richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) (11/24/87)
In article <7044@pur-ee.UUCP> tom@ee.ecn.purdue.edu (Tom McCain) writes: > > > >I have recently set up a salt water tank (3 weeks ago). What I'am >wondering is how long does it usually take a tank to go through >nitrification? I was under the impression that it only took a week >maybe two. I have a Tomato clown and a Domino damsel that are doing >great, but I'am going into my 4th week and I like to put a few more >fish in soon... Also I am only feeding 1 time a day very lightly. >Is it common that this takes 4 - 5 weeks? With a new tank, new water, etc. the 1 month point is critical. This is the point where nitrification is just starting to get going. Your nitrates and nitrites probably look good, and the temptation is great to just dump a bunch of new fish in the tank. RESIST THAT URGE ! Add fish slowly, 1 at a time is preferable, and keep a watch on the nitrates and nitrites. You will probably see nitrates and nitrates spike briefly as you add new specimens to your tank. You will want to wait until they level off, and spread out the introduction of new specimens over a longish period of time. Yes, it's common to take 4 - 5 weeks. Even longer... > >--- > >* Tom McCain >* UUCP: ...!pur-ee!tom >* ARPA: !tom@ee.ecn.purdue.edu -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."
richard@gryphon.UUCP (11/29/87)
In article <155@bacchus.DEC.COM> gringort@decwrl.UUCP (Joel Gringorten) writes: >In article <7044@pur-ee.UUCP> tom@ee.ecn.purdue.edu (Tom McCain) writes: >> I was under the impression that it only took a week >>maybe two. > >Most articles on cycling marine tanks suggest that it takes a minimum of >4 or 5 weeks. The real answer is "it depends." It took my 100 gallon >tank around 2 months to cycle. I attribute that to a very light fish >load (3 damsels and a couple of hermit crabs). The cycle can be greatly >reduced by "seeding" the tank with substrate (gravel) from an established >tank. By using bacteria additives you can reduce tank breakin to a couple >of days. If you cant get a culture of the nitrifying bacteria, you can, I believe, buy the stuff in a petshop. >Beware of adding too many fish too quickly. This can't be emphasized strongly enough. After the tank gets going well with one fish, the temptation is great to add half a dozen fish to celebrate. DON'T ! Add them one at a time, preferably letting at least a month go by after a new fish is introduced. New fish should be quarantined in a bare tank with copper solution present, Assume all incoming fish are diseased. Just because they *look* healthy in the dealers, and all the other fish in that tank are fine, means nothing. > -joel -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."
sasaki@endor.UUCP (12/01/87)
In order to do the nitrification cycle correctly you need test kits,
ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. Only after the tank has cycled should
you add more fish. When you add another fish (do add them one at a
time) continue to test the water. You should see a mini-cycle, the
concentrations of ammonia and nitrite should go up slightly, then go
down again. When the mini-cycle has completed then add another fish.
I've used damsels, clownfish, and triggers to start the cycle. You can
buy the freeze dried bacteria to help with starting an aquarium, I've
found that this does reduce the time that it takes to to complete the
cycle.
Ocean Green (algae in a bottle) is back on the market and can be added
to the water when you are starting. I did years ago with very good
results.
There is also Fritz-zyme (spelling is wrong, but it is close) which
several magazines have reported does a good job as well.
You can use mollies because they are brackish water fish. They do
a good job, but I'm not interested in keeping mollies, and don't think
that it is a good idea to flush them after your tank is set up.
----------------
Marty Sasaki uucp: harvard!sasaki
26 Green Street arpa: sasaki@harvard.harvard.edu
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 bitnet: sasaki@harvunxh
phone: 617-524-2111ix426@sdcc6.UUCP (12/01/87)
In article <3425@husc6.harvard.edu> sasaki@endor.UUCP (Marty Sasaki) writes: >In order to do the nitrification cycle correctly you need test kits... >I've used damsels, clownfish, and triggers to start the cycle. I wouldn't use damsels to start a tank for the following reasons: 1. They are aggressive and territorial 2. They are vectors of many diseases 3. Pet shops often have a policy of letting people return these fish for a refund after they have started their tank. Now you get all their diseases in your brand new tank. Clownfish also tend to be aggressive, but if you give them an anemone, they are usually to busy fussing with it seriously to bother other fish. Triggers are aggressive, but I've heard that if you keep them well fed, especially with live food, they tend not bother other fish.
andre@nrc-ut.UUCP (12/02/87)
In article <2426@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes: >In article <155@bacchus.DEC.COM> gringort@decwrl.UUCP (Joel Gringorten) writes: >>In article <7044@pur-ee.UUCP> tom@ee.ecn.purdue.edu (Tom McCain) writes: >>> I was under the impression that it only took a week >>>maybe two. >> This is a discussion about salt water tanks. The only real way to tell how long it takes is to measure the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in your tank. There are a number of good test kits. It takes some ammonia to get things started however. I have heard recommendations that ammonia be added to the new (no living anything) tank, and monitor the ammonia cycle. The solution I have used most often, is to start with a fish that can take the ammonia cycle, such as salt-water catfish. Put in a couple of these babys, add some of the nitrifying bacteria and monitor the chemical cycle. Once the nitrite level has subsided (can take many, many weeks), add a few more fish (don't go overboard yet), and keep monitoring the cycle. It will go up and down as you increase the number of fish. Start with the more docile fish like blue-tangs, and get the more aggressive (and more expensive) fish later. Stay away from damsel fish. They are real cute, but aggresive fish, and eventually all your other fish will stop eating. Don't fall into the trap of getting a bunch of the nitrifying bacteria, and a boatload of fish and hoping that things will work out. I tried this when I first started out in salt-water fish, and it worked for about two weeks. Then I had about $120 worth of dead fish. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- sdcsvax-\ ihnp4-\ \ \ Andre' Hut sdcrdcf!psivax!nrcvax!nrc-ut!andre / / / hplabs--/ ucbvax!calma-/ / utah-gr!uplherc/ Network Research Corporation 923 Executive Park Dr. Suite C Salt Lake City, Utah 84117 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
richard@gryphon.UUCP (12/03/87)
In article <355@nrc-ut.UUCP> andre@nrc-ut.UUCP (Andre' Hut) writes: > >Stay away from damsel fish. They are real cute, >but aggresive fish, and eventually all your other fish will stop eating. They have their place. There is no doubt they are nasty little buggers. One in a tank is a disaster. It'll chase everything. Two is a worse situation. They will either fight all the time or one will keep the other cowering in a corner all the time. So how do you keep them ? In numbers. Put 30 of them is a 100 gallon tank with 2 or 3 *BIG* pieces of coral and you have an extremely impressive display. They can also be mixed. Sure. You can mix three spot ("Domino") damsels with three stripe damsels (these two are about the nastiest I recall). Or the elecric blue ones. The black one with the blue stripes (what are they calling that thing these days) Abudefduf saxitallis, is one of the more peaceful damsels, and I have succesfully kept it with copperband butterflies, dwarf angels, fish of that temprement. No problems. To summerize, damsels can be kept alone in a tank by themselve or in large groups. They dont mix well with other fish. Hardy as hell. > >Don't fall into the trap of getting a bunch of the nitrifying bacteria, and >a boatload of fish and hoping that things will work out. I tried this >when I first started out in salt-water fish, and it worked for about two >weeks. Then I had about $120 worth of dead fish. >-- >----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > sdcsvax-\ ihnp4-\ > \ \ >Andre' Hut sdcrdcf!psivax!nrcvax!nrc-ut!andre > / / / > hplabs--/ ucbvax!calma-/ / > utah-gr!uplherc/ >Network Research Corporation >923 Executive Park Dr. Suite C >Salt Lake City, Utah 84117 >----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."