Go slow, I don't add fish for about a month to start. I'm old school, instead of using a bottle of quick start I drop a piece of shrimp and let it go till the ammonia spikes. When it's 'deadly' take out the shrimp and let the bioprocess take over till you have nitrates spiking and ammonia drops. Water change and add clean-up crew, then about a week later a few fish and wait for the ugly phases to go through. Corals like sps require a lot more time than softies, zoas and pallies are usually my first test corals. Once the first frag is thriving add a few more slowly over time until the whole reef is up and running. The whole time this is going on do water tests and keep a spreadsheet of the parameters so you can watch the progress. Now is the time to figure your tank out and learn to keep your parameters in check, the less sways the better your corals will do.
@@fixalot0 Cycling a tank can tank a month or so. I also tried the old school method but im impatient so I did go ahead and use Dr Tims ammonia chloride and Microbacter start XLM. Honestly, it depends on your patience. It took around 1.5 months to fully cycle my tank. Make sure to get ammonia and nitrites to 0 and have your nitrates teeter around 5-10ppm although some hobbiest have it up to 20ppm. API saltwater test kits are great beginner friendly testers that are fairly inexpensive. I made sure fish were suitable for the tank and then got an inexspensive mushroom. So far, all the coral I have in my tank are thriving, eating, and latching unto whatever surface I have. This hobby is definitely all about patience and time. Enjoy!
Looking good, way better than when it was in the store. Gorgeous beta, glad you were able to get him.
I cleaned it up a bit and he’s already creating bubble nest this morning. Love this little tank! So happy I got it!
For the saltwater tank, how do you know when to add corals like how dose all the parameters get in the tank after the cycle
Go slow, I don't add fish for about a month to start. I'm old school, instead of using a bottle of quick start I drop a piece of shrimp and let it go till the ammonia spikes. When it's 'deadly' take out the shrimp and let the bioprocess take over till you have nitrates spiking and ammonia drops. Water change and add clean-up crew, then about a week later a few fish and wait for the ugly phases to go through. Corals like sps require a lot more time than softies, zoas and pallies are usually my first test corals. Once the first frag is thriving add a few more slowly over time until the whole reef is up and running. The whole time this is going on do water tests and keep a spreadsheet of the parameters so you can watch the progress. Now is the time to figure your tank out and learn to keep your parameters in check, the less sways the better your corals will do.
Ok thank you for the info i just started my evo 13.5 5 days ago and i added ammonia and bacteria @ridgelon13
@@fixalot0 Cycling a tank can tank a month or so. I also tried the old school method but im impatient so I did go ahead and use Dr Tims ammonia chloride and Microbacter start XLM. Honestly, it depends on your patience. It took around 1.5 months to fully cycle my tank. Make sure to get ammonia and nitrites to 0 and have your nitrates teeter around 5-10ppm although some hobbiest have it up to 20ppm. API saltwater test kits are great beginner friendly testers that are fairly inexpensive. I made sure fish were suitable for the tank and then got an inexspensive mushroom. So far, all the coral I have in my tank are thriving, eating, and latching unto whatever surface I have. This hobby is definitely all about patience and time. Enjoy!
@@WhiskersandWater THANK YOU