New to Hobby.. Neeed Advice

[xvtecx]

currently Having a 2 ft tank

with Jebo 825 filter

all my LS, LR Fishes juz died~

thinking of how to start off with the tank and wat to do...

bought the tank and started everything on impulse... now regret....

Can someone help me and list out of wat should i do 1st???

eg. wat to put in 1st? how long to let my tank run?? and wat to do next?? when should i add in LR and corals... wat other equipnemts should i need??

[Sapp]

Do you have a skimmer? I guess you dun have any sump setup. Try to get a hang on skimmer for your tank. What media do you have in your filter?

You need to decide if you wan to use a sandbed or something else.

here is something to start you off.

Add sand and salt water (can be natural sea water or using saltmix water). Do not use tap water to mix salt.. you will have a hell of a algae problem later. Use distilled water or DI water.

Once sand has settled, you can start putting in LR and scape to your liking. Let the skimmer and filter run. Should leave the tank to cycle for 2 to 3 weeks at least. Get some test kits to measure your ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. No LS of any kind during cycling period... unless you want to watch them die again.

You can try using bacteria starter to shorten the cycling time.

Ammonia and nitrite reading after cycling should be low if not undetectable. You will get some reading for nitrate. This should indicate the nitrogen cycle is ongoing. Do a partial water change (10~20%) and let it stablize for a few more days and test the water again. If ideal, you can start adding fishes in slowly...

These are just very very basic advise and should be taken with a pinch of salt. You should check out the beginners thread to find out more.

[Achilles Tang]

The best advice any reefer can give you is self-education... you really really need to read up as much you can because you will quickly learn what you did wrong.

Its too expensive to keep doing the wrong thing so do read up as much as you can.

The pinned links at the top of this forum (New to the Marine Aquaria Hobby ) has good info for newcomers to the hobby.

Happy reading... and good luck!

oH... and welcome to SRC!

[xvtecx]

oh.. thanks... i read some post saying adding wat cleaner shrimps and other sort of dunno wat... btw wat is it for??

[Alvin Tan]

oh.. thanks... i read some post saying adding wat cleaner shrimps and other sort of dunno wat... btw wat is it for??

cleaner shrimps are introduced to the tank to eat those leftover food by the fishes and it act lyk a doctor for the fishes by removing parasites(nt very helpful though)..

n lastly....this fella is a nice specimen..

[blueheaven]

I think it meant add market prawn to kick start the cycle

[xvtecx]

ok i started my tank already

added sand only.... no LR no nothing...

why do i have to add a market prawn and start wat cycle??

can please explain??

p.s sorry for all the troubles.... i work 12 hr a day.... and have no time to do any research....

[ReDDeviLs]

market prawn will start the ammonia cycle..from ammonia-> no2 -> no3 if u want to add corals in future than let no3 bcome 0 than can start to add fish SLOWLY!

[xvtecx]

wtf... Lolz... wat no2 no3 then 0.....

okok... let me explain abit about wat i wan to do with my tank...

was hopping to get 2 percula clownfishes and a few LR... thats all...

and maybe wanna keep some corals.... those jelly jelly kind...

my tank only 2 ft.... any advice??

[Sapp]

Bro,

no offence but we can only provide you with so much advise. Alot depends on yourself with learning about the hobby. Knowing and understanding the requirements and water conditions required is very important so that you will know what is going on when something goes wrong. Think it will be easier to read up a little and ask questions about things that you are unsure about. Its hard to explain everything on the forum with regards to reefing because there are tons and tons of information. Starting out is always tough.

[tomowilson]

wtf... Lolz... wat no2 no3 then 0.....

okok... let me explain abit about wat i wan to do with my tank...

was hopping to get 2 percula clownfishes and a few LR... thats all...

and maybe wanna keep some corals.... those jelly jelly kind...

my tank only 2 ft.... any advice??

if you realli feel tht marine tank is so easily maintained and setup like wat you think.....then you are very wrong....with your mindset i think keeping freshwater fishes will suit you more...but i dun think the fishes will last long.

[xvtecx]

anyway its ok... got someone kind to guide me le....

as i said its not i dun wanna read up and find more informations about wat i am doing... juz that i really have no time.... even if i have time, its only once a week.... if u ppl can really understand, i'll be more then happy....

anyway thanks guys....

[xvtecx]

Ok Guys, i have done some of my homework already......

Had my water changed, add in sand, LR and also added in the bacteria starter.... so all i have to do is run the water for 3 weeks to a MONTH...

Any advice on wat should i do next???

or any web can anyone give me to do my homework??

[rogersoh]

Had my water changed, add in sand, LR and also added in the bacteria starter.... so all i have to do is run the water for 3 weeks to a MONTH...

Good with the live sand, live rock and bacteria starter is the first step.

You can't rush for marine aquarium.

You can now begin cycling the aquarium, please refer to this articles at Cycling - ReefPedia

Briefly to do the cycling of the tank for the nitrogen cycling are as follows:

1. Set the new tank up with all its equipment, decorate it to your liking and fill it up. Switch the lights and filters on and leave it running as though there were fish in it.

2. Add some ammonia to the water - this can be something which will produce it such as a piece of meat the size of a thumbnail (example small dead prawn bought from market) . As the meat breaks down it will produce the required ammonia.

3. After about four days test the water for ammonia and nitrite. The results may or may not show any nitrite but keep testing two or three times per week until the nitrite level reaches 15 parts per million.

4. Once this target has been reached stop adding the ammonia (remove any remaining prawn) and just wait.

5. A few days later the ammonia levels will have disappeared but the nitrite will probably hold steady for a time. The time it takes cannot be guessed at because there are to many variables which affect it. I

6. When it has disappeared then the first fish can be added to the tank,

7. Don't add to many or what you have done so far will be wasted.

8. Add the first FEW fish i.e. 4 or 5 small fish.. The newly cycled tank won't be completely stable for the first few weeks so great care must be taken to keep the tank clean and not to over feed the fish.

9. After two weeks or so some more fish can be added and this is how you should proceed for the first 6 months of the tanks life.

You can also download the podcast in mp3 format from Talking Reef Podcast the first few episode is very useful for beginner

[xvtecx]

thanks very much..... have done those steps aleready... now all i have to do is wait and test and wait and test until everything is stable... and throw a cheap fishy in to test water... if everything goes on well, its time to add in nice corals and fishes~~~

btw i was asking abt true percula clownfish... how to know is it a true percula clown... any web or pictures to teACh??

[Sapp]

try www.liveaquaria.com

[xvtecx]

ID this fish please

[ReDDeviLs]

they are chromis bro..

[xvtecx]

This is my Star Pyloup...

why dosen't it open???

[xvtecx]

Can ID this coral to me??

[xvtecx]

My Previous Tank...

Everything Wipe out~

[xvtecx]

My Tank now....

It Sucks right???

[xersion]

bro y not post ur tank pic in members tank. So that you can upgrade or update from there.

No tank is sux lor.. if compare mine more sux.

[xvtecx]

post in members tank??? er... slowly i will post

this is only questions... keke....

[dleecool]

Reading from ur post, I dont think ur tank has complete cycling yet. No offence, but I think u r rushing into corals and fishes which they may not make it.