LGangway's 55gal Build

Questions...

I started my cycle by adding live rock about a week and a half ago. Unfortunatly I wasn't thinking and added some cheato to my fuge when I added my live rock. I also had my protein skimmer running during the intial week or so. I have since removed the cheato and cut off my protein skimmer. I have been monitoring my levels and haven't seen the beginning of a spike. Diatom bloom occured in about the first 4-5 days and has began to tapper off. Now I have purplish algee growing on the cured coral base rock I added. On one of the live rocks I have seem to started growing some type of pollips. It must have been somewhat dormant and when I added good lighting it opened back up. So on the the questions... Did I somehow miss my spike by not monitoring it the first 3-4 days after adding my live rock? Should I add a table shrimp even though I've added live rock? Am I going to loose the pollips or coral that is on my live rock during the cycle?

Thanks for any help!

 

......

 

So if my values for nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia are near perfect, is there any harm in adding my CUC? Or am I going to get a spike during my cycle still? Trying to take things slow, but not seeing that my water conditions are anything but perfect... I'd love to add a couple frags.

 

anybody?

 

After watching my water parameters remain constant, I added my CUC and my first coral today. Picked up a kenya tree from the LFS. Updated pics coming soon.

 

Added items

After adding my CUC, I added my first items to the tank.

My LFS had a torch coral they sold me, along with a long tenicle anemone, and maroon clown... Pics below, sorry about the low phone camera quality.


Under led moonlights

Anemone and clown

 

Congrats on the new additions,

Be careful with the anemone, introduction to a newly cycled tank can be too stressful for them. Your parameters may say all is well but a lot of things go into cycles that we can not test for or do not test for.

The tank should be allowed to cycle for at least 4-6 weeks, before introduction of such delicate inverts as anemones. Corals will tend to do much better when added later as well.

Patience is the key, good luck, it's a pretty anemone.

 

I was right on the verge of 4 weeks into my cycle, anemone seems to be doing great, clown has def. takin a liking to him. Hope I didn't jump the gun. The wife was all about them at the LFS so it was hard saying no. We'll keep our fingers crossed...

 

Been awhile...

So my tank has been up and running for a few months and everything is growing and thriving. Had a few items randomly pop up in the tank that have made some pretty cool additions. Pictures coming very soon.

LGangway

 

***new pics*** 6/29/11

As mentioned, I have attached some recent pics of my tank.

Long Tentacle Anemone -


Random Green Polyps

Torch Coral

Purple Mushroom