new_to_reef
New Member
Hello All,
I am very new to this hobby and need help in figuring out how to maintain and take care.
I have a 17.5 GAL UN Systems aquarium (All in One - Nano Tank), which came with a Sponge and Return Pump. At the aquarium store, I was told about adding nitrifying bacteria on day 1 and can add fish with-in 2 days. I have not done enough research on cycling and blindly followed. After reading a lot of threads, doing a fish in Cycle is bad, now I'm feeling paranoid.
April 8th (Day - 1) - Added Live Sand, Live Rock, Carbon filter, Bio Filter media. Added water and left for a day.
April 9th (Day - 2) - Added Heater (Set to 77F), Light (Turning on for 8 hours) and added Dr. Tim's Nitryifying Bacteria bottle (60 ML).
April 10th (Day - 3) - Added a pair of clown fish.
Question 1 - When adding Nitrifying bacteria I had the Sponge Filter, Bio Max Filter Media and Carbon Filter. Is this okay ? Or did I do wrong and need to re-add the Nitrifying bacteria ?
I have been feeding pellets as food. I feed 3 - 4 pellets to each fish, twice a day. If the fish doesn't eat the pellets and it drops to ground, i Syphon with a pipette for every 3-4 days.
I do checks for Ph and Ammonia for every 3 days. Ph is b/w 7.5 - 8 and Ammonia seems to be always at "less than 0.05 ~ 0.05" as per Salifret testing kit as of Apr 17th. Even the seachem in-water badge says "Safe". I have purchased seachem prime, just in case to use, if ammonia increases. But doesn't seem to increase at all (Which i feel very good for now)
Fish seem to be happy and always feel excited when I add food. Love them. They don't explore the rocks and sand and scared to pick up food which falls there. One sticks near the return pump and other sticks on the other end. The one which is at the Return pump, seems to be the dominant one of the two.
Question 2 - Does this mean, my cycling is complete? Its been just a week, but I read, adding Nitrifying bacteria and Live sand, Bio Media etc., the cycling should be done in 5 days.
Question 3 - It is almost 2 weeks now - I am planning to do a 20% water change this weekend. I buy water from my fish store. While doing water change, do I need to clean up or replace the Sponge and Carbon Filter media. If just clean up - when would be a good time to replace these two? I assume, I should never remove Bio Max Filter media. Any tips here on maintenance.
Question 4 - I noticed some Diatoms (could be wrong) in my tank on the sand. Does this mean, the Cycling is complete. Will this eventually go away? Is it a good time to add in clean-up crew like Hermit Crab or Shrimp.
I also noticed the pellets where my pipette cannot reach to Syphon, seems to form a layer of white cover over it. Is that something to be corned about?
Question 5 - I don't have a ATO. I see some water evaporated in my filtering system. I plan on purchasing RO/DI water and keep in stock at home, to fill it manually until I save for ATO. I am currently saving to buy a Protein Skimmer.
Question 6 - When is a good time to add Corals (Mostly LPS corals like Hammer, FrogSpawn and Torch).
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in Advance.
Over-all Tank Pic -
I am very new to this hobby and need help in figuring out how to maintain and take care.
I have a 17.5 GAL UN Systems aquarium (All in One - Nano Tank), which came with a Sponge and Return Pump. At the aquarium store, I was told about adding nitrifying bacteria on day 1 and can add fish with-in 2 days. I have not done enough research on cycling and blindly followed. After reading a lot of threads, doing a fish in Cycle is bad, now I'm feeling paranoid.
April 8th (Day - 1) - Added Live Sand, Live Rock, Carbon filter, Bio Filter media. Added water and left for a day.
April 9th (Day - 2) - Added Heater (Set to 77F), Light (Turning on for 8 hours) and added Dr. Tim's Nitryifying Bacteria bottle (60 ML).
April 10th (Day - 3) - Added a pair of clown fish.
Question 1 - When adding Nitrifying bacteria I had the Sponge Filter, Bio Max Filter Media and Carbon Filter. Is this okay ? Or did I do wrong and need to re-add the Nitrifying bacteria ?
I have been feeding pellets as food. I feed 3 - 4 pellets to each fish, twice a day. If the fish doesn't eat the pellets and it drops to ground, i Syphon with a pipette for every 3-4 days.
I do checks for Ph and Ammonia for every 3 days. Ph is b/w 7.5 - 8 and Ammonia seems to be always at "less than 0.05 ~ 0.05" as per Salifret testing kit as of Apr 17th. Even the seachem in-water badge says "Safe". I have purchased seachem prime, just in case to use, if ammonia increases. But doesn't seem to increase at all (Which i feel very good for now)
Fish seem to be happy and always feel excited when I add food. Love them. They don't explore the rocks and sand and scared to pick up food which falls there. One sticks near the return pump and other sticks on the other end. The one which is at the Return pump, seems to be the dominant one of the two.
Question 2 - Does this mean, my cycling is complete? Its been just a week, but I read, adding Nitrifying bacteria and Live sand, Bio Media etc., the cycling should be done in 5 days.
Question 3 - It is almost 2 weeks now - I am planning to do a 20% water change this weekend. I buy water from my fish store. While doing water change, do I need to clean up or replace the Sponge and Carbon Filter media. If just clean up - when would be a good time to replace these two? I assume, I should never remove Bio Max Filter media. Any tips here on maintenance.
Question 4 - I noticed some Diatoms (could be wrong) in my tank on the sand. Does this mean, the Cycling is complete. Will this eventually go away? Is it a good time to add in clean-up crew like Hermit Crab or Shrimp.
I also noticed the pellets where my pipette cannot reach to Syphon, seems to form a layer of white cover over it. Is that something to be corned about?
Question 5 - I don't have a ATO. I see some water evaporated in my filtering system. I plan on purchasing RO/DI water and keep in stock at home, to fill it manually until I save for ATO. I am currently saving to buy a Protein Skimmer.
Question 6 - When is a good time to add Corals (Mostly LPS corals like Hammer, FrogSpawn and Torch).
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in Advance.
Over-all Tank Pic -
