[dori9941]

can i keep 2 small clown fish in 10 gall, with 1/4 weekly pwc till i get 55gal. in 4 months

[bri74]

Is the 10 already established? or a new set up

[dori9941]

i have 1 thats set up for 5 days. using cycle, that has fw plants in it. I will another and put the plants in it and , if i can, put 2 clowns (nemo) in the one that is cycling. is a 2 week cycle enough? will the cycle product let me put them in sooner. it says u can right away but i still let it go a bit before getting fish.

[dori9941]

i have one thats been going 1 year , it has tetras in it. i can put them in the one cycling since they r so strong and hardy. i would rath do that but, will it be ok, it hasn't had salt. Do u cycle the salt the first time. i didn't do it with my brackish tank. thanks

[bri74]

LS and LR will help speed up the cycle but I wouldnt do it untill you start seeing some algae growth. I mean its totally up to you but my guess would be that you would probably lose them. As far as the chemical goes I would let the tank do its thing naturally. again totally up to you

[dori9941]

i haven't had algae grow other than under the light. i had it once it was red, got it after getting a plant. Do i clean my tanks too much, lol. how long would u cycle for clowns just incase i dont get algae

[bri74]

I dont think it matters about what fish you have it matters about the water and growth in the sand bed rule of thumb is 6 weeks min.

[dori9941]

thanks for the fast reply

[bri74]

no prob hope it helps. Keep checkin the post though some one else im sure will have more experienced input than mine too!

[dori9941]

always, then u have a good bit of imfo

[Dustin1300]

I've had two clowns that I got the third week I had my aquarium and they are fine...I also had added about 75 lbs of live rock which helped with the cycling...

[emccullough1]

The trouble is no one can tell you when a tank will cycle. It could happen in as little as a week or it could take 2 months or longer. You have to test your water to know. A lot of it depends on how good your Live rock is and live sand is. If the LR is cured and you get it right in the saltwater in say 20 min after it is remove from your LFS tank you should have very little die off and you will be good to go pretty fast. You may never read any ammonia or nitrites and very little nitrates. On the other hand if the LR is uncured you will read first ammonia off the charts then nitrites well be off the charts next will be the nitrates. Then when thay drop to about 20 to 30 you can do a water change and feel safe to add a fish. But not a lot or you will start another cycle. The short of it all is know one can tell you when it is safe you will have to use your test kit and it will tell you.

[burdenpi]

do you really need to cycle a 10gal with fish only? I have a 10gal quarantine tank which i mixed RO and salt, small heater, big protein skimmer, clay pot for a cave and have it housing our first adoptee for the next month while my big tank finishes cycling and we are sure the first resident is disease free. Will just a plain tank no LR, no LS even cycle at all? I have 0 ammonia and nitrate in it.

[bri74]

I am pretty sure the the "cycle" is the growth period of the necessary bacteria that helps keep our tanks clean and healthy the reason IMO that we dont have to cycle QT tanks is because the animals are not in there long enough????

[dori9941]

i got some live rock and , proper ph 8.2, melafix, prime, cycle and stability, i use the cycle, novaqua, amon. tablets by jungel i think. I use cycle ; novaqua, the ph stuff (8.0 at last check 6 hours ago) . I have the rest of that other stuff on hand just in case, oh, including tetracycline which i use as last resort. i have start right. ick cure. The fish r well. Every thing was ideal but the ph was in the middle of acceptalbe and ideal . I'm having surgery on my teeth. they removed 1 today so i haven't read much but will. thank all