[Ross87]

Is there any particaular order of operations with livestock, Fish or Coral first?

[IceMan]

what's the info on ur tank? you cycled it yet? got a cleaning crew?

[Ross87]

As of tonight my 29gal tank's perameters are:
pH - 8.1

Caclium - 32(x15) - 480
Alkalinity - 3
Phosphate < .2
ammonia < .2
Nirate < 10
nitrite < .2

Yesterday evening, I added a 3oz package of bio-spira marine nitrifying bacteria to my tank.
After a morning of haywire testing levels and a 25% water change, my tank seems to have calmed down.
I'm not neccessarily going to go out and buy corals and fish tomarrow.

[Ross87]

I was a bit weary about adding the bacteria, but it was highly recommended by my guy at the fish store who's been walking me through this process.

[IceMan]

ok cool, ya you are in the cycle now, keep doin what your doin, if you intend to keep an anemone you'll need to add it first to let it get situated but i don't want another ( mine died) because of the corals... as to the order i think the best thing you can do is weigh price and livability, say you want clowns, your good as soon as you get ur water under control, if you want a manderin you need to wait till pods are established. corals vs fish? far as i've found out it doesn't mater, just make sure you research what's suited to your tank and tank mates you want

[Ross87]

and oh yes, I have 10 blue-legged hermit crabs and 10 snails

[IceMan]

i used it too... i've read it was great i've read it was crap, but it's live dormant bacteria, not chemical so i think it should be fine... worked fine for me

[IceMan]

if you've already added some cleaners stay on top of your water changes, tests, and skim kinda heavy, inverts are very sensative

[IceMan]

what kinda water change schedule you doin? i'm still going 10% every week right now but with your numbers up i'd go 5% 2x a week

[Ross87]

the thing is... I have a girlfriend my never really around... so In this short little time I've had my aquarium, I've been watching it like a hawk. I plan on doing 25%-50% water changes bi-weekly, and anything inbetween as need-be

[Ross87]

Er, I have a girlfriend thats never really around**

[IceMan]

ya ya i know what you were thinkin, couldn't even type lol

[IceMan]

25 to 50% is a lil drastic i think... the small water column might need that though, not sure...

[Ross87]

I just plan on keeping an eye on it, I will definitly be doing small changes inbetween. Thanks for you help tonight, till next time.

[IceMan]

how much LR you got? and are you gonna run a sump?

[IceMan]

i know you said u didn't wanna use any chemicals but due to ur inverts you might wanna use some prime if the water changes don bring it down quickly

[Ross87]

water tested PERFECT this morning and this evening, guess I got lucky

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by Ross87

water tested PERFECT this morning and this evening, guess I got lucky

good deal but what did you do? a mouse doin water changes?
lol

[Ross87]

I did a 25% water change the day after the bio-spira bacteria in the morning and a 10% water change last night before I went to bed (around 2 am). from a previous question you had asked, i have 10lbs of highly porous low desity rock and 6lbs or the same stuff from an already established tank with lots of purple on it. I also have 40lbs of live sand.
As far as my system - It's an oceanic biocube, everything was included accept the skimmer.

[IceMan]

you still might wanna add more LR you need min 29lbs but sounds like what you have will speed u up esp. the rock from est. tank

[Ross87]

From CR brightwell's "The Nano-reef handbook," I quote "Use approximatly 1lb of highly porous, low-density cured live rock per gallon of total water capacity in the aquarium, depending on how much open space ou want in the nano-reef. This is the basis that will determine where you place sessile invertebrates."

[Ross87]

i thought 16lb was a bit much

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by Ross87

i thought 16lb was a bit much

your total cap is a 29g tank right? then min 29lb / 1 to 1.5lb rock per gallon is my understanding. but a 29 gallon tank needs atleast 29lb

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by Ross87

From CR brightwell's "The Nano-reef handbook," I quote "Use approximatly 1lb of highly porous, low-density cured live rock per gallon of total water capacity in the aquarium, depending on how much open space ou want in the nano-reef. This is the basis that will determine where you place sessile invertebrates."

you quoted yourself 1 gallon to 1lb


lol

[Ross87]

LOL wow, i kept looking at (3.79L) that is next to ..... per gallon ( ) of total water..... that's rediculous