JenniferMcK
Active Member
How long should my tank be cycled before getting a rbta? I want to get one for my maroon clown pair who are still in qt atm. It's a 40 gal with nothing in it except rock snails and sand and few tiny hermits.
When to get rbta?
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CC13
Valuable Member
I waited about a year for my tank to cycle and settle and stabilize before corals were added. I might have been able to add them earlier, but I wanted the tank to be stable before adding.
Staggy
Community Member
It’s all base off of how stable your tank is. Do you have a good amount of beneficial bacteria?
I have a friend that started a 12 gallon tank about a year ago. Put rock in and a bottle of bacteria. Added fish 2 days later and at the 10 day mark he added a very rare bubble tip anemone. The new has tripled in size and looks amazing.
Weekly water changes and underneath an AI Prime.
I have a friend that started a 12 gallon tank about a year ago. Put rock in and a bottle of bacteria. Added fish 2 days later and at the 10 day mark he added a very rare bubble tip anemone. The new has tripled in size and looks amazing.
Weekly water changes and underneath an AI Prime.
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JenniferMcK
Active Member
I think I do have a good amount of bacteria. I am feeding the tank right for my cleaner shrimp and a brittle star that hitchhiked. I've seen no rise in ammonia while doing these feedings. I do want to let my tank mature quite a bit more, so maybe about 3-4 months would be OK?
Oldreefer44
Valuable Member
That time frame should be fine. As others have stated, stable water parameters are key.
Staggy
Community Member
Jennifermck I am in the same boat as you right now with a small 10 gallon i setup. I want to get a nem for it but I’m notsure if it’s ready. The levels are solid. I wouldn’t hesitate but I don’t want to kill something and I’m planning on get a black widow so there are pricey
What I do to control the parameter swing/amonia is to change filter sock frequently. I never let my sock sit in the tank for more than 3 day, most of the leftover food and poop from fish/nem can be removed before they change the water parameter.
As for new tank set up, about 6months water is not quite stable but the swing is acceptable for bta.
As for new tank set up, about 6months water is not quite stable but the swing is acceptable for bta.
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JenniferMcK
Active Member
Thanks everyonefor all the advice! 6 months it is. It's been running for a little over 2 so far. Everything is looking great. I'll definitely wait so I don't kill anything. I'm excited to be able to make a little sea away from the sea in a sense.
Webslinger
Valuable Member
60 cube, about 120 lbs of live rock. A sump running, a skimmer, 2 reactors ( carbon/GFO and NPX ) and a settling area. ATO with Kalk. I have a very large BIO load with 10 fish and eel.
There will be no problem with your load, but I have 15 clown, 1 foxface, 3 goby, 3 cleaner shrimps, and 20-21 nemsz thats why I use sock, also it help me to reduce the work for cleaning sump later on. I dont want too much debris sitting on bottom of the sump-> nitrate factory
Salt1972
Active Member
Our experience is limited-- we added a RBTA when our 125g mixed reef was 4 months old. She did well for about 3 months and then crawled into a dark cave and died. No explanation. We waited until our tank was 14 months old and added another and it's thriving.
Cessna89811
Community Member
Your 1st RBTA may have been starving.
