When do you think a tank is ready to hold livestock?

[Chiefmcfuz]

Chris they were arbitrary statements I used, nothing more, not used to be specific. Sometimes using other examples to show people things is easier. Kind of like when giving directions to someone you should properly give them a map as well as worded directions because different people understand things differently

Basically the major point I was trying to make from my post that you had so eloquently quoted was this:

CHILL OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
​

Maybe that will get my point across a lot better and before anything goes any further the above statement is not directed at any one person. This thread is a chance for people to share their ups and downs in their reefing experience and for others to learn from their mistakes.

In other words Chris I'm trying to put the wet stuff on the red stuff before it goes out of control.

 

[Kedd]

Thanks Froggie!
Well what better way than to ask it myself.

People did read it. LOL

I have more than a few very close friends in the hobby,bussiness, and other areas, from Cali. to FL, and have for about 10 years now.

The stories I hear, of I need it now, money is no object, are crazy.
Then the questions of WHY did it all die so quickly the tank is ___ old?
I also started seeing a lot of similar stories on the net.

I figured it was a good topic

BTW I can always learn MUCH more and hope too.

 

[NYreefNoob]

stocking a tank

a know a fw tank is nothing like a sw tank, but when i started my fw cichlad tank i was told to wait a month or more before putting anything in it, i did everything i wasnt suppose to and never lost a fish, other than too some of my meaner africans beating new fish up. and like i said i know fw and sw arent comparable and i am new to sw, but show me 2 tanks here that are the exact same to the T. or even 80 % the same. what works for one might not work for someone else. no matter what you do there is always a chance of loss. i waited 2 months on my 29 before putting fish in it. and it was fully curded rock that seen air for a whole 30 seconds and i still had 2 minnie cycle's on tank. it's really a chance if you stock a tank sooner than 2 months, and i total agree about slowly stocking a tank 1 fish at a time.

 

[Kedd]

I type too slow!

 

[loismustdie]

Thanks Froggie!
Well what better way than to ask it myself.

People did read it. LOL

I have more than a few very close friends in the hobby,bussiness, and other areas, from Cali. to FL, and have for about 10 years now.

The stories I hear, of I need it now, money is no object, are crazy.
Then the questions of WHY did it all die so quickly the tank is ___ old?
I also started seeing a lot of similar stories on the net.

I figured it was a good topic

BTW I can always learn MUCH more and hope too.

This is an excellent topic and I'm sorry that it went off base.
Kedd, I think the internet and sites like this kind of contribute to what you are seeing. We all have a tendency to flower up this hobby a little and act like it's easy. When you enjoy working with the tank, you don't consider it work. Also, like you brought up in another thread, sites are loaded with bad advice.
I don't know why there is such a rush and seemingly unlimited spending by people when it comes to live stock, but they act like spending money on good equipment will put them in the poor house. Water quality is all that matters in this hobby, next to stocking what you are capable of keeping, yet I don't think I would be exaggerating when I say 75% of money spent in this hobby is on LS that never makes it 1/10th of it's life expectancy, because they are in a tank they don't belong in. Yet if you ask, all you'll hear is "i've been doing it for 2 months and its THRIVING."
I'm the first to say I don't know anything. I didn't come up with anything I do on my tank on my own. I read books and asked questions of people who have tanks that I would like to attain. Then I pick out what I am capable of doing financially, maintenance wise and with the available room I have.
I also pick out what works for many people over extended periods of time (5 to 10 years), not what 1 hobbyist has managed to pull off for 6 months.
Due to the fact that I'm not that good and don't know too much, I rely on good equipment, which I can afford. The bulk of the money I spent on my tank is in equipment. I focus on good water quality and stability, since that is within my level of what I'm able to do. This is why I brought up the stability thread.
All of us are different in what we're capable of. Livestock is only capable of tolerating certain conditions. Proper cycling is a great start to get to those conditions.

 

[Kedd]

All of us are different in what we're capable of. Livestock is only capable of tolerating certain conditions. Proper cycling is a great start to get to those conditions.

Well said

 

[DevIouS]

Lissa:
You keep bringing up the term "LS being doomed" from a simple comment Kedd made, regarding an experience he had at a LFS.
It was not directed to any member here & is not the topic of this thread.
You bring up analogies & say "how many will follow it" but if feel like no-one is listening, does that mean you stop preaching it?


I will end my last post by quoting my thought....

"ANY live stock, be it fish or coral / easy or hard...Will have a better survival rate & will thrive more in a stable / mature system."

Yes, some are more hardier to tolerate more unsuitable conditions, that doesn't mean it's right to house them like that.
Every live-stock has a different need. It the responsibility of the person to do the home-work, check & see if they have the proper conditions & find out if they can provide for that certain Live-stock.
Will this be a law that every new hobbiest will have to abide by? Never in a million years.
But it will be something I mention to every person going through a problem that has not taken the time to understand the hobby.

 

[spykes]

Lemme ask you guys this, how would you guys cycle a tank? i mean would you guys rather obtain rocks from other reefers, or would you buy new rocks and have a complete cycle because the stuff is rotting. How would you guys start off a new tank?

 

[LeslieS]

Lemme ask you guys this, how would you guys cycle a tank? i mean would you guys rather obtain rocks from other reefers, or would you buy new rocks and have a complete cycle because the stuff is rotting. How would you guys start off a new tank?

Maybe this should be a new thread

 

[Kedd]

LeslieS just add to this thread unless you want a new one.
Good topic.

I would rather have new rock to start a tank, JMI

 

[spykes]

if you start a tank a certain way, it can determine when your allowed yo put in livestock. If you start a tank with all base rock, they can eventually go through a cycle, but not a single spot of coraline will show until you add it of course.

IMO starting with uncured rock is the best way of starting a tank. That is if you can get uncured rock nowadays.

 

[Kedd]

I think coraline is just waiting to come to life, no seasoned rock is needed.
Unless you cook or kill the rock in some way.

It's always there, just my thoughts.

 

[spykes]

I think coraline is just waiting to come to life, no seasoned rock is needed.
Unless you cook or kill the rock in some way.

It's always there, just my thoughts.

how i started my tank was using dead rock been soaked in vinegar and bleach. this removed the layers of dead algae and oxidizing the organics. Then i added the rock into my tank. I used household ammonia dosed to 5 ppm. I let till next day i added hagen cycle in a bottle. 3 days after it started to convert ammonia to no2. 14 days later my cycle was done. I put in a teaspoon of sugar and my tank would turn white from the bacteria's turbidity. I mean cycling in 14 days made me really excited. Now i gotta get me some coraline from other ppl's tank.

everyone has diffrent method and i think i can add fish coral or whatever and my tank wouldnt go through a mini cycle because i was at max bacterial bloom when i added livestock.

 

[Kedd]

Looking back I wish I would have "cooked" all my rock.

Spykes what I was trying to say was rock right out of the shipping box into the tank.
This uncured rock under the right conditions without seeding coarline, will get coraline on it.

Don't take it wrong, seeding is a good thing.
Picking your coraline from a heathy tank is the way to go.

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

I agree coraline is just always there. Its proly what makes up for a lot of layers in that rock. Each good piece of live rock we have are just layers of coraline and coral skeletons that have grown in the ocean. Although there is that cheap bedrock type rock out there that most likely always needs to be seeded from another source of coraline. its just good growth after its been cycled and parameters check out is a good sign that something right is occuring.

 

[cali_reef]

This is a HOBBY, it take time and money because you suppose have them so you take on a hobby.

Some people have money but rather not spend the time to learn about the hobby, they will continue to buy fish and corals to replace the ones they can't keep alive. Nothing anyone can do to change him\her until they get tire of the hobby and find an excuse to get out of the hobby.

Some have money and time but too lazy to learn about the hobby. They will continue to buy live stock to replace the dead ones, but they will also come here and ask how to get rid of ick or why my corals are dying. They should have take up reading as a hobby first. I see more and more of these type hobbyist on this site.

Then there are reefers that have been keeping fish for numbers of years and their spouse think they are crazy because they spent hours on their tank(s). These are the true hobbyist, they learn all they can because they find the things they keep in the tank fascinating and they wantl it to thrive. They try to share their knowledge but most of the newbi reefers thinks they have a better way to do things and the have successfully kept their tank for 3 months, only a few fish\coral died but its all good now, "all levels test fine".

So to answer your question Kedd, How soon is a tank ready for live stock? well it all depends on what kind of hobbyist you ask:lol2:

 

[Deanos]

So to answer your question Kedd, How soon is a tank ready for live stock? well it all depends on what kind of hobbyist you ask:lol2:

:hug:

 

[Kedd]

Then there are reefers that have been keeping fish for numbers of years and their spouse think they are crazy because they spent hours on their tank(s).

Ok I figured it out:lol2:

 

[NYreefNoob]

cycle

ok after following this thread and seems to be alot of advanced reefer's here. looking for opinions. i am in the process of switching my tanks. current tank is a 29g with about 50-60 lr most rock came from a 7 yr old reef tank. been in my tank for almost 8 month's now. new tank is a 62g with a 24g sump. i have around another 50 or more lb's of cured rock. came from another person here. rock was transported in water and have been in a tub for 2 plus month's with powerhead and occasionaly running my skimmer on it. did 2 complete water change's on new rock. new rock and about 15 lb's of old tank rock slowly put in few piece's every couple of days. new tank has been running about 3 week's and one week of it running with skimmer and sump { had water leak issue on pipe's } tested a few days ago and amonia,nitrite, nitrate's all at o ppm and ph at 8.3. no lights ran other than some sunlight on tank.. tested again tonight 0 across the board still. i have a 4" sand bed evs fine, been stirring it up, and dosing evs 2 part. cal is at about 350. i plan to in another week to two weeks to add most of my old tank lr. and let t run for another week, continuing to test. then slowly add corals and 1 or 2 of my fish. every few days total of 7 fish. tank has a flow of around 600-700 ph off of drain and return, currently have a few ph in there for now, will put tunze 6025's in with switch. and since i see different opinions on when to add stuff, looking for opinions and thought's. i am in no rush. ty rick