Clowns in my 3 week old 55 gallon

[Dkcav59]

Hi! I added 4 Percula Clowns on the 7/20/23. I purchased them at my local Petco. The fish room manager, Brianna, was VERY knowledgeable and helpful. I was a Petco Manager years ago and a fish room manager as well.
There were 4 in the small cubby tank and I purchased them all, something I
may regret on down the line. They are all doing quite well. There is a smaller one of the group. It's color has improved and and appears to have grown some. The largest of the bunch, which I believe to be a female, gets the ZOOMIES!! She swims fast from side of the tank to the other. I'm feeding them the store recommended Marine flakes, Saki-Hakari Maine Herbivore, Hakari Marine S and a variety of frozen 3 x week. They are accepting food quite well!
I also received my lights Saturday. I only turn them on during feeding. From watching YouTube videos

, it's now recommended to keep lights off for the first 3 months. New to me!! There is also dry Rock in the tank, which the clowns explore, but they mostly stay on one side of the tank close to the glass.
Tank salinity is at 1.024, temp 82, all parameters are currently stable. I'm sure the nitrogen process will start soon. I am noticing some minute green algae growth on the rock. Which I feel is a good thing from remembering my past tanks.
Comments or recommendations welcome!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Glad to see the clowns are doing well! Hopefully they won't be aggressive towards other fish!

 

[eliaslikesfish]

You might indeed regret adding 4 clownfish to 1 tank, unless your tank is quite large there will probably eventually be aggression.

I’m also not sure who told you to only turn lights on while feeding and not at all for 3 months? but I keep mine on all day, lights off all day would make sense if your tank is being cycled, in which case you shouldn’t have any clownfish in your tank yet.

Glad they’re doing well though!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

it's now recommended to keep lights off for the first 3 months

Recommended by who? You're only delaying the inevitable.

I'm sure the nitrogen process will start soon.

Did you cycle the tank in the 3 weeks before adding fish? What are you using to test?

 

[Dkcav59]

You might indeed regret adding 4 clownfish to 1 tank, unless your tank is quite large there will probably eventually be aggression.

I’m also not sure who told you to only turn lights on while feeding and not at all for 3 months? but I keep mine on all day, lights off all day would make sense if your tank is being cycled, in which case you shouldn’t have any clownfish in your tank yet.

Glad they’re doing well though!

I've had my 55 gallon up for 3 weeks now. Just added clowns 3 days ago. I've been watching a lot of YouTube vids. BRS mostly. I was kinda surprised as well about keeping the lights off. I'm thinking well, when you turn them on your gonna get the algae effect anyway! I haven't kept a tank in 30 years, so, I feel like a newbie.
I will be adding more dry Rock to the tank before I put anymore livestock or corals in it. Which will be in about a month.

 

[NanoNana]

Congrats on your new fish. How large is your tank?
Did you start with WET live rock, live sand or add any bacteria to the tank? What test kits are you using, what parameters are you testing and how often.
Others may disagree but I don’t feed straight herbivore pellets to any of my omnivores. An omnivore specific pellet or clown specific pellet or flake will keep you from having to feed so much.

 

[Dkcav59]

Recommended by who? You're only delaying the inevitable.


Did you cycle the tank in the 3 weeks before adding fish? What are you using to test?

Yes. I'm using the API Marine test kit.

 

[Dkcav59]

Yes. I'm using the API Marine test kit.

You know, I thought the same thing upon watching the BSR YouTube videos. When I kept tanks before, I always turned the lights on. When you finally turn the lights on you're gonna get algae growth regardless!

 

[Dkcav59]

Congrats on your new fish. How large is your tank?
Did you start with WET live rock, live sand or add any bacteria to the tank? What test kits are you using, what parameters are you testing and how often.
Others may disagree but I don’t feed straight herbivore pellets to any of my omnivores. An omnivore specific pellet or clown specific pellet or flake will keep you from having to feed so much.

Hi! I started with dry Rock and wet sand. I'm using Novaqua as water treatment ( I know, old school, but I've had great results in the past. ) I didn't add any bacteria, I'm running a Marineland Penguin Biowheel hang on filter for 75 gallons. My tank is 55.
I'm testing every Saturday with the API Marine kit which tests: PH, AMMONIA, NITRITES AND NITRATES. I check salinity and temp 2-3 times a week. I set the tank up June 29. I realize I'm also gonna need another kit for calcium and I can't remember the others, but, I know I'm gonna need it.
I know to have patience for the best success and I'm wanting to go as natural as possible without adding a bunch of chemicals.
I also realize some of my methods, equipment is old school, but, I'm doing what I learned so many years back. Eventually I would like to change to a sump. OH!! I'm also getting a protein skimmer as well.

 

[Dkcav59]

Hi! I started with dry Rock and wet sand. I'm using Novaqua as water treatment ( I know, old school, but I've had great results in the past. ) I didn't add any bacteria, I'm running a Marineland Penguin Biowheel hang on filter for 75 gallons. My tank is 55.
I'm testing every Saturday with the API Marine kit which tests: PH, AMMONIA, NITRITES AND NITRATES. I check salinity and temp 2-3 times a week. I set the tank up June 29. I realize I'm also gonna need another kit for calcium and I can't remember the others, but, I know I'm gonna need it.
I know to have patience for the best success and I'm wanting to go as natural as possible without adding a bunch of chemicals.
I also realize some of my methods, equipment is old school, but, I'm doing what I learned so many years back. Eventually I would like to change to a sump. OH!! I'm also getting a protein skimmer as well.

Thanks for info on the food!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Yes. I'm using the API Marine test kit.

I would eventually swap to RedSea, Salifert or Hanna's for testing. API has a reputation of being inaccurate

 

[Dkcav59]

I would eventually swap to RedSea, Salifert or Hanna's for testing. API has a reputation of being inaccurate

Thanks for that. I have seen Red Sea. I'll look into it. I want my tank healthy and happy!

 

[NanoNana]

Hi! I started with dry Rock and wet sand. I'm using Novaqua as water treatment ( I know, old school, but I've had great results in the past. ) I didn't add any bacteria, I'm running a Marineland Penguin Biowheel hang on filter for 75 gallons. My tank is 55.
I'm testing every Saturday with the API Marine kit which tests: PH, AMMONIA, NITRITES AND NITRATES. I check salinity and temp 2-3 times a week. I set the tank up June 29. I realize I'm also gonna need another kit for calcium and I can't remember the others, but, I know I'm gonna need it.
I know to have patience for the best success and I'm wanting to go as natural as possible without adding a bunch of chemicals.
I also realize some of my methods, equipment is old school, but, I'm doing what I learned so many years back. Eventually I would like to change to a sump. OH!! I'm also getting a protein skimmer as well.

So you’re cycling with fish.
Yeah, it can be done. I’m not in favor of it with products like Fritz turbo and other bacteria out there now. But people still do it. Adding bacteria will cycle a tank in under two weeks without exposing the fish to the discomfort of ammonia. Adding bacteria isn’t really a chemical process and will speed up your ammonia processing.
During cycle I’d test ammonia daily. With no bacteria you can get a spike that you may want to address.
If you are using novaqua does that mean you’re using tap water? Again, some people do it successfully but it really minimizes what help/advice forums can give unless you routinely test the tap water for contaminants.
You would do yourself a great service if when you add rock, you add live rock. You can purchase maricultured rock from a few vendors and some vendors sell system cultured rock. It’s generally sold by the pound.

You mentioned adding coral. What lights did you decide on? Coral is addictive. You have been warned. lol

 

[Dkcav59]

So you’re cycling with fish.
Yeah, it can be done. I’m not in favor of it with products like Fritz turbo and other bacteria out there now. But people still do it. Adding bacteria will cycle a tank in under two weeks without exposing the fish to the discomfort of ammonia. Adding bacteria isn’t really a chemical process and will speed up your ammonia processing.
During cycle I’d test ammonia daily. With no bacteria you can get a spike that you may want to address.
If you are using novaqua does that mean you’re using tap water? Again, some people do it successfully but it really minimizes what help/advice forums can give unless you routinely test the tap water for contaminants.
You would do yourself a great service if when you add rock, you add live rock. You can purchase maricultured rock from a few vendors and some vendors sell system cultured rock. It’s generally sold by the pound.

You mentioned adding coral. What lights did you decide on? Coral is addictive. You have been warned. lol

Yes... I'm using tap water. However I have a Puronics filtration system in my home. It's used by NASA and is incredible!! I live in the Austin area and the water around here SUX! I did test my filtered water before adding it to my tank and it was good. It was a gut instinct kinda thing.
I was going to use live rock, but, was told it's no longer available. Of course it's what I used back "back in the day".
I purchased the blue/white programmable LED lights. I've been turning them on when I feed the clowns.
And yes!! I know it's addictive!! I'm already discussing my next tank with my spouse!!

 

[Dkcav59]

Yes... I'm using tap water. However I have a Puronics filtration system in my home. It's used by NASA and is incredible!! I live in the Austin area and the water around here SUX! I did test my filtered water before adding it to my tank and it was good. It was a gut instinct kinda thing.
I was going to use live rock, but, was told it's no longer available. Of course it's what I used back "back in the day".
I purchased the blue/white programmable LED lights. I've been turning them on when I feed the clowns.
And yes!! I know it's addictive!! I'm already discussing my next tank with my spouse!!

Thanks for the advice. I'll be testing for ammonia daily now!

 

[NanoNana]

Yes... I'm using tap water. However I have a Puronics filtration system in my home. It's used by NASA and is incredible!! I live in the Austin area and the water around here SUX! I did test my filtered water before adding it to my tank and it was good. It was a gut instinct kinda thing.
I was going to use live rock, but, was told it's no longer available. Of course it's what I used back "back in the day".
I purchased the blue/white programmable LED lights. I've been turning them on when I feed the clowns.
And yes!! I know it's addictive!! I'm already discussing my next tank with my spouse!!

Before adding coral, check out some of the light threads on here. I always recommend renting a par meter and knowing your par at different levels of your tank so you aren’t guessing and losing tons of corals.
I didn’t see you mention what you’re doing for flow. There’s lots of good info about power heads on here as well.
You know it addictive….what you don’t know yet is that the amazing sponsors on this site have sales. Lots of sales with beautiful photos of their corals and 80% off tags. I’m currently banned from using the credit card……

 

[Dkcav59]

Before adding coral, check out some of the light threads on here. I always recommend renting a par meter and knowing your par at different levels of your tank so you aren’t guessing and losing tons of corals.
I didn’t see you mention what you’re doing for flow. There’s lots of good info about power heads on here as well.
You know it addictive….what you don’t know yet is that the amazing sponsors on this site have sales. Lots of sales with beautiful photos of their corals and 80% off tags. I’m currently banned from using the credit card……

Hi! Yes, power head is on the list before corals. Spouse and I were looking at some last night. I'm thinking the Fluval brand, which is pricey, but, I've had success with them in the past. Anything you recommend?
Yep!! It's addictive!

 

[NanoNana]

Hi! Yes, power head is on the list before corals. Spouse and I were looking at some last night. I'm thinking the Fluval brand, which is pricey, but, I've had success with them in the past. Anything you recommend?
Yep!! It's addictive!

I’m honestly partial to hygger power heads but most people have a favorite brand. The hygger mini is listed as a nano head but is wildly powerful and low profile and programmable and CHEAP. Mine have been reliable once I figured out there was a tiny burr in the hole the impeller goes in. A light sanding with thousand grit and it was flawless.