Softie reef on a student budget

[Murphs_Reef]

And the live rock was left to dry out or aways wet? I wouldn't expect 2ppm ammonia for long with live rock unless everything on it died. 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

I think the live rock bacteria died based off the water parameters, but I'm not sure why as it was transported wet then put straight into the tank 🤷 but I made the error of using tap water at first so maybe something in my tap water killed it off? 

 

At this point I'm tempted to look for more mature live rock to seed what I've already got. 

[Murphs_Reef]

It's possible tap water killed it off... Perhaps.... 

So you replaced the water with RO. 3 weeks isnt bad but ammonia should be dropping by now... Did you add any additional bottle bac or anything? 

[filefishfinatic]

add a bottle of bacteria (biospira) and do a water change so ammonia levels are safe, the fish isnt going to produce 2 ppm ammonia. feed it copepods or brine shrimp (decapsulated eggs dont need a culture) feed sparingly and you wil be fine 

[Murphs_Reef]

I did a small tank for my daughter last month for 2 clowns, tried bottle bac... Waste if £13. Went back to traditional methods and it is in perfect shape.. 

I might leave your tank to the weekend at least before taking any action. 

[gena]

Nah.....it will :).  I bet by this time next week it will be done.  Just don't add anymore ammonia.  And know that you've had a good strong cycle ready for corals and fish (not all added at once of course LOL).

[filefishfinatic]

56 minutes ago, Murphych said:

I did a small tank for my daughter last month for 2 clowns, tried bottle bac... Waste if £13. Went back to traditional methods and it is in perfect shape.. 

I might leave your tank to the weekend at least before taking any action. 

what kind of bottled bacteria? biospira works a lot of other kinds are bad but i know biospira works 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

@gena Yeah the ammonia I put in yesterday is the last. The next ammonia source I add will have fins 😉 I really want a strongly established tank. Plus, a lesson in patience never does any harm. I'm not even decided on my fish yet....I know I want a 2x nano gobies but there's so many beautiful, interesting ones available that I could probably happily be reading and researching until next Christmas 😂 I said at the start the Colin's fairygobies really appeal, and they still do, but I can't find any info on how long they live. 

 

 

Side note to say I totally want to rename this journal "Gobyland" because that's what I've started referring to the tank as 😅 

[gena]

29 minutes ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

@gena Yeah the ammonia I put in yesterday is the last. The next ammonia source I add will have fins 😉 I really want a strongly established tank. Plus, a lesson in patience never does any harm. I'm not even decided on my fish yet....I know I want a 2x nano gobies but there's so many beautiful, interesting ones available that I could probably happily be reading and researching until next Christmas 😂 I said at the start the Colin's fairygobies really appeal, and they still do, but I can't find any info on how long they live. 

 

 

Side note to say I totally want to rename this journal "Gobyland" because that's what I've started referring to the tank as 😅 

You should rename it!!!  I love small gobies!!!  Probably my favorite type of saltwater fish.  Once my corals start filling in I plan to add one little goby to the tank.  It will be fun deciding on which to get.  There are so many that I love.  But I'm leaning toward the green-banded goby.  I'm going to have to look up Colin's fairygoby (love the name)....I don't remember that one!!!!

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Have a look at some videos of Colin's fairygoby on YouTube, they are really pretty. I wanted two but the lifespan thing worries me. If they die two months after I get them I won't know if it's because of husbandry errors or because it's their natural lifespan.  

 

I'm quite intrigued by the coralgobies as well and apparently they can be pretty outgoing. I don't know about keeping multiple of those though. But my lfs stocks both yellow and rippled coralgobies. Just one might be better for my tank size though. 

[gena]

On 8/31/2021 at 8:49 AM, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

Have a look at some videos of Colin's fairygoby on YouTube, they are really pretty. I wanted two but the lifespan thing worries me. If they die two months after I get them I won't know if it's because of husbandry errors or because it's their natural lifespan.  

 

I'm quite intrigued by the coralgobies as well and apparently they can be pretty outgoing. I don't know about keeping multiple of those though. But my lfs stocks both yellow and rippled coralgobies. Just one might be better for my tank size though. 

I just checked out some videos!  They are striking!!!  Love the purple and green combination.  Very pretty.  I see why you'd love to add them to your tank.  

[gena]

I just did a quick search and it looks like their lifespan is 2-4 years.  That's not too bad.  Hopefully you can find young ones.

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

2 minutes ago, gena said:

I just did a quick search and it looks like their lifespan is 2-4 years.  That's not too bad.  Hopefully you can find young ones.

Omg Where'd you find that out? 😍 I really adore them 

[gena]

52 minutes ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

Omg Where'd you find that out? 😍 I really adore them 

I just googled lifespan for them and it said 2-4 years.  

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

23 minutes ago, gena said:

I just googled lifespan for them and it said 2-4 years.  

For the Colin's fairygobies? 

[gena]

I thought so???  I'll have to look again.

[gena]

Ok well can't find what I saw before but here's some data on that fish.  It shows lifespan and natural mortality.  Maybe you can figure it out from that.  Looks like you should get at least 2 years out of the fairygobies though.

 

https://fishbase.mnhn.fr/popdyn/KeyfactsSummary_2v2.php?ID=61325&GenusName=Tryssogobius&SpeciesName=colini&vStockCode=51110&fc=405

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Oh wow, I wasn't aware fish base had that calculator. That's epic thank you so much. Guess I can always get some and record how long they live under the conditions I keep them in (which are pretty standard reef aquarium conditions) and find out an average captive lifespan for them myself anyway 😛

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Sorry for spamming bit.... Things are finally happening 🥳🥳🥳🥳 

I should've tested in proper daylight because the colours are all kinds of screwed in the lights in the room and the camera completely failed to pick them up properly, but ammonia has dropped to more like 1ppm now, nitrites are 1ppm and nitrates were between 10 and 20ppm 

 

The photos don't really capture it but I think/hope compared to the earlier ones it's at least possible to see there's been a (positive) change 😁

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

AHHHHHH LOOK❗❗❗❗

[gena]

🥳 🥳 🥳

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Wait .....I added 2ppm ammonia at approximately 1am and these are the results I've just got 1.30pm 

Does this mean it's NOT cycled?

 

[filefishfinatic]

you prob crashed your cycle when you added the ammonia even though nitrifiying bacteria is a net negitave ammonia producer, it is still sensitive to ammonia. 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

@gena @Murphych

@seabass  & anyone who's advice I'd actually be inclined to trust please 😬

[seabass]

IMO, you added more than 2ppm ammonia (probably at least twice what was needed).  When the API ammonia test results are blueish-green, then that's too much.  Plus, when either ammonia or nitrite reach 5ppm, the process slows down.

 

When fishless cycling:

• dose ammonia up to (but not over) 2ppm
• wait for it to drop to 0.25pp (not 0)
• repeat until it can process 2ppm of ammonia down to 0.25ppm within 24 hours

Then you can do a water change to achieve the nutrient levels you are looking for.

 

Let me know if you have more questions.