Brand new to salt water!!

My wife and I are just got started with salt water, It looks kinda pathetic with no live rock or coral.....

 

?how long has your tank been up and how long have you had those fish in there? Also I see that you dont have any live rock? how come? and is there a filter or something on that tank?

 

Yeah, get some live rock . It's really a necessity as it's the main biological filter.
As questioned above we are wondering if the tank has "cycled" since there is no rock in there. There are other methods but rock is the norm now.
You've come to the right place to find information and congrats on the new tank.

 

Yep, all great questions already posted. How long has it been set up, why no live rock, filtration, etc. This is a great place to get all of your questions answered. Great choice for starting fish. I love clownfish but I'm just worried that your tank hasn't cycled yet and you might lose them. Just watch them carefully.

 

can someone post one of those questionier things on here for them to fill out so we can get a better idea of the tank???

 

It kind of looks like a hob filter on the back right, but as far as the cycling what could they even do now? Add like half a pound a live rock every week (maybe less?) so its a bunch of mini cycles?

 

depends on the size we need more info about the tank we need that sheet....the tank looks like it has been set up for a week or 2 at the most....they need to put a little chunk of live rock in and the rest base rock!!

 

we just put the fish in this afternoon, the folks at the lfs said we could add the rock later on. the tank has been set up for about 4 days (minus the fish, just to make sure ph and nit was right). as for the filter, its just an over the top on the back right hand side. whats the "cycle".....I AM THE EPITOME OF THE WORD NEWB!!! Thanks for all the info, ill get started on the live rock ASAP

 

I would take the fish back to the LFS ASAP and have them hold them for you....4 days is wayyyyyyyyyyy to early for fish in that tank...."cycle" is the process of you tank building bacteria that will attack ammonias,nitrates, nitrites....the stuff that kill fish!!!! This cycle takes anywhere from 5-8weeks for a tank to be cycled and ready to add fish....IMO i would take those fish back to the store get some live rock....throw a piece of raw shrimp in there and wait for the cycle to be complete....you ammonia will spike up and the finally drop when the cycle is done.....

 

The cycle is when you build up beneficial bacteria in your tank. It will create a spike in ammonia, nitrites, and eventually nitrates. High levels of each can easily kill a fish. The live rock is the main place that these bacteria live and provides a vital filtration mechanism. My suggestion is to take the fish back to your LFS and have them hold them hold them until your cycle is over. In the meantime, pick up your live rock and get your cycle going.