Here's the scoop:
My girlfriend has a friend that just set up a 125 gallon tank less than one week ago. It contains live sand, maybe 75 pounds of live rock, lots of air stones for oxygenation/decor, and a sunken ship/fake plant decor. Now, to be honest, this tank looks amazing. But, there were a lot of things that concerned me. I do not know these people so I didn't feel like it was in my place to educate them on solid rules of thumb. For instance, on the same day they set up the fish tank, they immediately added 14 fish at once. There is no typo there, they added all 14 at once! A week has passed and only a lionfish has perished.
Some concerns of mine: Nitrate levels down the road with a sump that contains bioballs (however, it is a fish only tank--so they may be ok). Salt creep due to the air stones. The spike in parameters that every cycle usually sees. And eventually, all decor will be covered in algae, right?
Will most fish be able to withstand the cycle? They are: 2 yellow tangs, 2 percula, 2 tomatoe clown, 2 anthias, 4-5 damsels, firefish, and some others. Inverts: 1 fire shrimp and several crabs
My girlfriend has a friend that just set up a 125 gallon tank less than one week ago. It contains live sand, maybe 75 pounds of live rock, lots of air stones for oxygenation/decor, and a sunken ship/fake plant decor. Now, to be honest, this tank looks amazing. But, there were a lot of things that concerned me. I do not know these people so I didn't feel like it was in my place to educate them on solid rules of thumb. For instance, on the same day they set up the fish tank, they immediately added 14 fish at once. There is no typo there, they added all 14 at once! A week has passed and only a lionfish has perished.
Some concerns of mine: Nitrate levels down the road with a sump that contains bioballs (however, it is a fish only tank--so they may be ok). Salt creep due to the air stones. The spike in parameters that every cycle usually sees. And eventually, all decor will be covered in algae, right?
Will most fish be able to withstand the cycle? They are: 2 yellow tangs, 2 percula, 2 tomatoe clown, 2 anthias, 4-5 damsels, firefish, and some others. Inverts: 1 fire shrimp and several crabs