First time with saltwater after avoiding it for 40 years

[fishtown-tom]

Hi Folks, I used to work at a freshwater fish store in the 1980's in NJ and have finally decided to give saltwater a try in CA. I set up an Evo13.5 last night with a dry live rock, dry sand, and a bottle of bacteria. I am so so so tempted to add a clown today since I am fine doing daily water changes (I have a freshwater community tank and a fancy goldfish tank) and desperately want to see life in the new tank.

Am I about to commit n00b mistake #1? I believe this is considered fish-in cycling and I do have that live dry rock and the bottle of bac so I feel somewhat justified but also a little guilty having these thoughts...

 

[fishtown-tom]

Hi Folks, I used to work at a freshwater fish store in the 1980's in NJ and have finally decided to give saltwater a try in CA. I set up an Evo13.5 last night with a dry live rock, dry sand, and a bottle of bacteria. I am so so so tempted to add a clown today since I am fine doing daily water changes (I have a freshwater community tank and a fancy goldfish tank) and desperately want to see life in the new tank.

Am I about to commit n00b mistake #1? I believe this is considered fish-in cycling and I do have that live dry rock and the bottle of bac so I feel somewhat justified but also a little guilty having these thoughts...

 

[fishtown-tom]

Feels painful seeing it empty

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Feels painful seeing it empty

Empty gives the least trouble- In this hobby, everything is worth the wait

Hi Folks, I used to work at a freshwater fish store in the 1980's in NJ and have finally decided to give saltwater a try in CA. I set up an Evo13.5 last night with a dry live rock, dry sand, and a bottle of bacteria. I am so so so tempted to add a clown today since I am fine doing daily water changes (I have a freshwater community tank and a fancy goldfish tank) and desperately want to see life in the new tank.

Am I about to commit n00b mistake #1? I believe this is considered fish-in cycling and I do have that live dry rock and the bottle of bac so I feel somewhat justified but also a little guilty having these thoughts...

A black mollie or silver sailfin molly may be a better gamble but it pays to wait until cycling committed. Its called a cycle because the tank will go through a couple of phases in which ammonia will rise and fall, thennitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia reads zero and nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase along with the new bioload therby processing waste and converting it to nitrate quickly. Its important to note that adding a fish or even too many fish right away can exceed what the bacteria can handle which is why it is best to add new fish slowly over the next several months allowing the bacterial levels to adapt
Personally, wait the cycle out which is typically 2-3 weeks.

 

[Sean Clark]

Welcome to the party.

 

[fishtown-tom]

Empty gives the least trouble- In this hobby, everything is worth the wait

A black mollie or silver sailfin molly may be a better gamble but it pays to wait until cycling committed. Its called a cycle because the tank will go through a couple of phases in which ammonia will rise and fall, thennitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia reads zero and nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase along with the new bioload therby processing waste and converting it to nitrate quickly. Its important to note that adding a fish or even too many fish right away can exceed what the bacteria can handle which is why it is best to add new fish slowly over the next several months allowing the bacterial levels to adapt
Personally, wait the cycle out which is typically 2-3 weeks.

Thx VetteG. I was afraid you'd say that ;-) what about a shrimp? Is there any living saltwater thing I can add?

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[LisaMarie]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thx VetteG. I was afraid you'd say that ;-) what about a shrimp? Is there any living saltwater thing I can add?

Trust me- best to wait. DONT let impulse get the best of you

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Welcome to R2R, best to wait for the cycle to pass before adding livestock

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hi Folks, I used to work at a freshwater fish store in the 1980's in NJ and have finally decided to give saltwater a try in CA. I set up an Evo13.5 last night with a dry live rock, dry sand, and a bottle of bacteria. I am so so so tempted to add a clown today since I am fine doing daily water changes (I have a freshwater community tank and a fancy goldfish tank) and desperately want to see life in the new tank.

Am I about to commit n00b mistake #1? I believe this is considered fish-in cycling and I do have that live dry rock and the bottle of bac so I feel somewhat justified but also a little guilty having these thoughts...

Welcome! Glad you joined. Agree wait like vetteguy in #5 advises. Patience is the magic in saltwater... deep breath... look away... imagine yourself as that clownfish. Back in the 80s you were hearing fish in cycle because options were limited (pee in your own tank... dead bit of leftover human dinner shrimp...) but now there are better options. Invertebrates are more sensitive than clowns, so adding saltwater shrimp likely to give you dead saltwater shrimp... and leave that to rot to help cycle seems even worse.

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID)

This might help you find people local to you:

Local Reef Club Discussion

Looking for some locals to share frags and info with? This is the place! Find a local club that meets in your area! If you want to add your club just contact us.

www.reef2reef.com

Perhaps distract yourself in these early days, weeks, (lol) months with watching videos (BRS has good ones) and reading. This is a good reference book type online article I still review:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is no...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[hebdizzle]

Take it slow, it will be worth it.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

This is good practice……For what’s ahead Muhu,hahaha!!!! Welcome brother!

 

[fishtown-tom]

Trust me- best to wait. DONT let impulse get the best of

Trust me- best to wait. DONT let impulse get the best of you

Fair enough. I will redirect my energy to the other aquariums in the meantime. Do you recommend I phantom feed or put a frozen shrimp in there (if so, how much and how often for 13galllons) or just let the live rock and initial bac bottle just run with the filter is enough?

Welcome! Glad you joined. Agree wait like vetteguy in #5 advises. Patience is the magic in saltwater... deep breath... look away... imagine yourself as that clownfish. Back in the 80s you were hearing fish in cycle because options were limited (pee in your own tank...) but now there are better options.

Have you considered starting your build thread? I found its a great place to document my tank's evolution for myself. I started tank first then joined, so I'm still finding myself going back collecting pictures & updating historically as well as current state. Once you create your first post in your thread and link it to your account, they will give you build badge (look left, under my ID)

This might help you find people local to you:

Local Reef Club Discussion

Looking for some locals to share frags and info with? This is the place! Find a local club that meets in your area! If you want to add your club just contact us.

www.reef2reef.com

Perhaps distract yourself in these early days, weeks, (lol) months with watching videos (BRS has good ones) and reading. This is a good reference book type online article I still review:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is no...

www.reef2reef.com

Agree will look into it. Really excited been thinking about this for years so excited to start the SW journey. Here's my current fw community tank

 

[Hairyteeth]

Fair enough. I will redirect my energy to the other aquariums in the meantime. Do you recommend I phantom feed or put a frozen shrimp in there (if so, how much and how often for 13galllons) or just let the live rock and initial bac bottle just run with the filter is enough?

Agree will look into it. Really excited been thinking about this for years so excited to start the SW journey. Here's my current fw community tank

Fresh water tank looks great!!! Welcome to the hobby and soon a new level of patience lol

 

[fishtown-tom]

Fresh water tank looks great!!! Welcome to the hobby and soon a new level of patience lol

Yeah in a weird way I hate the waiting but also feel like when we get it thriving it will be so worth it. Like slow and low bbq.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Fair enough. I will redirect my energy to the other aquariums in the meantime. Do you recommend I phantom feed or put a frozen shrimp in there (if so, how much and how often for 13galllons) or just let the live rock and initial bac bottle just run with the filter is enough?

Agree will look into it. Really excited been thinking about this for years so excited to start the SW journey. Here's my current fw community tank

Recommend google search your particular bacteria starter cycle recommendations, if they aren't already on the bottle.

 

[Jeffcb]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!

 

[SoCalSauce]

If you used live sand, get some seeded live rock from someone else’s tank, dose microbacter and fritz turbo you could accelerate the cycle turn time.