Greetings, Newbie needing to recover from impatience

[deepgreen]

Hi pleased to have found this forum, and all the knowledge here. I have no experience, and realize (after reading some posts here) I have already made basic mistakes - all from impatience. Your advice on recovering from these.

I recently bought a Red Sea Max, a 34g tank about 10 days ago. Put in 30lbs of live rock (cured), live sand etc. Then came the fish last week (6 days ago) - 2 clown fish, plus a blue damselfish and a few hermit crabs. OK this is way too fast - so how to recover ? Do I put the fish in a holding tank while the tank is establishing? Also used tap water.

The fish seem fine now - but I fear the dreaded ammonia spike sure to hit the tank soon.

The parameters are ammonia, nitrite, nitrate tests all 0.
SG 1.0240

Thanks

[CAVINCA]

did you at least Dechlorinate your tap water?
find some distilled water mix in some salt and do a couple of water changes to get the tap water out if you havent dechlorinated... id do it anyway.
find someone that can take care of your fish maybe the petstore will take them and "quarantine" them.

through in a deli shrimp then sit back and RESEARCH. read this on cycles

[CAVINCA]

oh and welcome to rs

P.S. BE PATIENT!!!

[vdituri]

You've come to the right place.

Feel free to ask any questions you like and we'll try to help as best we can.

Welcome aboard the friendliest reef on the planet.

Where are you located? Maybe someone on here is nearby.

[deepgreen]

Thanks for this, I'll find a holding place for the fish - start things properly. No I did not dechlorinate.

So I will get some distilled water for the initial water changes; do it properly.

I heard RO water units are worth the investment long term. But my tank is small, just 34g, should I buy one or stick with distilled water?

[vdituri]

Even when I had just my 30g I still liked the convenience of having a RO unit and making my own salt.

Some petstores will sell you pre-made saltwater as well.
Just make sure to test your saltwater as well.
Whether you buy it, make it or otherwise.
Keeps the surprises to a minimum.

[CAVINCA]

i think its well worth it to have a ro unit.. i only have a 28 gallon tank. i like not having to depend on a petstore to have water when i need it.

[kathywithbirds]

I'm back and forth on the RO unit question. I definitely need it now that we have the 75 gallon, but with smaller tanks I did REALLY well with walmart distilled water.

I think our problem is that we didn't get one that filters fast enough. I feel like I'm always making water.

[naperenterprise]

Tell me about it Kathy
With well over 550 gallons of reef tanks I have I feel like my RO/DI is always runnin

Originally Posted by kathywithbirds

I'm back and forth on the RO unit question. I definitely need it now that we have the 75 gallon, but with smaller tanks I did REALLY well with walmart distilled water.

I think our problem is that we didn't get one that filters fast enough. I feel like I'm always making water.

[lcstorc]

Welcome to RS!
My husband always laughs at me when I I say I am "making water" .

[SJS]

Welcome to RS - we've all been impatient at some point... My thoughts on the RO/DI system: I have a large system - 450 gallons total, so it's not practical for me to lug water home. I like having an RO/DI - but they are slow. For the smaller tanks - I think having the option of having your own 'water maker' is convenient. You never know when you might need to do an emergency water change, or the weather or whatever causes lots of evap... I keep 2 covered tubs of water - one salt, one fresh for those just in case things that seem to happen...

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by kathywithbirds

I'm back and forth on the RO unit question. I definitely need it now that we have the 75 gallon, but with smaller tanks I did REALLY well with walmart distilled water.

I think our problem is that we didn't get one that filters fast enough. I feel like I'm always making water.

Thought you were Kathy with Poo, now its Kathy makes Water? you either need a bigger house or should just get out of the bathroom!

Sorry about that Deepwater, we do go left alot around here, if your fish have been in 6 days and havent dropped dead from chlorination it wont happen now, if you havent had a spike yet? you may well be done,( you can test this with a deli shrimp if you wish) or just set your routine for water changes, run a good grade of carbon add a little WAIT! and all will be good, while waiting you can read till your eyes drop out and then we will quiz you lol. Welcome to RS. Steve

[prow]

deepgreen, i suggest you start over. take the fish back to the LFS. 10days into it, IMO, its better and quicker to just restart. basically a 100% water change with RO/DI water. test your salt mix to get a base line on levels and make sure your not adding anything bad. add something like a deli shrimp to get, keep, the tank cycling.

give this a read Newbies, a little something on cycling/breaking in a new reef tank. might help you come with a plan

[clairewill4]

hi the waiting game is hard! but worth it! good luck from someone that also has no patience

[Triggerjay]

Originally Posted by deepgreen

Hi pleased to have found this forum, and all the knowledge here. I have no experience, and realize (after reading some posts here) I have already made basic mistakes - all from impatience. Your advice on recovering from these.

I have to commend you! Most of us made worse mistakes over a longer period of time until we figured out we had NO IDEA what we were doing (speaking for myself). I was actually about ready to throw in the towel, until I found this place. This is the first saltwater forum I found in the net, and it gave me a resource other than the LFS guy who just wanted my $$. I trust what the RS people say, and have now learned enough to help others out when my knowledge falls into their questions. Its a great place! WELCOME!

Jason