New Tank, New To Saltwater

[mj32]

To mj32...Sukie is following a protocol developed by a president of a fish society out west. It diverges radically from what one would consider accepted methods. I'd advise readers to follow her thread for progress and results before embarking on the same method. SH

I'll defo following along the thread to see how it goes - im sticking to the slowly slowly method for sure though - theres already enogugh to learn about SW for me

 

[Chac]

I think I do agree that the fish were a bit too earlier. But now there in and I'll just keep them. Hopefully I won't lose them.

SH - thanks for reading that.

I think we all have to learn lessons the hard way sometimes. . . . but it's good for us right?? Ready for the pee!

Do your livestock have to learn the hard way as well though

 

[gatorman543]

Suki, can you please explain this new method then, i would like to hear more about it, and might give it a try in my new tank

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Basically you just whack your LR in your tank after you've got all your water mixed up and heated and then 3 days later start to add livestock.

Even if the LR was fully cured transporting it from a shop to your tank still creates some die-off. My LR travelled for something like 20mins but i still had enough die-off for the cycle to take 1 week and then a couple of days to be sure.

Anyway....So you add your livestock to a cycling tank where ammonia and nitrite are present and hope that the least that happens to them is a slow poisoning and shortening their life span as well as stressing them out. If they do die during this poisoning you can just simply wave it off and say you had to learn the hard way....Not responsible reefkeeping to me and i don't have a clue what this fish president fool is going on about But it sounds like he's going to run you into some troubles sukie I'd steer clear of him...

 

[sukie]

I understand everyone's concerns and I appreciate all the comments.

Here is the process that I'm working with:

It envolves 4 main parts -

1. Live Sand (LS)
2. Live rock (LR)
3. Live Water (LW) - Bacteria, algea, invertebrate larvae, and other microscopic life
4. Macroalgea

These items compose 80-90% of the filtration of a reef aquarium. The belief is that - the more you have of these items, the faster the tank can be stocked w/ coral and fish.

Many of the members of the local reef club here provided me w/ most of these items at no cost - which I was really lucky.

Day 1
I took some washed Utah Oolitic Sand and placed a good 4' of it at the bottom of the tank, then added some LW on top of it. I then put some LS from an established tank on top of that - about 1" of it. (I wanted more but that's all I could really get my hands on at the time), and then added another layer of LW.

I placed some Utah Aragonite Rock as a base rock, then more LW + Pre-mixed saltwater to fill the tank 3/4 full. (that was the 2nd pic on the thread).

After that, I placed the pieces of LR (which I got from established tank and not the lfs) on top of the Utah Aragonite rock.

I finished w/ filling the tank w/ more pre-mixed saltwater.

I placed that marcoalgea and some other types of caulerpa. The use of macroalgea is what helps the tank setup quickly. I also placed the pumps to push the water that creates a rippling effect because it aerated that water.

Day 2
Added a couple soft coral frags. . . but I didn't follow on this day because one of the LR that I had gotten had some brown polys on it. And I used them to judge my progess . . . at no point did they close up and yell, "why are you doing this to me?!"

Day 3 & 4
Add a couple more soft corals. I places a xenia, kenya tree, and zoos. But I made a mistake of listening to another member of the reef club and add fish - the clown & the chromis. I do admit that I added fish too soon.

Day 5, 6, 7
Since the frags have been expanding add a cleaning crew. I added 10 hermits and 5 snails. This is where I should of added fish, but instead I took the chromis back and just kept the clown.

I also got the water tested. . . everything is good. The only high thing was the phosphate. So I got poly filter single and added it to my HOB.

I'm keeping up w/ the water changes - since I added the fishies so quickly, I did a 10% change every 3 days.

But don't worry folks - I'm slowing down.

I'm planning to add more softies maybe at the end of the week.

As for the lights - I finally found out what they are, because I decided to replace them today.
Coralife - (2) 65W 10000K, ones a actinic and the other is flurescent. With these lights I'm aware that I can't keep high maint. corals like plates etc. So I'm just planning to add good harty softies to this tank.

When I switch my cichlid tank to salt - that's when I'll use MHs.

I don't recommend other folks do this unless they have a good support crew. I'm grateful for the Wasatch Marine Aquarium Society and all the ppl that helped me set this nano up.

Okay ppl - what are your thoughts???

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

What do you mean by live water? You made the water yourself from an RO unit and salt brand? Or NSW?

 

[SkiFletch]

What do you mean by live water? You made the water yourself from an RO unit and salt brand? Or NSW?

she means she's taken water from the tanks of those of her local reef club

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

I see but won't this have nitrates in already along with the nitrate caused by the die-off on the rock?

 

[SkiFletch]

Well something tells me she transported the rocks in water so that there wasnt any dieoff . Also if it was a very experienced local reefer with a properly operating refugium, methinks that nitrates of the water itself would be near 0

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Why didn't i think of that

 

[sukie]

Last thursday - I also was adding about a 2TB of phytoplankton everyday (for 5 days - then cutting back to once every week) to the tank to feed the coral. . . and they are growing fast.

SkiFletch is correct - Live Water was taken from the tanks & LR was taken so in the waters for no die off.

 

[gatorman543]

good we get some more pictures man

 

[mj32]

Must be good to have a nice club of reefers to use like that

Hope it all goes well

 

[maidenfan]

this is very intresting, but why the rush???

i hope this method works for you

but isn't part of the intrest and for some the fun of setting up, taking the time to set up your tank, adding LR watching with amazment as life appears from every nook and cranny, getting to know your water practicing water changes, then as your diatoms appear get your clean up crew and again watch and learn, then wait with great excitement as you plan for the day you can get that first fish. then look with pride as your tank developes before your eyes each new coral and fish picked and placed with thought and consideration for its surroundings

the above is the method i'm following and i'm enjoying every min of it.

i'm not saying your wrong hey!! i know nothing compared to most on here but i can't see what the rush is.

good luck with your tank and keep us updated

 

[bunjiweb]

It's certainly possible, but you have to be EXTREMELY careful.

I set up a filter-feeders tank for some scallops and put them in on the day i got the tank. I got Live-Rock (in water) and mature system water from work, chucked it all in with some coral sand and set the filter / heater going, then acclimatised the scallops like I would any new fish / invert.

However, I would not try this with a bigger tank or fish unless I was totally certain that what I was doing would work.

At the end of the day, the marine hobby revolves around experimenting. If people don't take SENSIBLE risks every now and then, the hobby will not evolve and we will not understand new practices that can speed up a cycling tank.

Ben