My 15 gallons of the ocean!

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Thanks everyone for the help!

I have very exciting news!!!

I found this spot near where I live, and it's a place that is solely for corals, but I called him and asked him if I could take some live rock, and he said yea, so I drove over there and got it.

He was very nice, for only 20 bucks, I got 3lbs of live rock, a pond of his sand from his cycled tanks, and he gave me water from his tank to put in mine! I am not worried about disease because there is nothing in the tank! Now my tank is full of liquid gold, or a bunch of beneficial bacteria that will take down the nitrite in only a few days! As soon as my nitrites are zero, and my nitrates are in a reasonable range, then I am going to pick up fish, and coral!

I will get my fish from my LFS, but for corals, I am going to go to him! He sells stuff for very cheap, and he's not really a store but more of a research facility, he sells stuff because he has to make some income, but only to maintain his tanks, pay taxes, and rent, all of that fun stuff. He is very nice, and I just found a really good store, and I am SUPER HAPPY!!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

What day of the cycle/tank is it approximately? @WalkerLoves_TheOcean

Roughly 3 weeks

 

[Ollie67]

Thanks everyone for the help!

I have very exciting news!!!

I found this spot near where I live, and it's a place that is solely for corals, but I called him and asked him if I could take some live rock, and he said yea, so I drove over there and got it.

He was very nice, for only 20 bucks, I got 3lbs of live rock, a pond of his sand from his cycled tanks, and he gave me water from his tank to put in mine! I am not worried about disease because there is nothing in the tank! Now my tank is full of liquid gold, or a bunch of beneficial bacteria that will take down the nitrite in only a few days! As soon as my nitrites are zero, and my nitrates are in a reasonable range, then I am going to pick up fish, and coral!

I will get my fish from my LFS, but for corals, I am going to go to him! He sells stuff for very cheap, and he's not really a store but more of a research facility, he sells stuff because he has to make some income, but only to maintain his tanks, pay taxes, and rent, all of that fun stuff. He is very nice, and I just found a really good store, and I am SUPER HAPPY!!

That's great to hear! He sounds like a genuine person! Hopefully, these new additions will help you get that cycle to finish. Cycles can take up to 3-4 weeks, or longer. You'll be ready in no time!

Best of luck

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

That's great to hear! He sounds like a genuine person! Hopefully, these new additions will help you get that cycle to finish. Cycles can take up to 3-4 weeks, or longer. You'll be ready in no time!

Best of luck

I am now aquascaping the rocks, and I felt something soft on the underside of my rock, I flipped it over and there was this centipede looking thing on the rock, then it spiraled into the hole of a rock. So gross, I don't know if I should remove it or not.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

This is not all of it, but it's the best picture I could get before it went into the rock.

 

[Ollie67]

I am now aquascaping the rocks, and I felt something soft on the underside of my rock, I flipped it over and there was this centipede looking thing on the rock, then it spiraled into the hole of a rock. So gross, I don't know if I should remove it or not.

That's interesting. It could be a Bristle worm. I don't think they are harmless, they eat diatoms I believe. Just be careful near your hands.

Stuff can hitch-hike on new rocks you get, so it's not uncommon to find critters that lived in the rocks- especially live ones.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I understand the feeling, but patience is key. Once you get your fish and they're safely in your tank it will feel very rewarding! If your nitrate hits zero, do you think you can get fish during the week or will you wait for the weekend?

And yes, I think it's good that your LFS had you wait. Regarding testing, I brought a water sample to my LFS and they tested it with API LOL. They claimed that it's fine as long as it's in the general ball park... But I would still test with your API kit just to see what's going on. My API kit actually showed zero ammonia and zero nitrite. The day before I was it was 0.25ppm nitrite, so it's somewhat accurate. Just make sure you use the correct number of drops, shake when needed as per instructions, wait the proper time to read, and have good lighting. These things will help you get more better results from the less accurate API kit.

Also regarding water changes, I wouldn't go crazy with it. A water change during cycling, such as a 10-20% change, can help dilute parameters such as ammonia and nitrite if it's super high, but it can also take away other nutrients and bacteria. Since nitrite is at 5ppm, it's not crazy high so I would just be patient for now. If it's still at or above 5 in 2-3 days then you can consider a small water change.

I still haven't done one in my tank yet, I've only taken out a small amount to adjust salinity before I had my ATO. I plan on doing one next week or so though.

You can do large water changes as bacteria lives on surface and not in water column so 100 percent change if they wanted, which I do, is no issue at any point. If there is nitrates, you have the bacteria needed on the surfaces. If he adds the live rock or even bacteria in a bottle back at start, he would be good to go. Its more about stocking balance. Any increase or decrease in nutrients will effect bacteria but this is always constant.

But as you stated nothing wrong with waiting and letting levels go down either.

 

[lil sumpin]

Just wondering, what is a good place to get pods from? An LFS? Or online? I've seen some online but many had mixed reviews.

I am a fan of Reef by Steele

 

[lil sumpin]

This is not all of it, but it's the best picture I could get before it went into the rock.

Looks like a bristle worm, be careful not to touch them as they can cause pain. They are detritus eaters and generally regarded as harmless CUC

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Dont worry about adding their water, but still awsome. As baccteria and such doesnt live in it so youll just get some nutrients but also possibly elevated levels of elements which could be good as well. But sounds like the LFS both you visited have your best interest in mind.

 

[Reefer Brent]

This is not all of it, but it's the best picture I could get before it went into the rock.

I have read if you dip the rock In saltwater around 1.035 it will shock the critters out and then you can move the rock. I am not a fan of bristle worms but they are hard to avoid.

 

[Ollie67]

I am a fan of Reef by Steele

Thanks! I'll take a look

 

[Ollie67]

I am a fan of Reef by Steele

Any specific pods you recommend? Or just a mix?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I have read if you dip the rock In saltwater around 1.035 it will shock the critters out and then you can move the rock. I am not a fan of bristle worms but they are hard to avoid.

Yeah, I am doing a 1.045 dip.

 

[lil sumpin]

Any specific pods you recommend? Or just a mix?

I started with their blended pod buffet and waited about 3 months before adding the colossal

 

[Lavey29]

Just wondering, what is a good place to get pods from? An LFS? Or online? I've seen some online but many had mixed reviews.

Dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Gosh do I really hope I got that worm out. My tank is right next to my bed so I really don't want it in there.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

If bristleworm as long is there isnt many they are good cleanup crew. Like others said if you want to remove, handle with care. Never had issues in any tank with them. If you got live rock from your lfs. Wait to add pods as im sure there are some hitchhiking and will populate over time. Some lfs will have live pods as well to buy but just wait and see. Youll mostly notice at night. Little white specs and I mean tiny of you havent seen before.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Forgot to mention as well, but on the rock with the bristle worm, I found a stomatella snail, and I knocked it off before I put it in the high salinity water, it floated down and landed on it's back, and then it flipped itself over which was one of the coolest things I have ever seen! I love him, he is so cute!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Omg, lol. I just checked in the bucket with the 1.045 salinity, and I just found 2 tiny starfish, they are white, with red and black dots. I don't know if they are alive, but I put them in my DT.