# Started 30g Salt



## pair4s (Feb 21, 2004)

So far im running
-heater
-spong filter attached to powerhead
-3 Damsels
-1" layer of crushed corral

Im going to add a bio wheel in couple of weeks when I can get it out of storage. Any suggestions? My tank has been running bout 4 days and damsels are doing great. Id like to get a dwarf lionfish in the future. Think i should add live rock? or is it not neccesary.. or will the live rock be good for my fish?


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## diddye (Feb 22, 2004)

add live rock and let the tank mature before addinig fish...they say about 2-3 months at least.


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## pair4s (Feb 21, 2004)

can i keep my fish with the live coral and have them cycle together? The lfs told me that my system was good and told me to cycle the tank for a month with the 3 demsels. If this isnt true, what should i do with my fish?


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## diddye (Feb 22, 2004)

i read its not good to put corals for like 6 months....and def not when its cycling....unless ya can't help it cuz its part of the liverock...but damsels for cycling is ok


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## pair4s (Feb 21, 2004)

so i can put in live rock with my fish?


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## diddye (Feb 22, 2004)

prob damsels...but not lionfish yet


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

I wouldent add the lionfish untill the tank matures. Live rock is an added bonus whatever ya can afford is better than nothing.
Corals should not be added till the tank ages for at least 4 mos. Unless you want to risk it. (They get pretty pricey)


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## pair4s (Feb 21, 2004)

cool, thanks for the info.. i guess ill add some live rock from my friend. Also anyone know when your tank is done cycleing?


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## Kohan Bros. (Aug 24, 2004)

the only way to know for sure is to buy a bunch of test kits


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## NaTuReBoYz A_TROX (Jul 28, 2004)

so is that the hardest part of having a salt-water tank?.... or is maintaining it just as hard as the cycling process?


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## diddye (Feb 22, 2004)

maintaining is hard...tank isn't considered mature till like 8 months or so


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## Kevsawce (May 27, 2004)

i heard having damsels and live rock while cycling would cause too much amonia for the tank. I'm not sure if its true though please correct me if im wrong


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## nitrofish (Jan 14, 2003)

Kevsawce said:


> i heard having damsels and live rock while cycling would cause too much amonia for the tank. I'm not sure if its true though please correct me if im wrong


 no mater what your going to have a lot of ammonia during the cycling process.


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## illnino (Mar 6, 2004)

maybe youre thinkin of uncured liverock


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## zygapophysis (Jul 16, 2004)

i heard bio wheels arnt good for salt water, in the wheel you get a build up nitrates or nitrites i cant remember some one told me this so im not %100


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## pair4s (Feb 21, 2004)

well, ive been a lazy azz and havnt picked up my biowheel yet. The lfs guy said that my sponge filter with my power head should be sufficient. since i posted this, my tank has BROWN and GREEN spots. More brown ones though, mostly on the crushed coral sand and some on the dead rock. My guess is that brown spots are bad?? if they are should i clean them? and i know somebody is gonna say "ITS CUZ YOU USE TAP WATER YOU NEWB!" WEll im a broke coollege student and dont have money every month to buy that shiet, plus my LFS guy said that RO water is just a luxery along with protien skimmers and all that. but i dunno, does anyone else use tap water(dechlorinated of course)?


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## TommyBlaze (Jan 16, 2004)

Sorry trying not to derail the the thread but what tests do you need and how much do they cost to know if the tank is cycled?









I took ocean water and ocean sand and ocean fish and they have been doing great for about a month. So iam curious to see if this sped up the cycle prcoess or what stage iam in. Plus i heard if you take ocean water the salt level is too high so if you dont use tap water..Do you use bottled water? <~~noob


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