Am i still going to have a diatom bloom if i added 5lbs of live rock from my LFS to 35lbs of base rock? My salinity is at 1.024, ph 8.2, ammonia 0, nitrate 0, nitrite is also 0. Is it safe to add fish? The tank has been running for about a week and I havent seen any signs of anything happening. Have i done anything wrong?
Diatoms
- Thread starter cichlid_king
- Start date
You should have some sort of nitrates I would think.
Add 10 or so hermit crabs. Maybe a damsel or 2. Cheap and easy.
Add 10 or so hermit crabs. Maybe a damsel or 2. Cheap and easy.
You did not say whether the 5 lbs live rock from lfs is cured or not, (in water or dry) if in water be careful of hitch hickers. I never had a problem adding rock once tank is established, and 5 lbs to 35 should be able to handle extra load, imo. Did you see ammonia go up at all or is this first time testing. Do you have anything "live" in tank, to get bacteria started, damsel, anemone.
I have tested the water twice and neither time have I had any readings of anything. I waited 2 days after I put the live 5lbs in to test. I don't have anything as far as livestock in it yet. Just rocks sand and water
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If you added 35 LBS of Base rock, which usually means it was 35lbs of dry rock. And just SW you didn't add anything to create an ammonia spike. Dry rock has nothing living in it or on it. You won't have an ammonia spike until you add some Live rock, fish, inverts, or dose with ammonia. What size tank is this also. If it's a fairly large tank 5lbs of live rock won't create much of a cycle. I don't recommend you buying an anemone to cycle your tank as suggested above. A lot of anemones release some nasty stuff when they die. Also why waste the money or kill something if you don't have to? If you tell us your tank size that would help a lot. I would recommend cycling your tank by adding more live rock. Some of the bacteria and other living organisms in the rock will die off creating an ammonia spike which will create the cycle of the tank. Once you get the cycle going you will see a diatom bloom, it's all part o the process when starting a new SW tank..
Was the sand live? If so, you should definitely be picking up some nitrates. Under 10ppm etc.
X2 do not add an anemone right now. It would die.
Start with 10 hermit crabs. They are 1.00 - 1.99 each at the LFS.
I am assuming the tank you are using is the 75g in your sig?
X2 do not add an anemone right now. It would die.
Start with 10 hermit crabs. They are 1.00 - 1.99 each at the LFS.
I am assuming the tank you are using is the 75g in your sig?
No its a 40 breeder with a 20long sump. The 75 was bought from my uncle. He isn't around anymore otherwise I would just ask him. I have never had to go through the cycling process before. Ill get some hermit crabs from the LFS to add some livestock. What should I feed them? Also I read online that you should provide them with bigger shells for when they grow. Is this true?
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The fish store will throw in a few empty shells usually if you buy 10 or more. And are not nitrate factories when they die (like the smelly dead snails can be).
They eat anything, including each other lol. Mostly algae though.
Also, what is in your 20g sump atm?
They eat anything, including each other lol. Mostly algae though.
Also, what is in your 20g sump atm?