Starting out

I am running a canister filter only (no weir unfortunately), no skimmer yet. The tank came with a trickle filter in the lid which I have running just as a little extra.

Don't think what I have is live sand as it came in bags from the LFS, however it was obscenely expensive so I am thinking that it must be capable of spontaneous creation!

I have about 25kg of live rock, some cured and some curing as the tank is cycling. Will add more once the tank is cycled, which will be added in small batches to allow the bacteria to increase. Am seriously enjoying watching all of the hitchhikers coming out of the live rock!!

I run T5's, 2 white and one blue.

Shame about the little cowfish

 

Sandie, I would added about twice as much rock as you currently have. A common guide line is 1-2.5 lbs of rock per gallon. The live rock will serve as the biggest part of your biological filter which will create a more stable environment for tank inhabitants.

As for as cow fish go, they are very cool. I have had about 3 over the years and never had issue, which that said I try to learn from other misfortunes, and have not kept them for about 10 years.

 

Welcome to 3reef! I hope you learn as much as I have from everyone on the site!

Congrats on setting up the tank! You are definitely going to need more rock, though, like Corailline said. It is extremely important for the tank.

Cowfish will get very large (up to 16", IIRC), and can release a poison into the water . Their skin is also poisonous. I wouldn't risk it.

I would check out liveaquaria.com and browse through their fish selection. Then, if you tell us what you were thinking of adding to the tank, we can let you know if it would be appropriate

 

Welcome, and keep the great attitude and patience.

You realize you can add alot of base rock now also, that will turn live soon enough?

I Agree with the advice you already have here.

 

Live Rock...... Dead Rock

So you think I should add the rest of my live rock now? I had intended to add a total of about 75kg which is about 160lb??

I have been told conflicting advice about this. I was told to just a small amount to cycle the tank first, then to add the rest at a rate of about 10kg per week or two. I was told that this would have minimal impact on the live rock and that if I added all of it at once I would have massive die off. This is the option I took

I was also told to just add all of it at once and that it would cycle the tank quicker??

I would probably have purchased base rock too, but here in Sydney we don't have many LFS dedicated to marine only (most just have it as a little section in the back corner...) so the variety of live rock and things such as base rock just isn't here. It is pretty much just live rock or dry rock.

So do you all think I should just add the rest of the live rock now? My tank is at the high nitrite stage??? Or should I keep to my plan and start adding the rest once the tank is fully cycled? And to add it in small batches?

Also, at what stage of the cycle do you think I should add a clean up crew?? I am going crazy looking at diatoms covering everything in the tank. I asked the guy at the LFS and he said that what ever I buy will probably die due to the nitrites, which I am sure is correct and I am just being impatient! Any suggestions on when and what for the clean up?

Are these questions that should be asked in a different place on this forum??

 

Welcome to 3reef!!
If it were me I'd add all the rock now and wait until the cycle ends before I add a cuc. If you slowly add the rock you will stretch the cycle out. Be careful with the rocks and such a deep sand bed. If your rocks are on top of the sand and down the road you get a sand sifting fish your rock work will fall apart. Just a thought..

 

I added all LR at the same time. Very quick cycle doing it this way. Nitrates were below 20 after 2 weeks, and 0 after 3. I had tons of life on the LR, so I certainly did not see much die-off. I added my CuC 4 weeks after adding the LR, 1 week after nitrates were 0.

 

Your CUC is not going to much for the Diatoms. Let the tank completely cycle for at least 4 weeks, recheck parameter, do a water change if indicated and then proceed with a CUC.