Can I add more fish?

[BootyPup]

I was in the same boat as you, my first fish were blue/green chromis, then I got a clownfish pair, then when my tank reached a little bit after the three month mark, I got my YWG and pistol shrimp. Just watch you parameters for the next few weeks, make sure it stays good, if they are good I would say go for it.
Also, as for the coral, my toadstool coral was my first in my tank, and he is still doing great and growing, you should defensively pick up some type of nice leather as a good starter, they will help you a good bit with seeing if anything is off in your tank as well.

 

[Vahanyos]

Continue with weekly water changes of about 15-20 % and let your tank season a little more and you’ll be ready for most coral without any concerns... I have loads of coral and still zero dosing. Just weekly water changes. A good amount of stony coral too...

 

[Susan Edwards]

A good rule is to add your fish and then wait as you never know if something will happen like a disease that takes a few weeks to show up. Adding more fish on top of already new fish just ups the stress. Give your newest fish time to build up their immunity and confidence. I was told to add a fish this month, add a coral next month and rotate them. I learned the hard way about adding too many fish too fast esp. to a smaller tank. I set myself up for a marine velvet wipe out. If you are going to start adding corals, you need to get test kits.

 

[Jesterrace]

The nitrates have stayed around 40 ever since the tank finished which was about 4 weeks ago. My tank has handled 12 snails 12 hermits and a pair of clowns well. The ammonia and nitrites are at 0. its a 30 gallon for anyone wondering

40 seems a little bit high to me given your stock. I had a 36 gallon with 5 fish and I never let it get above 20 (usually a small weekly water change). How often do you do water changes?

 

[ileas12:]

40 seems a little bit high to me given your stock. I had a 36 gallon with 5 fish and I never let it get above 20 (usually a small weekly water change). How often do you do water changes?

Every 2 weeks it hasn’t budged.

 

[ileas12:]

A good rule is to add your fish and then wait as you never know if something will happen like a disease that takes a few weeks to show up. Adding more fish on top of already new fish just ups the stress. Give your newest fish time to build up their immunity and confidence. I was told to add a fish this month, add a coral next month and rotate them. I learned the hard way about adding too many fish too fast esp. to a smaller tank. I set myself up for a marine velvet wipe out. If you are going to start adding corals, you need to get test kits.

I have a regular kit and the guy I’m buying Coral from can test my alk and calcium

 

[ileas12:]

Continue with weekly water changes of about 15-20 % and let your tank season a little more and you’ll be ready for most coral without any concerns... I have loads of coral and still zero dosing. Just weekly water changes. A good amount of stony coral too...

Will do! I’m really excited to get my first coral.

 

[ileas12:]

I was in the same boat as you, my first fish were blue/green chromis, then I got a clownfish pair, then when my tank reached a little bit after the three month mark, I got my YWG and pistol shrimp. Just watch you parameters for the next few weeks, make sure it stays good, if they are good I would say go for it.
Also, as for the coral, my toadstool coral was my first in my tank, and he is still doing great and growing, you should defensively pick up some type of nice leather as a good starter, they will help you a good bit with seeing if anything is off in your tank as well.

Awesome. I really thinks it’s cool how they act like an anemone with the clowns.

 

[ileas12:]

That would be a great idea. And I hear leathers are hardy!

Sweet! I’m going to get one this weekend then!

 

[Jesterrace]

Every 2 weeks it hasn’t budged.

What kind of water are you using?

 

[ileas12:]

What kind of water are you using?

RO water

 

[Vahanyos]

RO water

You use RO water when mixing the salt, right? Not pure RO when doing water changes...

 

[ileas12:]

Right I do water top offs with RO and then salt mixed with RO for water changes

 

[Vahanyos]

Keep us posted on your nitrates after a couple weeks of water changes! Do not do big water changes to get it down fast... remember, slow and steady with EVERYTHING

 

[ileas12:]

Keep us posted on your nitrates after a couple weeks of water changes! Do not do big water changes to get it down fast... remember, slow and steady with EVERYTHING

Gotcha! I did a 3 gallon water change tonight because I was running low on RO water.

 

[Jesterrace]

RO water

Is it just plain RO or RODI? If it's just RO then the higher nitrates would make sense.

 

[ileas12:]

The guy at the Lfs says it’s rodi

 

[Jesterrace]

I guess you could always get a TDS meter and find out for sure. If it's 0 or 1 or 2 then it is likely RODI, if it's in the 20-30 range then it's probably just RO without the final DeIonization phase.

 

[ileas12:]

I guess you could always get a TDS meter and find out for sure. If it's 0 or 1 or 2 then it is likely RODI, if it's in the 20-30 range then it's probably just RO without the final DeIonization phase.

oh ok

 

[ileas12:]

That would be a great idea. And I hear leathers are hardy!

hi, just wanted to give you an update, I bought the leather coral and three zoas this weeked. They look stunning under the blue mode on my lights!