaving the cup off so the skim mate drains back into the sump.

I have a glass top so that may be an issue with oxygenation. I'm not sure about running a skimmer at this point in time because I'm trying to dirty up the tank and most of the fish I'm adding in the beginning are small. For oxygenation and pH, I guess I can just try adding mesh over the tank top instead?

As for live rock... Hm... I suppose what I can do as sort of a compromise is maybe buying a small bit of liverock from an LFS and leave it in a quarantine tank for a while. Just observe if anything comes on it. Won't be a failsafe but could protect against the real nasty stuff I suppose.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I've been having trouble with a tank that's way too... Clean. Like 6 months already and it looks like it was just set up yesterday. I actually cycled it using Dr. Tim's and did it correctly, or so I believe so I'm not sure what's happening. I've been trying to look for good, low risk liverock or other potential bacteria products that might help establish some more dirt and growth. Someone also suggested adding a protein skimmer for stuff like oxygenation, but I'm not sure if adding a protein skimmer yet is a good idea if I'm struggling with getting the tank dirtier. Any suggestions? The tank is 145 gallons in total water volume. 125 main display and and a 20 gallon sump.

I know I need a lot more dry rock so I'm wondering if I should just get a bunch more rock then add another kind of bacteria starter? I'd really rather not risk liverock because I feel patience with dry rock leads to the same result without risk of pests but... Hm... Any suggestions?

Skimmer gonna pull zilch on that clean tank imo....oxygenation, maybe add a simple HOB filter on back if you think it's an issue...as others mentioned, more food. If you can manage to find a few pieces of live rock from a local established reefer, might want to consider that....

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

You won't be removing anything from the tank by running a skimmer with the cup off. All the water drains right back into the sump, but you are replacing dissolved co2 with oxygen which helps maintain ph and also helps fish in the event of a bacterial bloom which is likely to happen as you start adding livestock. (and bacteria)
You basically have a tank that is so clean, there is nothing happening. Bacteria/micro organisms can't populate because you have no fish poop or decaying dead stuff. Except perhaps the snails that died, but a few snails in 125 gallons of water is nothing. A couple small fish isn't much either, but it's a good start.
I think you will also want more rock so your fish have a place to hide. That rock work is pretty minimal and fish need places to hide to feel comfortable.

 

[Cetus]

You won't be removing anything from the tank by running a skimmer with the cup off. All the water drains right back into the sump, but you are replacing dissolved co2 with oxygen which helps maintain ph and also helps fish in the event of a bacterial bloom which is likely to happen as you start adding livestock. (and bacteria)
You basically have a tank that is so clean, there is nothing happening. Bacteria/micro organisms can't populate because you have no fish poop or decaying dead stuff. Except perhaps the snails that died, but a few snails in 125 gallons of water is nothing. A couple small fish isn't much either, but it's a good start.
I think you will also want more rock so your fish have a place to hide. That rock work is pretty minimal and fish need places to hide to feel comfortable.

Wonder if getting a bigger fish to start out with would be best to really get a source of detritus going. I was going small fish first to avoid aggression concerns but maybe I do have an acclimation box. Yellow Tang, Blue Throat Trigger, even a Melanurus Wrasse would be enough?