Spike in treading could it be cycle

Ricky1066 · 03/14/2008, 08:26 AM

Ok I have had my tank up and running for about 3 months I never got any kind of spike from the readings to recently and I am wondering if that is the cycle coming to an end?

Maybe mine took longer.

I checked for weeks and never saw anything and after emailing my skimmer compnay they sent me a reply which i will put at the bottom of this (they seemed pretty ****ed) and said it might be bacteria building as a cycle
I never thought of that .
They say I should not do a water change because that will slow it down.?

Below is what I sent them and their reply
I think they sounded pretty ****ed

i EMAILED THEM THIS

Hello again I am asking hopefully my last question /I have had the skimmer up and running for a while now and I have yet to get and thick sludge like stuff I keep hearing about I empty a cup a day of dirty water but no really dark water.if I turn down the skimmer I get nothing for days even quarter turns so where i leave it seems to be what i get. But no thick sludge just brown water?

I ask because yesterday I noticed that my phosphates and nitrates are going up and someone said on reef central sounds like you need to get a good skimmer

THEIR REPLY

You have a new tank right? Do you know that the sand and rock has to grow a signficant amount of bacteria in order to process nitrates? The phosphates is probably why your skimmate is still thin, and yes you need to get that out, even if it means you have to add more salt/fresh water to the tank. If you don't get that out, you'll never be able to get to the brown sludge. You have a new tank, and it takes a loooong time for new tanks to get established.

You have the best damn skimmer on the market. Unless it was someone that is not familiar with our product, or a competitor, they have no business judging. Your tank is not yet established and for one, if you're going to enjoy this hobby, you're going to have to exercise a tremendous amount of patience.

Make sure you keep skimming that bad stuff out.

taillonjohn · 03/14/2008, 08:28 AM

wow, that was a tough reply...... damn

anyway, do you feed your tank? its important to feed, even if there is no livestock

Ricky1066 · 03/14/2008, 08:28 AM

THEIR SECOND EMAIL DIES IT MAKE SENSE

Don't you have like a 30 gallon tank? The Rogue is rated for 50-150 so it probably skims too good, and isn't letting your bacteria levels increase. Turn it back down to skim almost nothing, the nitrates will have to build up in order for the bacteria to start growing. Your cup should fill up but once every 2-3 weeks, at the most.

Mari

Ricky1066 · 03/14/2008, 08:54 AM

I have plenty of livestock I thought my tank cycled I never had a spike in anything

Not sure it is that now just a idea before I do a water change that i was going to do tonight about 10 gallons

My fish all look fine tank looks good But Hey i am new so I have to ask
should I do a water change or not

taillonjohn · 03/14/2008, 09:06 AM

sorry dude, I'm confused. If your tank is full of livestock, you DONT want to see any kind of spike at all, eveything should be constant and never change.

a water change is always a good idea, no matter what, it will never hurt

sorry if I missed your question

Ricky1066 · 03/14/2008, 09:10 AM

No probelm John I started my tank with lr ,ls and water that is from petland the water full the bacterai and stuff laready and some tap water. So Iwated but never saw any spike so I started adding fish alittle faster then I should But they are fine and have been fine.

But now that my nitrates are 40 and my phosphates are 2.0 all else is o Amonia and nitrite ph is 8.4

I was going to do a water change I ordered a phosban reactor (waiting on it ) but then after reading the email from Bermuda I had to wonder if maybe i am have that cycle now?

But my fish look great and are swimming fine.

But after reading that email and reading if I do a water change it might slow down the cycle (if that is what it is) Should I just go ahead and do a change?

seapug · 03/14/2008, 09:14 AM

The company is right to a certain extent. Skimmers can take a while to "break in" and start producing skimmate. especially on new tanks. It also takes a little practice on the part of the aquarist to learn how to adjust it properly. Based on y our description of what you are getting from it (tea colored water), it sounds like you have it set to skim too wet. What brand is it and what method does it use to generate bubbles? Venturi? Needle Wheel? Spray injection?

taillonjohn · 03/14/2008, 09:15 AM

If I were you I would consider the tank "cycled" for all intents and purposes. If the tank is full of fish and they are fine, then you should be ok.

Try to keep your nitrates as low as possible, at least below 20 ppm. (I cant do any better than 5 ppm, I'm usually at about 10 ppm on average). 40 ppm is too high. change the water, then the trates will come back down. as you feed the fish and they poo, the trates will build up.... thats why its important to keep a regular water change schedule, so your trates stay constantly low. otherwise, you do water change only when trates are high, which makes the water parameters not be stable, but the coral reef is stable.

I think your good, but yes, do a water change

Ricky1066 · 03/14/2008, 09:44 AM

Thanks I have the Bermuda rogue hob skimmer I turned it down last night I have been getting two cups a day of tea water maybe to much I will do a ten gallon water change tonight and see what my readings are 2 hours later?

Thanks

seapug · 03/14/2008, 10:00 AM

not familiar with that model, but if it allows you to adjust the height of the collection cup, try raising it up about 1/2". That will help it collect dryer skimmate from the top of the foam column. Keep raising it until you get the skimmate consistency you want.

Regular water changes are very good at reducing nitrates. I find my skimmer works better after a water change, probably a result of the pH increase that comes with the new water.

Ricky1066 · 03/14/2008, 10:44 AM

My skimmer is fairly new on the market I think it has agate valve First I was told to let it run and get the tea water ,then I was told to lower it to almost nothing and let it fill up every two weks that seems like a liitle skimate

How long is it before you guys empty your cup

drparker · 03/14/2008, 10:55 AM

You are cycled and have thriving bacteria colonies they are changing ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate. Do weekly water changes. The Phosban will help with the phosphates.

Are running any filters other than the live rock and sand? Anything with bio-balls or bio-wheel etc.?

I clean my cups every or every other day. If not they stink. When used to let it go a week I thought another possum had died under the porch.

Ricky1066 · 03/14/2008, 11:07 AM

I am running Afluval 405 canister with 2 packs of chemi pure will be cleaning out tonight and doing water change

03/14/2008, 08:26 AM	#1
Ricky1066 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 1,029	Spike in treading could it be cycle Ok I have had my tank up and running for about 3 months I never got any kind of spike from the readings to recently and I am wondering if that is the cycle coming to an end? Maybe mine took longer. I checked for weeks and never saw anything and after emailing my skimmer compnay they sent me a reply which i will put at the bottom of this (they seemed pretty **ed) and said it might be bacteria building as a cycle I never thought of that . They say I should not do a water change because that will slow it down.? Below is what I sent them and their reply I think they sounded pretty **ed i EMAILED THEM THIS Hello again I am asking hopefully my last question /I have had the skimmer up and running for a while now and I have yet to get and thick sludge like stuff I keep hearing about I empty a cup a day of dirty water but no really dark water.if I turn down the skimmer I get nothing for days even quarter turns so where i leave it seems to be what i get. But no thick sludge just brown water? I ask because yesterday I noticed that my phosphates and nitrates are going up and someone said on reef central sounds like you need to get a good skimmer THEIR REPLY You have a new tank right? Do you know that the sand and rock has to grow a signficant amount of bacteria in order to process nitrates? The phosphates is probably why your skimmate is still thin, and yes you need to get that out, even if it means you have to add more salt/fresh water to the tank. If you don't get that out, you'll never be able to get to the brown sludge. You have a new tank, and it takes a loooong time for new tanks to get established. You have the best damn skimmer on the market. Unless it was someone that is not familiar with our product, or a competitor, they have no business judging. Your tank is not yet established and for one, if you're going to enjoy this hobby, you're going to have to exercise a tremendous amount of patience. Make sure you keep skimming that bad stuff out. __________________ 75gallon,75lbslr 60pdls, clown,yellow tang.3 cardinals.royal gamma,3 chromis,blenny,torpedo,cleanershrimp Current Tank Info: 75 gallon salt water starter

03/14/2008, 08:28 AM	#2
taillonjohn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 753	wow, that was a tough reply...... damn anyway, do you feed your tank? its important to feed, even if there is no livestock __________________ John

03/14/2008, 08:28 AM	#3
Ricky1066 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 1,029	THEIR SECOND EMAIL DIES IT MAKE SENSE Don't you have like a 30 gallon tank? The Rogue is rated for 50-150 so it probably skims too good, and isn't letting your bacteria levels increase. Turn it back down to skim almost nothing, the nitrates will have to build up in order for the bacteria to start growing. Your cup should fill up but once every 2-3 weeks, at the most. Mari __________________ 75gallon,75lbslr 60pdls, clown,yellow tang.3 cardinals.royal gamma,3 chromis,blenny,torpedo,cleanershrimp Current Tank Info: 75 gallon salt water starter

03/14/2008, 08:54 AM	#4
Ricky1066 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 1,029	I have plenty of livestock I thought my tank cycled I never had a spike in anything Not sure it is that now just a idea before I do a water change that i was going to do tonight about 10 gallons My fish all look fine tank looks good But Hey i am new so I have to ask should I do a water change or not __________________ 75gallon,75lbslr 60pdls, clown,yellow tang.3 cardinals.royal gamma,3 chromis,blenny,torpedo,cleanershrimp Current Tank Info: 75 gallon salt water starter

03/14/2008, 09:06 AM	#5
taillonjohn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 753	sorry dude, I'm confused. If your tank is full of livestock, you DONT want to see any kind of spike at all, eveything should be constant and never change. a water change is always a good idea, no matter what, it will never hurt sorry if I missed your question __________________ John

03/14/2008, 09:10 AM	#6
Ricky1066 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 1,029	No probelm John I started my tank with lr ,ls and water that is from petland the water full the bacterai and stuff laready and some tap water. So Iwated but never saw any spike so I started adding fish alittle faster then I should But they are fine and have been fine. But now that my nitrates are 40 and my phosphates are 2.0 all else is o Amonia and nitrite ph is 8.4 I was going to do a water change I ordered a phosban reactor (waiting on it ) but then after reading the email from Bermuda I had to wonder if maybe i am have that cycle now? But my fish look great and are swimming fine. But after reading that email and reading if I do a water change it might slow down the cycle (if that is what it is) Should I just go ahead and do a change? __________________ 75gallon,75lbslr 60pdls, clown,yellow tang.3 cardinals.royal gamma,3 chromis,blenny,torpedo,cleanershrimp Current Tank Info: 75 gallon salt water starter

03/14/2008, 09:14 AM	#7
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	The company is right to a certain extent. Skimmers can take a while to "break in" and start producing skimmate. especially on new tanks. It also takes a little practice on the part of the aquarist to learn how to adjust it properly. Based on y our description of what you are getting from it (tea colored water), it sounds like you have it set to skim too wet. What brand is it and what method does it use to generate bubbles? Venturi? Needle Wheel? Spray injection? __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

03/14/2008, 09:15 AM	#8
taillonjohn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 753	If I were you I would consider the tank "cycled" for all intents and purposes. If the tank is full of fish and they are fine, then you should be ok. Try to keep your nitrates as low as possible, at least below 20 ppm. (I cant do any better than 5 ppm, I'm usually at about 10 ppm on average). 40 ppm is too high. change the water, then the trates will come back down. as you feed the fish and they poo, the trates will build up.... thats why its important to keep a regular water change schedule, so your trates stay constantly low. otherwise, you do water change only when trates are high, which makes the water parameters not be stable, but the coral reef is stable. I think your good, but yes, do a water change __________________ John

03/14/2008, 09:44 AM	#9
Ricky1066 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 1,029	Thanks I have the Bermuda rogue hob skimmer I turned it down last night I have been getting two cups a day of tea water maybe to much I will do a ten gallon water change tonight and see what my readings are 2 hours later? Thanks __________________ 75gallon,75lbslr 60pdls, clown,yellow tang.3 cardinals.royal gamma,3 chromis,blenny,torpedo,cleanershrimp Current Tank Info: 75 gallon salt water starter

03/14/2008, 10:00 AM	#10
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	not familiar with that model, but if it allows you to adjust the height of the collection cup, try raising it up about 1/2". That will help it collect dryer skimmate from the top of the foam column. Keep raising it until you get the skimmate consistency you want. Regular water changes are very good at reducing nitrates. I find my skimmer works better after a water change, probably a result of the pH increase that comes with the new water. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

03/14/2008, 10:44 AM	#11
Ricky1066 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 1,029	My skimmer is fairly new on the market I think it has agate valve First I was told to let it run and get the tea water ,then I was told to lower it to almost nothing and let it fill up every two weks that seems like a liitle skimate How long is it before you guys empty your cup __________________ 75gallon,75lbslr 60pdls, clown,yellow tang.3 cardinals.royal gamma,3 chromis,blenny,torpedo,cleanershrimp Current Tank Info: 75 gallon salt water starter

03/14/2008, 10:55 AM	#12
drparker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Palatine, IL Posts: 2,652	You are cycled and have thriving bacteria colonies they are changing ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate. Do weekly water changes. The Phosban will help with the phosphates. Are running any filters other than the live rock and sand? Anything with bio-balls or bio-wheel etc.? I clean my cups every or every other day. If not they stink. When used to let it go a week I thought another possum had died under the porch.

03/14/2008, 11:07 AM	#13
Ricky1066 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 1,029	I am running Afluval 405 canister with 2 packs of chemi pure will be cleaning out tonight and doing water change __________________ 75gallon,75lbslr 60pdls, clown,yellow tang.3 cardinals.royal gamma,3 chromis,blenny,torpedo,cleanershrimp Current Tank Info: 75 gallon salt water starter