On your mark, get set.... GO!

[John J in Pickens]

Hi, all....

I've been waiting for this day since Christmas, when I got my BioCube16 tank as a surprise gift from my wife. I finally got the rock, sand, and sea water from the LFS and got the tank running a week ago today. I am planning on transferring my two 7-year-old Oscellaris Clownfish and 2 hermit crabs to the tank tomorrow (I couldn't resist sticking one of the three carbs in today, so I put the largest one in today). I intend on doing a drip acclimation for the Clowns (the 10-gallon tank they have been in for the past 7 years has 1.020 salinity and my BioCube 16 has seawater with 1.025 salinity).

My question is this: I ordered a bottle of Dr. Tim's One and Only the day after Christmas, along with a test kit. Should I use the Dr. Tim's One and Only and dose the tank before adding the Clownfish, or just put the Clownfish in without using the Dr. Tim's product? I had a small bag of bio-balls that had been in the 10-gallon tank's trickle section for the past 7 years, and I figured there had to be a decent amount of nitrifying bacteria in that bag. I put it on the middle tray of the tower on the BioCube. When I bought the Dr. Tim's One and Only, I forgot the buy the second bottle of the Ammoniun Hydrate solution. The guy at the LFS said if I was going to put the Clownfish in the BioCube, it would not be necessary to put in any of my Dr. Tim's product. The Clowns and crabs (and food fed to the clowns) should produce enough ammonia to cycle the tank fairly quickly. I intend to test the tank's water for ammonia and nitrites daily for two weeks to see when the ammonia has peaked and then the nitrites after that.

Think I will be OK?

 

[John Bolden]

I would add the bacteria then add the clown fish a week- 2 weeks later because there is likely ammonia in your water and the crab isn't reacting as a fish would. Considering that your fish are old and you wouldn't want to lose them i would say 2 weeks after you add the bacteria.

 

[gabrieltackitt]

If you transferred media from the orginal tank, I’d put the Dr. Tim’s in and wait a day or two maybe and then transfer the clowns. The seeded media should help you skip cycling completely.

 

[John J in Pickens]

If you transferred media from the orginal tank, I’d put the Dr. Tim’s in and wait a day or two maybe and then transfer the clowns. The seeded media should help you skip cycling completely.

I'm going to test the water in my BioCube for the next two days to see if there might be any change since I put in the Dr. Tim's today.

 

[John J in Pickens]

Well, It's been a long time since Christmas, when my wife gave me the BioCube16 for Christmas, but I finally got my Clownfish in the BioCube this morning. I carefully drip-acclimated them over an hour, and they seemed just fine an hour after I released them into the tank. They have also eaten since getting into their new digs. I had picked up a few Astra snails and Hermit crabs, and two Nassarius snails to start my cleaning crew. I'll continue to test the water daily over the next two weeks to make sure no ammonia spikes sneak up on me. I know I have heard from several people to wait about 6 months before adding corals frags, which I am willing to do. I'm wondering how long to wait before adding a combo of a Watchman Goby and a Pistol shrimp to the tank. (I'm really intrigued about the symbiotic relationship between the two.) Any thoughts?