starting up reef tank

[kelligrl37]

I just put up a reef tank about 4 weeks ago I used sand and live rock to start it it is in process of small amount of brown algea growing I was wondering when I could get some fish maybe damsels or something?

[WaterbugJenn]

HI,
It all depends on how long it takes for your tank to cycle. If you have a test kit test for ammonia nitrite and nitrate. In a cycle ammonia will rise and then fall and certain beneficial bacteria grow. Then nitrite's will rise and begin to fall as another beneficial bacteria grows. The end product is your nitrates will start to come up. Once you start seeing nitrates on your test it should be ok to start adding fish slowly 1 at a time. This allows the bacteria to keep up with the biological load (fish waste). The tank will cycle in faster if you used uncured live rock. If you used cured rock toss in a grocery store cocktail shrimp. Good Luck.

[sir_dudeguy]

the brown algae is most likely just what we call diatoms. Completely normal in new tanks and will go away in a while as long as you keep your nitrates and phosphates down.

For fish, after the cycle is over (0 amonia and 0 nitrite) then you can add fish, altho i dont suggest damsels cuz they're mean and impossible to catch.

[rjwilson37]

It sounds like your tank is cycled, since your getting your diatom algae which comes at the end of the cycle process typically. I would think twice about putting damsels in, unless you want an aggressive tank. Like sir just said, once you get them in, there tough to catch and get out. If you do want some damsels in there, they should be the last fish to put in, so the other's have there territories marked. Once a damsel marks it's territory, it will beat up fish that try to come near it, or just beat up any new fish that is added to the tank.

[thecichlidpleco]

Going along with sir_dudeguy, Damsels are generally used for the actual cycling process, and unless you really like them, you should not get them due to their aggressive behavior.

[rjwilson37]

I have a 24g cube/Eel tank and have mostly damsels/aggressive fish, but that was my choice from the beginning. I have a high bioload and wanted hardy fish, as well as aggressive and fast moving to not get eaten by the Eel.

[sir_dudeguy]

Damsels are generally used for the actual cycling process

which you do not want to do anyways since you should not cycle with any fish. thats just bull crap that the lfs's will tell you so they can sell stuff.