I'd like to say hi, I'm new and glad to be here.

[Cruisey1988]

Hi everyone, I am new to not only this forum but also to saltwater. I have started my 30 gallon tank Almost a week ago and it seems from the little I know, to be doing fine. I have my salt, ph and temp perfect So I went ahead and added 3 blueish green chromis? I think that's what they are. I also introduced 3 pcs of live rock. Approx 9 lbs. I want to know If anyone has any advice for me on what my next move should be. I would welcome and appreciate any advice given !

 

[DesertOrchid]

Welcome to RS and to the saltwater addiction. *L* First off your tank is very new and hasn't had a chance to even build up a good bacteria load before you added your fish which sounds like they are chromis and not very hardly sorry to say. Your tank needs to go through a cycle before adding any live animals as they will produce waste with very little bacteria to break it down into something less harmful. Please please read as much as you can before adding anymore critters so you won't be disappointed and have a difficult beginning. Hopefully the live rock with give it a good start but the reccomendation is a minimun of 3 lbs per gallon or more depending on what you are planning on keeping. Also what kind of lights are you running?? Be prepared to test your water and consider adding some bacteria additives to help build the levels needed to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down. Best of luck and I"m sure there will be many with more ideas to help you be successful.

 

[sasquatch]

Hi everyone, I am new to not only this forum but also to saltwater. I have started my 30 gallon tank Almost a week ago and it seems from the little I know, to be doing fine. I have my salt, ph and temp perfect So I went ahead and added 3 blue green damsels? I think that's what they are. I also introduced 3 pcs of live rock. Approx 9 lbs. I want to know If anyone has any advice for me on what my next move should be. I would welcome and appreciate any advice given !

Hi Cruisey and Welcome.Get prepared now before the trouble starts, new tank and new rock equals an ammonia spike, normally we get this over with before fish as the ammonia and nitrite will very likely kill your fish, you must prepare water change water, get something from the store to neutralize this, a basic test kit for salt water is a right now purchase, test water 2x a day and change water, post your test results and we will tell you whats needed, best luck and stay in touch

 

[sk8rdn]

Welcome to RS!

I agree with the above posts. This is going to be a rocky start up, but hopefully we can get you through it with minimal loss.

....Salt Creep Is Everywhere!....

 

[seabass]

Welcome to RS!!Good luck with the new tank and remember patience is your friend in this hobby!!!

 

[tnwillia]

 

[lbiminiblue]

blue green damsels? I think you're thinking of chromis. They're a good choice. If you got them under 6 dollars then they're probly chromis. If they are, then keep them in odd numbers- if you don't, they pair up and start attacking each other. good luck and have fun!

 

[lbiminiblue]

So elaborating on the bad news by everyone else, basically, (if you haven't read up) live rock and live sand have bacteria which take toxic substances (such as fish waste AKA ammonia) and it turns it into nitrite, which is relatively toxic, then into nitrate, which is barely toxic, but high levels of it can spike algae growth and corals and anemones can suffer from it. It seems like you didn't read up. READ READ READ ON the internet-it'll save you trouble. For example, the norm for letting a tank cycle without creatures is 3-6 weeks. Good thing you got chromis- very cheap, but DON"T ADD ANYTHING ELSE!!!

 

[lbiminiblue]

well don't you think he (or she) should just wait it out and not spend anything else on additives? I say if the chromis die, they die. They cost around 5 dollars. Don't you think cruisey should just start anew basically?

 

[Cruisey1988]

wow what a wealth of information. lol, well so far i have been doing everything step by step with the info my live fish store has been telling me. with the exception of the fish, which obviously i didnt know were chromis. i did purchase them while talking with a very nice member of this forum, i was in a pet store looking, and i was very anxious( yes i know patience ) and he kindly suggested these would be fine starters at around $3.99 a pc... and i did get 3 of them.
i have been checking the ph and the salt and they are both good my water is a constant 76, no clue how it is staying perfect lol..... my lighting solarmax ho double t5 lighting system. my filter is an aquaclear 70. hopefully i didnt screw things up beyond screwed up by adding the fish. thank you all for helping me. again i appreciate every bit of info anyone can give me.

 

[Cruisey1988]

well i have a hydrometer and a ph test kit...................... and as of 2 minutes ago my salt is at the 32 reading which is low ( what do i do ? ) and my ph is high

 

[sasquatch]

Cruisey, we tend to get a bit technical at times when people have issues so lets just back up because it is very easy to compound a problem. You have a hydrometer they can be both read wrong and read wrong, they have to be washed with clean no salt water each time, not known for accuracy and the tiniest bubble with change the reading, wash it out and retest try setting it on a level surface and give it a tap to dislodge bubbles.
Now, salinity does not go down unless you remove water and just add non salted water, take your hydrometer to your fish store and ask them to check it against theirs to be sure its accurate.
What is high PH? we need the number.
Fish, over countless thousands of people starting up new tanks the general feeling is using fish to cycle a tank is both cruel and unnecessary whether they are $2 a fish or free they are alive and deserve the best we can provide, in your case its too late so we just try to minimize loss of life untill we can get you settled with the tank.

 

[Built347]

well i have a hydrometer and a ph test kit...................... and as of 2 minutes ago my salt is at the 32 reading which is low ( what do i do ? ) and my ph is high

You only have 3 fish in there right?.. if so just suck out a couple gallons and refill with high salinity water. Not too high tho.. fish are a lot more tolerant of rapid changes than corals but they still don't like it....

U said Ph is high... how high??

....pingpong anyone?....

 

[lbiminiblue]

CHILL!!! Chromis are chromis- at least you didn't throw in a 30 dollar clown. i'm not sure if i agree with the whole thing about trying too hard to save the chromis. You might spend more money on them on bacterial cultures and everything else than just waiting it out. Just wait and everything should work out. Anyhow, how many watts are your lights? And have you decided whether or not you want to keep corals?

 

[lbiminiblue]

Well i certainly agree on the testing, but honestly- chromis are chromis. i wouldn't sweat it too much if they survive the cycling period.

 

[Built347]

I agree steer clear of all of the suppliments and such but if you have issues as simple as salinity and Ph why not fix them so your 3 dollar fish can live just a Tad better?

 

[engineer goby]

Welcome to the forum. Don't panic you made your first of many mistakes, we all have. Now just learn from your mistakes and ask questions first. No matter how dumb you think your question is ask it for the dumbest question is the one you failed to ask that cost a creature it's life.

 

[sasquatch]

Well i certainly agree on the testing, but honestly- chromis are chromis. i wouldn't sweat it too much if they survive the cycling period.

This type of attitude is deplorable( just in case your ignorant on the definition! Deserving strong condemnation. Shockingly bad in quality.) our hobby is under fire enough as it is from governments and the eco movement, it is not our right to have corals and fish it is a TRUST to be honored, thats why many of us try and help people be successful.
lbiminblue the object is to preserve life not just use it for our own missguided reasons

 

[dmatt88]

This type of attitude is deplorable( just in case your ignorant on the definition! Deserving strong condemnation. Shockingly bad in quality.) our hobby is under fire enough as it is from governments and the eco movement, it is not our right to have corals and fish it is a TRUST to be honored, thats why many of us try and help people be successful.
lbiminblue the object is to preserve life not just use it for our own missguided reasons

Thanks Steve. I wasn't feeling as eloquent.

........welcome to my mind

 

[sk8rdn]

This type of attitude is deplorable( just in case your ignorant on the definition! Deserving strong condemnation. Shockingly bad in quality.) our hobby is under fire enough as it is from governments and the eco movement, it is not our right to have corals and fish it is a TRUST to be honored, thats why many of us try and help people be successful.
lbiminblue the object is to preserve life not just use it for our own missguided reasons

+1
Do what you can now for the fish. If they die, that sucks, but at least make the effort. Start with the basics. Accurate water readings, even if it has to be tested by the LFS. Then we can suggest proper fixes. But we need #s to go off of.

....Salt Creep Is Everywhere!....