New 26 gallon tank! Hi!

[linaalf]

Hi everyone!

My name is Lina and I'm a yoga teacher, concert promoter and fish lover! We started up our 26 gallon tank (36 in long) about a week and a half ago and when we tested the water today it was ready!

We got two ocellaris clownfish and three hermit crabs in addition to the six pieces of live rock in our tank. At least I think they're both ocellaris. One is colored a little differently- it looks like someone spilled white paint on top of him but the rest of him is 'Nemo-looking', if you will. UPDATE: I figured it out! He's a DaVinci

How long do we wait until we get another fish? We forgot to ask at the LFS today.

Looking forward to chatting with you all!!

 

[Steve L]

I'd give it at least 4-6 weeks before adding another fish and only one at a time. You're new to the hobby and most people tend to over feed their fish early on, so if you can manage to keep feedings to a minimum and carefully watch your water parameters you should be ready in a month or so. You should probably wait at least 2-3 months before adding your any kind of corals, and if you are working toward a reef tank you probably don't want any more than 3 or 4 small fish in a tank your size, and I mean small when they are full grown not when you buy them. I realize you probably eventually want to get an anemone for your clownfish, but you need a mature tank with pristine water conditions, and I would wait a year before considering buying one if you want it to live very long.

Good luck Lina and have fun.

 

[goma]

Welcome to RS! Start a tank thread so we can follow your journey!! :swmfish:

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members

Start a tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along, we love pics

one fish a month (or a pair once) is a good add rate...

here a good :read:

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/29836-mature-aquarium.html

 

[DianaKay]

Hi Lina
:welcomera WELCOME to Reef Sanctuary
SLOW adding of stock is key to success as your biological filter needs to build up to handle more fish waste.
Seeing that you already have 2 fish in a less than 1 month old tank, You need to continue to TEST your water for Ammonia & Nitrite DAILY. I hope you have your own test kit, it is needed.
Be prepared to do an emergency WC (water change) if you get a reading of anything other than ZERO when testing each day. Most tanks don't cycle in a weeks time.
Start a tank thread & ask all the ???s you feel the need to ask. There's usually always some one on-line to
Very BEST WISHES :biker

 

[Snid]

Welcome Aboard, Matey!

Owning a Reef Tank is like a marathon, you have to pace yourself to see it through to the finish line. A week and a half is fast for adding fish, but they can make it through with careful observations, water tests, and time to adjust. You aren't just keeping fish, you are keeping water full of micro organisms, bacteria, and the likes. A Reef Tank is an ecosystem that needs to be well balanced. The LFS is going to tell you whatever they can to get your money into their cash register, so don't rely heavily on their advice. The best advice you will find (if you think about it) will come from the people that care more for the fish than your LFS, the people that have nothing to gain financially. All of us want to see you succeed and have a happy tank!

Out of curiosity, have you encountered any algae blooms yet? You should be expecting to have some, as they are the natural part of a new tank. There is always a time period when a tank is first starting out where it gets a case of the "uglies". Do not get discouraged, and in fact be happy when you see it happening, as it is what needs to happen for the tank to complete its cycle fully.