Thanks little fish. I had the tank all set up and running minus the coral and live rock for about a week. I added the live rock and the one coral Saturday. How long should I let that run? I also noticed a snail moving around the tank, he must of come with the coral. So I've got live rock the one coral and the snail. I tested everything and it seemed up to scale for now. should I test again later? before I add fish?and I've got 11 pounds of rock in my ten gallon so I'm good for that right? The set up looks really good so far.
Question!
- Thread starter mono19
- Start date
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
- Location
- VA USA
I'd return the hydrometer and get a refractometer instead. More reliable :)
little_fish
Reef pro
- Location
- ABQ, NM
+1 Wonton
I would put a piece of table shrimp into your tank and make sure that its all cycled and everything. If you dont see any ammonia or nitrate after adding the shrimp, then you are good to go for fish! And make sure you get the liquid test kits, the test strips are really unreliable.
And that sounds like plenty of rock!
I would put a piece of table shrimp into your tank and make sure that its all cycled and everything. If you dont see any ammonia or nitrate after adding the shrimp, then you are good to go for fish! And make sure you get the liquid test kits, the test strips are really unreliable.
And that sounds like plenty of rock!
Hey everyone! it's been about a month and a half since I got everything up and running. Not sure if you guys are still looking at this thread but I wanted to post an update.
The tank is doing awesome! I took my water in about a month ago or so to an LFS that I trust and they said all my parameters were great and I could add a fish. I bought a Citris Clown Goby and a Amphiprion percula clown. They are doing great! Both eat well and are enjoying life in the mini reef. I have recently added a Purple Fire Fish and a Regular Fire fish and a coral pack I bought a week ago came with a emerald crap concealed inside. So those are the fish I have going. All seem to be very healthy and doing pretty good.
The guy I work with at the store told me to keep with mainly Zoas and Mushrooms for Corals, so that is what I have been doing. I've got a some great looking red, green, and brown mushrooms and some green furry looking one, and 4-5 good size heads of Zoas. I have 3 other types of corals in there 1 head each a pretty trumpet head coral, turquoise blue and green, and a frogspawn found out he was able to sting other corals, so he is in his own little space far away from other corals. And one other one that was given to me that is like a bunch of mini trees. It attached to the bottom of a rock and wont move but it's nice looking there.
All in all I'm really happy with the way it all has gone. Not too many huge issues, just the diatoms that still pop up now and then. My parameters are still looking pretty good, and I figured that now besides the occasional coral addition to just let the tank do it's magic. I took all your advice and bought a coralife t-5 light and got rid of the hood light...the corals are already looking better, got a nice powerhead going too. I'm excited to see what happens and I already want to upgrade the tank to a twenty! Stupid falling in love with it!
Thank you everyone that has helped me with this. I'm surprised it went all so well and I thank you all for that. I would of been pretty screwed if I didn't get the help I got from this forum!
The tank is doing awesome! I took my water in about a month ago or so to an LFS that I trust and they said all my parameters were great and I could add a fish. I bought a Citris Clown Goby and a Amphiprion percula clown. They are doing great! Both eat well and are enjoying life in the mini reef. I have recently added a Purple Fire Fish and a Regular Fire fish and a coral pack I bought a week ago came with a emerald crap concealed inside. So those are the fish I have going. All seem to be very healthy and doing pretty good.
The guy I work with at the store told me to keep with mainly Zoas and Mushrooms for Corals, so that is what I have been doing. I've got a some great looking red, green, and brown mushrooms and some green furry looking one, and 4-5 good size heads of Zoas. I have 3 other types of corals in there 1 head each a pretty trumpet head coral, turquoise blue and green, and a frogspawn found out he was able to sting other corals, so he is in his own little space far away from other corals. And one other one that was given to me that is like a bunch of mini trees. It attached to the bottom of a rock and wont move but it's nice looking there.
All in all I'm really happy with the way it all has gone. Not too many huge issues, just the diatoms that still pop up now and then. My parameters are still looking pretty good, and I figured that now besides the occasional coral addition to just let the tank do it's magic. I took all your advice and bought a coralife t-5 light and got rid of the hood light...the corals are already looking better, got a nice powerhead going too. I'm excited to see what happens and I already want to upgrade the tank to a twenty! Stupid falling in love with it!
Thank you everyone that has helped me with this. I'm surprised it went all so well and I thank you all for that. I would of been pretty screwed if I didn't get the help I got from this forum!
little_fish
Reef pro
- Location
- ABQ, NM
Glad to hear its going well! Lets see some pictures!
SarahSmile
:)
- Location
- Tropical Ohio
That's awesome. I love hearing happy updates! You have 4 fish in a 10 gallon which is a bit much so my only suggestion would be to always carefully watch your levels and make sure to keep up with waterchanges. Small tanks can be difficult. Small tanks with lots of fish even more so. Good luck and keep us posted!
Pictures will be coming soon after everything settles down...did a water change last night and everything kinda freaked out lol.
Sarah- I was worried at first about adding the extra fire fish, but when I put him in no regrets at all! He has actually made my purple firefish feel less stressed. Instead of hiding in the rock work the whole time he is now out swimming around and eating a lot better, but I agree, I have been keeping up with the water changes and make sure all is well. I really wanna upgrade to a 20 gallon now...this hobby is way too addicting lol
Sarah- I was worried at first about adding the extra fire fish, but when I put him in no regrets at all! He has actually made my purple firefish feel less stressed. Instead of hiding in the rock work the whole time he is now out swimming around and eating a lot better, but I agree, I have been keeping up with the water changes and make sure all is well. I really wanna upgrade to a 20 gallon now...this hobby is way too addicting lol
fastrd400
It wasn't me!
- Location
- Bay Area, California
Welcome to the insanity, now get them pics up, and start your build thread already!
Yeah i know right? I now have a 56g planted freshwater tank, this ten gallon reef, a 32 gallon tank with crested geckos and a 15 gallon with bearded pygmy chameleons...I know that is nothing compared to some people I've seen on here, but it's a good amount..I will try and get some pics tonight to post up!
fastrd400
It wasn't me!
- Location
- Bay Area, California
You'll have to start a new build thread when you decide that the 56g needs to be a reef tank as well. Oh yeah, I said it, it's coming, believe me!
Oh believe me, I have already sat down and looked at the 56 and decided where I would be putting rocks and things and what fish and such, but I figured I should let this 10g run for a while and learn with this one before I upgrade to something so much bigger. I'll see how long that will last lol
SarahSmile
:)
- Location
- Tropical Ohio
It's so fun isn't it?? I have 3 tanks myself, you're so right, it is addicting! Glad to hear that adding a firefish made the other one more comfortable, that's always a good thing :)
It is fun, when I lived in Cali, we had a huge salt water tank, but where we moved to and up to about 5 years ago, getting Salt water fish was incredible expensive. So I just stuck with freshwater tanks and reptiles. Gotten pretty dang good at setting up those kinds of tanks, but it's been fun setting up something a little bit more difficult and seeing the rewards(which aren't huge yet) but still. Yeah both firefish are doing awesome! and they all have really great colors. The crab is fun to try and find.
fastrd400
It wasn't me!
- Location
- Bay Area, California
fastrd400
It wasn't me!
- Location
- Bay Area, California
Ha! I used to live at Ball and State College :bounce:
Ok I have a random question for everyone. A lot of people on here seem to have a day and a night light? Whats the point of the night light? I just turn my light out at night before I go to bed...is this not good? I'm running a Coralife T5 Dual light and it's been doing a great job so far. It's been running for only about 4 days now.
I am assuming you mean the moonlighting? if so that is mainly for our viewing pleasure so we dont need a LED flashlight to see in.. On the other hand if you mean lighting in the sump we run on off cycles to help keep the PH up during the lights being off at night not to mention lighting for the cheato in the refugium..
