BioLoad Question

Am I ok to add another fish this weekend?

  • Total voters
    2
Justin Craig

Justin Craig

Reefing newb
I let my tank cycle and my LFS ordered my clean up crew for me. I put everyone in and everyone seems to be happy. I would like to add another fish this weekend to keep my cleaner wrasse company, but not sure if i will be overloading my system. I have a 75 gallon display tank with a 20 gallon sump (sump has roughly 12 gallons in it). This is what I have in there now, will I be ok to add a clown or something small?

50- Red Tip Hermit Crabs
25- Turbo Snails
25- Margarit Snails
1- Sand Sifting Starfish
1- Black Spine Urchin
1- Sally Lightfoot Crab
5- Emerald Crabs
1- Cleaner Wrasse
1- Cleaner Shrimp


Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
when did you add the cleaner wrasse? how long ago...for a tank that big a small fish would be fine IMO

inverts do not add to the bioload
 
I added the cleaner wrasse on Wednesday. Tank is very new. Used all live rock and sand with pre mixed saltwater. Started tank last Saturday.

Equipment:
Reef Dynamics INS80 skimmer
CPR CS 100 overflow
LED lighting system
2 Hydor Korralia 1150 powerheads
Rio return pump
 
Yes I did (kind of...), I had a small spike, but nothing really notable. I was told that i wouldn't expierience much of a spike as the rock was fully cured as was the sand. Water tests have all been on par. People have varied opinions on the cycle times and outcomes from the cured live rock and sand, as I am really new to all of this I am just going off of public opinion.
 
I have had a quick cycle before using LR so no worries there...just monitor the ammonia level for the next couple of days and as long as nothing gets out of whack then I say go for a small fish but only one for the moment

I have added fish before within a week but I test everyday throughout that period sometimes multiple times, since you have around 85-90G's a small fish would not be an issue but that's my opinion
 
Marinne13 said:
I have had a quick cycle before using LR so no worries there...just monitor the ammonia level for the next couple of days and as long as nothing gets out of whack then I say go for a small fish but only one for the moment

I have added fish before within a week but I test everyday throughout that period sometimes multiple times, since you have around 85-90G's a small fish would not be an issue but that's my opinion
Click to expand...

Thanks for your opinion!! Thats what I am lobbying for here. I will test again tonight and make sure that everything is all good. Any suggestions on hardy fish (please don't say damsel..) that would make it through a potential ammonia spike? I was thinking a clown?
 
a clown yes but I usually like adding a pair at the same time...if you do one then make sure whichever one you get next (if you want a pair) is either bigger or smaller then your current clown

I hate damsels so I would never advise one
 
Marinne13 said:
a clown yes but I usually like adding a pair at the same time...if you do one then make sure whichever one you get next (if you want a pair) is either bigger or smaller then your current clown

I hate damsels so I would never advise one
Click to expand...
What other suggestions besides a clown would you have? I don't want to push my luck by adding two fish right now, so I need one that is going to get along with the cleaner wrasse and not have to be put in in pairs.
 
if you want that to be your next fish, I would wait until next weekend...good choice in fish but it wouldn't be my choice for a very young tank right now
 
Mate your bio load is totally controlled by how much media you have and where and how much ammonia you threw at it in the first place to establish bio communities that convert waste, which is the load.
If your bio media is in the aquarium like live rock, then this media will cease to reduce nitrate over time as it becomes clogged.
Externally on the live rock, if there is encrusting coralline or anything else growing on it, then the aerobic cyclers will become reduced over time as well.
Have your bio media that you intend on handling the load externally, not in the aquarium, live rock should be for swim throughs, for corals to grow on and incidental biological work, not the majority of it.
To get bio converters ready for the load, keep a little dead tissue or tough fish externally in the water some where to build bio communities so that when you add fish, you take one of the tough ones out and it is well and truly ready to handle the waste-load.
Inverts do add a lot to the load, not corals but crustaceans are great increasers of waste and that equates to load.
Oh and a clown is an evolved damsel.
An anthia could be good for you.
 
if you do one then make sure whichever one you get next (if you want a pair) is either bigger or smaller then your current clown
Click to expand...

not 100% but if he puts one clown in the tank wont he turn to female so if he would add a second one and it was bigger it would turn female and kill the smaller one? I though if you were going to do that then you should make sure the second one you would get should be smaller then the already in the tank and should not be the biggest in the where you are getting it from.
 
I disagree with pkc. Your live rock WILL be the majority of your biological filter (not just "swim throughs").

I would suggest getting a bottom dweller (like a sand sifting goby) if you're not comfortable with a pair of clowns right off the bat. (Anthias are also not a good choice because they need a mature, established tank to really thrive.)
 
one plus with clowns being in the damsel family they are a hardier fish that would handle a mini cycle if it would happen but if have enough lr in your tank and it was cured then imo you would be good to add a pair of clowns (small ones) but it is your tan and you have to feel safe with adding them with this hobby i find its better to be safe then sorry
 
pkc said:
If your bio media is in the aquarium like live rock, then this media will cease to reduce nitrate over time as it becomes clogged.
Externally on the live rock, if there is encrusting coralline or anything else growing on it, then the aerobic cyclers will become reduced over time as well.
Click to expand...

This depends primarily on the type of rock that is used.
The typical reef rocks available in the hobby contain high portions of aragonite and are very porous.
With the combined effects of water movement, CUC grazing and erosion/dissolution of aragonite, it is virtually impossible to completely clog the surface area to the point of significantly diminishing bacterial populations.
 

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