Newbie from Phoenix AZ

[Shep]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[waddle083]

Thank you.

 

[waddle083]

So two days ago, I filled up the tank with about 25 gallons of water, added salt, and mixed it with two powerheads. I have to rant at how much hydrometers suck. I keep getting different readings. I did research, and found it its pretty typical to get off-readings with these pieces of junk. I ordered a refractometer last night. I'm getting my rock on Friday, would it be ok to add that and my live sand to the tank and start the cycle? Most of the readings the hydrometer gave me were in the normal range, so I'm just wondering if I could start the cycle on Friday or if I should just wait till my refractometer comes in the mail... Suggestions? Thanks

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yea. You should be good going that route. As long as the sg wasnt to low.

 

[waddle083]

Alright, awesome! Appreciate everyone's knowledge and response. It is very calming for a n00b lol. Will progress with updates.

This is the tank so far: have a Maxi Jett 400 (right) and 600 (left). getting another 600 tomorrow to replace the 400 so I can just use that to mix for water changes. Will probably test run my filter tomorrow.

Will update again on Saturday most likely when I get the rock and sand situated.

 

[waddle083]

So I didn't update over the weekend due to a sandstorm inside my tank, but yesterday marked the first day of the cycle.

 

[waddle083]

Quick question after a day+, my Ammonia is reading .25ppm, Nitrite is 0, Nitrate is 0. Should I bump the ammonia up by adding a shrimp? I thought the levels would be higher seeing as how I have 30 lbs live sand and 10 lbs live rock seeding 20lbs dry rock.

Any help is appreciated (like always). Thanks.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Thats a good start right there, doesn't need to be higher.

 

[waddle083]

Ammonia is still at .25, nitrites at 0, nitrates at 0. Technically day 6 of the cycle. Should I start to see some sort of variation in the numbers by now?

SG is 1.021, pH is 8.2, and water temperature is 81 fahrenheit.

 

[evolved]

No; this takes time.

You should expect 30-60 days for the initial cycle to occur.

 

[kireek]

*Welcome to Reef2Reef, waddle083 !* Be patient it will be worth the wait.Keep in mind that fish and corals can come with parasites,so educate yourself before making a purchase.You will find plenty of good reads and information right here. In the meantime I would suggest visiting your local aquarium store and Reef clubs.

 

[waddle083]

Thanks for the welcomes. The tank cycled in two weeks on the dot, so I have added two clowns and one BTA. Also added a black background to the tank. Will be adding a basic CUC end of next week (ordered from reefcleaners.org, however they're shipping mid next week due to my schedule). I will also be installing my Eshopps Nano Protein Skimmer tonight. I would like to get a Blenny and a Goby at some point to finish the fish part of the tank. May dabble in basic corals, but that will be WAY down the line. PS first pic is when I put the BTA in the tank, I setup my Orbit Marine LED directly after and have it on a timer 12 on/off.

 

[tatorswife]

Welcome to the addiction!!!

 

[waddle083]

Ok, so I have a question. I have a hitchhiker on my live rock. Do you guys think this is a hydroid? Can I get some help in identifying it? It looks like it has like an anemone base and has red petals that are moving with water flow.

 

[waddle083]

Upon further inspection, I think I'm dealing with a bristle worm. It disappears into a small hiding place. Especially when I shine a light or go near the rock. Do you guys think it's a bristle worm based on the pictures and my description? I'm a complete n00b here. I would have to trap it with some sort of bottle and bait, correct?

 

[gojk]

Hard to tell from those pics, but it could be aiptasia. Either way, if you just pull the rock out and keep track of what hole it went into, then cover it with superglue you should be good.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Don't get in a hurry to stock the tank. Normally you should not even think about an anemone for at least 6 months so the tank is fully mature. Watch yours very closely and return it to the LFS or to someone with an established system if it starts looking stressed.
I usually add fish one at a time, unless the yare a mated pair, and wait a few weeks between additions to allow the bacteria in the system to grow. Each time you change the bioload the tank goes through another cycle or mini cycle and the bacteria need to multiply to catch up. All good things take time, only bad things happen quickly in this hobby.

Looks like an aptasia anemone or rock anemone. If you don't want to remove the rock, use a turkey baster andsquirt some boiling water directly on it, it will melt away.

 

[zesty]

Don't get in a hurry to stock the tank. Normally you should not even think about an anemone for at least 6 months so the tank is fully mature. Watch yours very closely and return it to the LFS or to someone with an established system if it starts looking stressed.
I usually add fish one at a time, unless they are a mated pair, and wait a few weeks between additions to allow the bacteria in the system to grow. Each time you change the bioload the tank goes through another cycle or mini cycle and the bacteria need to multiply to catch up. All good things take time, only bad things happen quickly in this hobby.

Great advice on stocking fish and the best advice in this hobby, "nothing good happens quickly in this hobby". Don't get fooled by the gimmicks, the additives, the fixall product x. I learned that if they don't list the ingredients on the back, it may not be a good idea for your tank. Take a look at the chemistry forum here and read some of Randy's work, it's a great starting point. Reefkeeping Online Magazine - Randy Holmes-Farley plus the other authors and everyone here!

Stick to the basics and you will have plenty to watch while you wait, just get real close to the tank and see what's all in those rocks. You may be surprised what you find!

Welcome to the addiction, enjoy!