I thought SW was difficult..or am I about to CRASH!!!

[rook45]

Congrats on going SW, I went the same direction with my 265 after it sat empty.

Whats the filter you are using,brand new or from the freshwater set up and if so did you rinse it?The bacteria from fresh is a different type than the salt and it will all die off before the other colony developes.I'm guessing that these fish you have must not be large and they are not putting out enough waste to send the amonia up faster.Whats the tank size?

I'm using a wet/dry from the FW set up, no I didn't rinse. All small fish largest being 5"-6"

i did the same thing , congrats for someone using information then taking their own step and having some balls , i tip my hat

I'm a troll on reefcentral and got for posting this same thread....it got closed. I'm not liked over there. I guess opinions differ from forum to forum.

IMO it's not good to stock that quickly in a SW tank. I'm rather new myself but you have to stock slowly so the bio-load can catch up. I would def monitor the water params closely to see if all is well, good luck.

I agree....IMO is not good to stock that quickly fresh or saltwater. I tell people all day not to do it. I'm just trying a different approach. I won't be adding to the stock anymore..

Also more info on the tank would be good. How large is the tank? Is there live rock in the tank? What type of circulation? What type of filtration? SW is def less forgiving than FW so hopefully you have all your bases covered & all will be good.

It's a 75 gal with no live rock yet. I just ordered a tunze 9015 skimmer and will be adding LR when that arrives. Circulation it just the filtration and a small power head I will be upgrading the power head soon. I'm shopping around. the filtration is a wet/dry powered by a mag 7.

stocking quickly i think actually works out the best , when you have live sand and live rock already in there , everytime you add something your parms go crappy then get good then go crappy then go good then get crappy , when you slowly do it. if you dump them all in there at once , and have a big filter good protien skimmer and some live rock and are ready for lots of water tests and some very small but alot of water changes i find that alot better..... for instance , my 220 gallon , 1 day set it up filled it up , 2nd day salt cleared and water looked good added live rock and sand , 3rd day i stocked with 2 eels 5 fish , then added bio spira for 200 gallons , no spike, no amonia no nitrates , nothing , fully cycled tank.

bio spira does instantly cycle tanks .... the new stuff that doesnt even need to be cold!!

Too bad I didn't have either LS or LR in the tank....Good to know the quick stocking thing worked out for you. That bottled stuff really works???

If I had to guess I would say you're going to lose at least some fish. Ammonia in a saltwater tank should be undetectable and is harmful to the fish. You're benficial bacteria hasn't gotten a chance to build up yet to keep up with the bio-load you just dumped in there.

If I detect any ammonia again I will WC quickly.

The first SW setup I had was a 75. We bought about a hundred pounds or so of LR. I stocked slowly, but never, ever saw ammonia. We then upgraded to a 180. We bought about 100 or so more pounds of rock. We moved our fish over to the new tank, along with the LR from the 75. I never, ever saw ammonia. So, this is possible -- for there to actually be no cycle, because the LR is so full of bacteria already -- this isn't like FW, where we have to grow it or add it. It's already there. IMO, if you add a substantial amount of cured LR, you run a very small chance of any ammonia ever showing up.

However, that's not what you have going on, and ammonia is now present at toxic levels. IMO, this is the "Crash" you mention... it may go up some more, as well. It's not good.

Also, I don't know what size your tank is, but your lack of research is evident in your stocklist, which is full of nippy, aggressive fish and fish who grow really large. I'd take the time to research the stock that you have.

Ummm....I have except for the undulated trigger. I also read that triggers arn't good together so I figured 3 would spread the aggression out. Com'on man this is MFK. You already know there is an upgrade in the works. I just did this to see if I like it.

With enough LR, it is completely possible to maintain a system that even has no nitrate at all -- we've never had nitrate in our SW tanks, either. But ammonia should never exist in measurable levels.

Thanks.....I actually forgot that ammonia was more toxic at the higher PH range. I will WC at the next spike if it happens.

you should consider LR... you are stocking quick... and don't stock anymore... let the bacteria catch up to the bio load... puting packaged BB will help the tank a lot.

I am planning on getting LR but I'm getting it for decorative purposes not really for filtration. No more stocking....Got it

I did the same thing bro, i used water from my FW tank and did the same thing you did stocked alot fish quick.. About a week later i had an ammonia spike and i know my BB died off and so did like 4 of my fish, but then again you know more about fish then i do and you most likely will have better luck, I thought you wasnt going to do the SW thing lol also one of my friends did the same thing you did and his tank is doing really good

This is SW you've been doing this longer than me....I was trying to pick your brain the last time I saw you....remember?

 

[TheCanuck]

yes bio spira is awsome. You should be fine man , just remember small water changes more often for the first little bit , because if you remove to much water and remove to much nitrie/amonia at once then cycle will start back over , and yes that bio spira if you add then you dont ever have to worry about the cycle , just normal monthly water changes