Is my LFS owner yanking my chain?

Hi everyone. I've been reading these forum quite a bit lately as I just set up my first saltwater tank. I got a good deal on a 29g biocube so I just couldn't resist. This post is a request for a list of things I'm doing wrong, lol. The LFS owner is being WAY too nice and I think I may be rushing the whole setup thing.

I started with moist live sand and there was some leftover moisture in the bio-balls chamber. The tank has been cycling for a few days no so I decided to venture out to the LFS where I got the tank. My basic water test kit said that everything in the tank was good, my stats are: temp-88, salt-1.022, Ammonia-.25(was told by LFS owner to just add chemical and not worry), NO2-0, NO3-0. All I wanted to get was an additional powerhead but the owner was there and loaded me up with free stuff. I got a large rock, about a cup of live sand out of one of his tanks and he gave me a blue damsel and a black damsel.

All for free. All this stuff went into my tank today. Any of this sound suspect? Should I just wait and see what happens and stay on top of my water testing? From what I've read this is too early to introduce fish. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

damsels are hardy little guys I would says hes just being nice

alot of people just use damsels to cycle

 

sounds like they were just trying to help get you started. the rock is probably live rock and has alot of bacteria already on it. its great for helping the tank and the damsels will help get the ammonia uptake going.

 

He is not wrong-ish.

It is common to cycle a tank with a damsel. Much controversy surrounds the practice though.

You will still have to wait for the tank to cycle. Keep your tests up. No chemicals are needed. In fact, they can hurt and prolong the cycle.

I am assuming the temperature is a mistype. You should be shooting for 78-80 degrees.

 

Sounds like you're starting off well. I would lower the temps to about 78-80. 88 IMO is pretty high. And to adding chemicals, what chemicals exactly are you adding?

 

Wow, thanks for the amazingly fast responses! Yes, sorry, the Temp is a typo, its 78.

And for pete's sake, how do I get the powerhead's suctioncups to stick! LOL

 

The chemicals I added were AmQuel+ and NvAqua+, both by Kordon.

 

yeah, good luck with those. I got magnets holders instead. Work much better.

 

lol suction cups are a PITA lol jus keep trying

 

Just be aware that the damsels are very aggressive and territorial fish... a lot of lfs sell them to cycle the tank but I made that mistake before and after the cycle finished and I wanted to add other fish, I had to take the whole tank apart to catch that devilish black damsel... he terrorized the other fish and had to be taken out. I traded him in but again, be aware that depending on the lifestock you intend to keep that damsel probably has to go again. And they are tough to catch!!