Still Cycling...

Happy Friday!!

Just some questions.
4 weeks into my cycle.
I used like 60lb of base(dry) rocks and 10 lb of LR. It's a 75 g tank. No water change yet. My current readings are about the same as last week. Does it stay the same for several weeks before it all comes down?

And dreaming of stocks (just dreaming). To put in the first stock, should it be fish or a coral? Thanks for your help.

Amonia: 0.25
Nitrate: 0.1
Nitrate: 50-10
pH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 79.4
Calcium: 460
Magnesium: 1470

 

What else are you cycling with? Dead shrimp, damsel?

 

dead shrimp was put in like in the first week. I took out whatever that was left on the 3rd week.

 

I wouldn't put any coral in. Start with fish. Hardy ones. Damsels. And not very many. The general rule of thumb is one inch per twenty gallons while cycling. I added three damsels after the first week and let them pop the cycle. I slowly added more until I had the population I have now. I think I had two damsels die that I blamed on the tank conditions. Others died of preexisting conditions (disease) brought from the fish store.

I, personally, am letting my tank mature a bit before I try coral. But then again, I know next to nothing about it. I am a fish dude.

The thing with coral is you have to have good lighting and a good skimmer. What kind do you have?

 

thanks.
Hardware wise, I got 2x 250W Metal Halide with 4x65W PC for light. ~20g sump, asm g1 skimmer. I am working on my refugium (i think it's 20 gal); I think that will be ready in a week.

 

Disagree completely. If you really want a damsel, and want a particular one, then add only 1 damsel, not a few for the purpose of cycling the tank. The bacteria need to build up over a little time to support the bioload for that one damsel. Now if you add 2, 3, 4 damsels at once to try to help the cycle, the amount of bacteria to break down the bioload for many damsels (ammonia-> nitrite -> nitrate cycle) will be lacking and won't keep up, resulting in worse water parameter conditions. One is all you'd need. If you don't want any damsels long term in your tank, just make sure the LFS you pick it up from will trade it back for a good beginner fish that you do want.
Also, read:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/list-good-beginner-fish-41561.html
and
http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/fish-avoided-part-i-41563.html
http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/fish-avoided-ii-41562.html

 

Hmmmmm. This is what I did at the direction of a saltwater only LFS...the owner no less. If it was bad advise, I apologize for passing it on.

 

Sweet dude. I am working on a 30g DIY fuge myself. Slow project as I have no idea what I am doing. Oh well, that is how we learn. I am jealous of your lighting system. Mine sucks. I am still trying to decide between t-5s and MH. Leaning toward MH. Rock on.......John.