neW taNk . heLp, nOt HaTe pLeAsE :D

[Tazii-reef-lover]

Good evening.
May I start by saying 'thank you for welcoming me!'
This is my first thread on any forum...ever! I have made it to 40 years of age before trying this forum stuff out! Please go easy on me, I don't want nightmares ! HAHA

I kept a 200L marine community tank 9 years ago, but broke it down and sold it all on in 2016. It was basically a newb set up - some clowns, couple of striped angelfish, a dart fish, shrimp and hermits. We had a couple of leather corals and a pink tipped anemone. All fairly easy things to keep.

My 9 year old daughter has now fallen in love with Clown fish (Don't we all) ,so we have today set up a small 90L desktop tank with a 200L external filter and 10kg of live rock and began the long slow process of cycling (for a 9 year old I can only imagine this will feel like an eternity :/ ) So as my little darling can have some clowns of her own.

So I have joined this forum for as much constructive, kind advice I can possibly get on CYCLING AND RUNNING A SMALLER TANK, as I know from previous reef keeping that bigger is almost always easier.

So other than not overloading the tank with livestock when cycling is complete, what other tips can you guys throw at me please? Its a long, rectangular tank. The water is 40 cm deep and I am yet to buy lighting. I would like to add 2 clowns, a fire dartfish, some crabs/shrimps and then a couple of leathers and an anemone further down the line when the tank has matured.
My plan is temp at 25.5 c. Weekly 20% water changes and Water level checks.

I really look forward to hearing from you all

Taz

 

[Blue Space]

Welcome to RS Taz!!

While I do not recommend live cycling, my most kind advice I can give you is to buy a RODI water filter system and some salt mix to make your own saltwater for water changes -from the very beginning.

You will also want to purchase a marine water test kit and test the ammonia levels at least once a day to ensure the safety of the fish until you find out how well established the nitrifying bacteria are on the live rock. Plan on doing frequent water changes too. Feed little and just before a wc to improve water quality.

And most importantly, don't forget to start a tank chronicle and post some pics of your lovely clowns!

 

[DaveK]

What your doing sounds generally good. There really isn't much difference from cycling a small tank compated to a large one. I would recommend keeping the stocking limit to 2 fish though. By the time you add live rock, sand and so on that 90 l tank is holding only about 70 l or so. Other than that you should be good to go.

 

[Tazii-reef-lover]

Welcome to RS Taz!!

While I do not recommend live cycling, my most kind advice I can give you is to buy a RODI water filter system and some salt mix to make your own saltwater for water changes -from the very beginning.

You will also want to purchase a marine water test kit and test the ammonia levels at least once a day to ensure the safety of the fish until you find out how well established the nitrifying bacteria are on the live rock. Plan on doing frequent water changes too. Feed little and just before a wc to improve water quality.

And most importantly, don't forget to start a tank chronicle and post some pics of your lovely clowns!

Hey! Yes, I will certainly post some pics along the journey
We buy our RO water from a shop up the road (way too expensive to make our own when on a water meter in Cornwall!) and we make our own salt water with 'H2Ocean' reef salt.

Great advice to feed before water change. Thank you

 

[Tazii-reef-lover]

What your doing sounds generally good. There really isn't much difference from cycling a small tank compated to a large one. I would recommend keeping the stocking limit to 2 fish though. By the time you add live rock, sand and so on that 90 l tank is holding only about 70 l or so. Other than that you should be good to go.

Thanks Dave.
Yeah, we are thinking just 2 clown fish really. Maybe a small dartfish after some length of time depending on water stability. I put the water in with a measuring jug after the live rock and substrate, and it holds 79 litres.
May I kindly ask what clean up crew you would recommend? Any particular snail or shrimp? (just to add that I am in the UK, so some-what limited to what we can get here)

 

[Blue Space]

Hey! Yes, I will certainly post some pics along the journey
We buy our RO water from a shop up the road (way too expensive to make our own when on a water meter in Cornwall!) and we make our own salt water with 'H2Ocean' reef salt.

Great advice to feed before water change. Thank you

Goodness sake! I had no idea water cost so much in Cornwall...