# Success!!!



## RealFinJamie (Feb 19, 2006)

Hello all,

I collected my 5ft Marine tank and fish on Saturday. It was somewhat of a struggle to say the least. 
I had to drain every last drop of water. Remove the rocks, Carry the tank and stand. Drive for over an hour home. Carry the tank and stand again, add the sand, add the water, add the rock, and last but not least.... add the fish.

I was worried when I added the fish because they were very lifeless and looked almost dead.

Good news.... they all recovered from the ordeal and are happily swimming around in their new home.

The water took a while to clear, and once it had cleared I changed the sponge element in the filter. I have been advised for leave the tank for a week or two as it needs to recover.

I have added some brime shrimp (20) which have nearly all gone now. I also have added 2 cubes of frozen brime since sunday morning. I have placed 2 leaves of Kos lettice which has also be eaten. My idea was to leave them untill 2 days before i think about feeding them more food.

They are all looking good and feeding fine. I obviously don't want to over feed them.

I want to get some turbo snails and hermit crabs ASAP. I think 2 weeks time will be fine??

Also I was thinking about a sea urchin?

Am I playing the game correctly?

Views always appreciated! 

Jamie


----------



## AshleytheGreat (Jul 24, 2005)

The Trigger and puffer will probally destroy the urchin. 

Good Luck with everything!


----------



## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

So you added the fish after the tank was set-up for less than an hour?

That's probably one of the biggest mistakes. Also If you did that (may have read the post wrong) than you definitely don't want to add that much food. Ammonia levels will get high from the fish addition and cycle and that much food rotting will raise it up to dangerous levels. People tell you that having live rock in there lets you add the fish right away, well...no lol. You should still wait for the tank to cycle a bit, still going to go through a cycle, no matter what the size, and it may not KILL the fish but it still may harm them.

For the snails, you could possibly add some ( like maybe5) and 10 or more hermits.

Where are you seeing ashley that they have a puffer and trigger? Am I missing something or did they have another topic on the forum? lol.

The both species may attack and kill the hermits and snails and may not at the same time. Kind of depends ont he individual, never kept them so don't know what exactly they're aggression towards things like that are. I've kept brackish puffers but never attempted to keep them with snails or anyhtin glike that. Naturally though they do eat snails and inverts but if they're big enough they May leave them alone.

Oh well, very irritated right now and typed too much for right now so I probably screwed up what i was going to say, feel free to correct me anyone lol.


----------



## Daniel (Feb 17, 2006)

buy a water test kit as you may get ammonia/nitrite spike
plus be careful on feeding as you will get nitrate buildup from over feeding and decaying food.

good luck and you will find this is one of the most friendly forums around any questions just ask-someone always has the answer or a suggestion


----------



## fishn00b (Jun 10, 2005)

I think he mentioned in a post before that he was getting this tank from a friend and that the tank was already established. The fish came with the tank, so I don't believe he is going to cycle.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yeah, that tank should be as good as new in a couple of days if the move was swift and nothing got smooshed.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

exactly, it was an established system, a cycle shouldn't be a huge issue, however I'd still test the water to make sure. I'd test every two days and if the fish seem distressed at anytime. Also if you can get your store credit now, now would be a good time. I'd decide what you want to keep and what you don't want today or tomorrow, take them into the store by the weekend. Lightly feed these next few weeks... cut down to every other day to make sure your ammonia and nitrite levels don't peak. 

I would also purchase some different foods for your fish, but that will depend on what you want to keep. I'd at least get a staple fish food right away. Brine shrimp is like candy to fish, not too great for them as a staple but good as a treat. If you plan on keeping a tang, then I would definately get some "seaweed selects", "spiralina flakes" or sushi "nori" instead of the lettuce. These are all marine based foods that your fish are used to eating, lettuce is a terrestrial food that your fish will have issues with eating long term.


----------



## RealFinJamie (Feb 19, 2006)

I understand I should do a cycle if I have added new water, BUT i have just removed and replaced the water which has been cycling for over a year (good quality, well established).

The fishare doing really well.... you would never of guessed that they have been though any stress.

I have tested salt levals and PH and also the nitrate/ammonia!
All is perfect.

Like i said in my earlier post....I won't touch the tank now for 2 weeks or so.

All is good, and i'm hoping its going to stay that way!


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

well just to clear up a misconception here, aged water is good and all, however it doesn't have the necessary benefical bacteria to keep your tank it the "perfect" range on your tests. Usually the most bacteria is found either on the filter floss, biowheel, or in the sand itself. If you kept these moist, you may see little or no cycle. If you didn't then it is possible that a great deal of your bacteria is dead. At any rate, you want to feed sparingly, possibly remove a few fish and take them into your LFS for credit, and give your tank time to settle.


----------



## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

KK sorry prolly didn't see your other topic or whatever lol.

And fishfirst THANK YOU for saying that! People all over keep saying add a gallon of used water from an established tank and it'll cycle. My opinion or thought or whatever is there's more ammonia and dissolved organics than anything than bacteria is already attached to filter floss or whatever in the tank.


----------

