How fast is too fast?

[Matt]

Good afternoon,
Another post about my adventure setting up a 10g nano. We started with about 10lbs of LR and waited for a couple of weeks. We were away for the second week of its young life. We haven't seen any amonia or nitrite spikes indicating a cycle. After about three weeks, we added a peppermint shrimp and an emerald crab, along with a couple of snails and a mushroom. The shrimp died within 3 hours, but everything else is doing well. Another week went by, and we weren't happy with the aquascaping. We added another 5lbs of LR, and on impulse we also added three blue-legged hermits and a small colony of yellow polyps.

I was worried that we were moving too quickly, and when we tested water two days later, we saw slightly elevated amonia and nitrites. I imagined that the cycle was now going to start, and warned my family that things might get ugly for the livestock if the cycle was long and/or extreme. However, the amonia and nitrites went back to zero the next day, and there isn't any perceptible change in nitrates. All the critters seem to be happy.

I feel that we went a little too quick at the start. I don't want to have new tank syndrome... It's been another week since the last additions, and the water parameters haven't changed. How long, do you suppose we should wait to add a fish or other anemones/corals?

Regards,
Matthew

[Beverly]

Matthew,

The ammonia spike you experienced after adding the other rock was probably due to the rock not being cured. Before adding new rock, always cure it in a tank that does not have livestock in it.

As for how fast should you add corals and fish depends on a few factors. A 10g nano is small and will only hold so much stuff, so you have to do some research on the size the corals and fish you think you want to add will eventually grow. You also have to consider the amount of light you have on your tank and if it will be enough for certain corals. Also, many anemones will grow quite large and will require halide lighting (from what I read, I do not have one), so adding one of these may not be a good idea.

Really, there is no magic formula for when to add corals and fish, but I would wait another month or so before doing so, especially since your tank is so new. Keep feeding the animals you have in there now, but don't overfeed.

I hope others will offer their opinions on stocking nano tanks. You may wish to ask your questions on the Nano Forum for more accurate advice.

HTH :biggrin:

[Matt]

By the way, this is it so far...

http://publish.shaw.ca/ellen.anthony/fish.jpg

[Keen]

you have a great looking tank so far. However, speaking from personal experience of setting up a 10gal nano, i would wait for a few more weeks to a month to add anything else. If you want, here is the link to my blog that i create for my 10gal nano that I used to have. It includes everything from adding stuff to the tank, all the way to a DIY custom hood.
http://reef-aquarium.blogspot.com/index.html

[StirCrazy]

for something as small as a 10 gal wouldn't it be easy to control nitrates during cycling just by 5 gal water changes?

Steve

[Keen]

I would say yes, but you also have to remember that it is only 10 gal, and doing a %50 water change could be bad for the corals. too much of a change in water could shock them. I lost a couple of corals that way.

[Matt]

Thanks, everyone. I'm taking it to heart.

Keen, thanks for the pointer to your blog. I read it with interest. I hope I manage to avoid some of the mortality you experienced.

Our lone mushroom is now doing strange things. It is either dying or reproducing... It has collapsed it's canopy and appears to be shedding pieces. Should I be worried (and if so, what can I do)?

Matt

[Keen]

can u attach a pic of what is happening ?