Smallreefer Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 Hi all, could you please tell me if i set up my new tank and i use pre established live rock from an exsisting tank do i still need to cycle, if so i take it that it would be quicker? Also a quick question about a mandarin fish- I have heard that they are pickey eaters, do they eat any common food on the market? Also one last thing, the new tank is going to be 170l so was wondering if you had any ideas for protein skimmers i should use (cheaper ones). Cheers Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KP Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 You may see a small cycle if anything dies in the transfer. If you are mixing the cured with uncured rock the cycle will be faster. Manderins prefer greeblies in your rock so will be a while before there is a large enough supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 You may not need to cycle, however sometimes just moving the rock etc. may cause a slight spike, best plan will be to set the tank up & monitor for a week or so, if all is sweet, your done, provided you build up livestock slowly. Manderins are described as picky eaters because the majority of them will only eat live food. This can be supplied in a reef tank in the form of little bug type things called "pods", that live and breed in most tanks. You get them with your liverock. Problem being you have to have a big enough population of them to sustain the manderin, this depends on how much nutrients are in the tank for the pods to eat, and what else you have that may eat the pods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 don't get a manadrin until your tank has been running for at least 6 months, or it may starve to death Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted August 30, 2006 Report Share Posted August 30, 2006 We've got two mandarin types. Never seen either eat food added to tank. They pick away at stuff and I can't even see what they are eating! I am operating a high nutrient environment specifically to grow lotsa pods, algae, tangs and mandarins... :lol: :lol: Gotta laugh otherwise you would Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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