Finally finished my cycle??

MrsHaggis · 01/05/2009, 12:48 PM

Hey Everyone,

OK, I think I have finally finished cycling......holding breath and testing water every day just to make sure.

Had a bit of scare few days ago when ammonia, nitrites and nitrates went through the roof but now everything is pretty much normal (except magnesium and calcium).

Salinity = 1024
PH = around 8.5
Ammonium = 0.1
Nitrites = 0.05
Nitrates = 10
Phosphate = 0.25
Mag = 1160 (a little low)
Cal = 340 (a little low)

So I think that my tank is finishing its cycle, twas setup on December 13th. I currently have one very hardy little clown in there (I know, I know he was added way too soon - I have learned my lesson and don't take so much advice from my LFS). He is very hardy because he has lived through ammonia spikes, high nitrites, high nitrates, low PH, low and high salt, just about everything really. The only thing that has stayed stable in my tank is the Iron levels!!!!

I would like to add some more fish and a CUC but will quarantine everything first, one fish at a time, for at least 6 weeks. So I have just setup a QT.

Salinity = 1020 (too low, currently bringing it up to 1024)
PH = 8.5
Ammonia = 0.8
Nitrites = 0.025
Nitrates = 1
Phosphate = 0
Cal = 300
Mag = 800

So, obviously I still have to cycle this tank before I can add any fishes. Any ideas on how long I will have to wait for this tank (there is nothing in it except some plastic pipes for them to hide in) and anyway I can speed up the cycling? Someone said to add fish food in there to speed up the process so, does that work? and if yes does it have to be marine fish food? (I have some goldfish food and was just wondering if I could use that up??).

Any advice here would be great. I'm not going to rush anything (already lost one blue hermit crab to rushing and listening to the wrong people and it broke my heart). So, if it takes another 6 months to add a fish and some coral then so be it.......

One more thing, I read in a book that 24 (75.2 fahrenheit) degrees centigrade is the optimum temperature, but I have read other places that 26 (78.8) is best.....any thoughts???

Sorry for the long message!!

Michael · 01/05/2009, 12:56 PM

dont add anything, your nearly there, fwiw i keep my tank between 25-26 c, HTH

MrsHaggis · 01/05/2009, 07:11 PM

Anything I can do to speed up the QT cycle??
Any ideas on how long it should take?? (As long at the DT??)

01/05/2009, 12:48 PM	#1
MrsHaggis Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: St Louis, France Posts: 675	Finally finished my cycle?? Hey Everyone, OK, I think I have finally finished cycling......holding breath and testing water every day just to make sure. Had a bit of scare few days ago when ammonia, nitrites and nitrates went through the roof but now everything is pretty much normal (except magnesium and calcium). Salinity = 1024 PH = around 8.5 Ammonium = 0.1 Nitrites = 0.05 Nitrates = 10 Phosphate = 0.25 Mag = 1160 (a little low) Cal = 340 (a little low) So I think that my tank is finishing its cycle, twas setup on December 13th. I currently have one very hardy little clown in there (I know, I know he was added way too soon - I have learned my lesson and don't take so much advice from my LFS). He is very hardy because he has lived through ammonia spikes, high nitrites, high nitrates, low PH, low and high salt, just about everything really. The only thing that has stayed stable in my tank is the Iron levels!!!! I would like to add some more fish and a CUC but will quarantine everything first, one fish at a time, for at least 6 weeks. So I have just setup a QT. Salinity = 1020 (too low, currently bringing it up to 1024) PH = 8.5 Ammonia = 0.8 Nitrites = 0.025 Nitrates = 1 Phosphate = 0 Cal = 300 Mag = 800 So, obviously I still have to cycle this tank before I can add any fishes. Any ideas on how long I will have to wait for this tank (there is nothing in it except some plastic pipes for them to hide in) and anyway I can speed up the cycling? Someone said to add fish food in there to speed up the process so, does that work? and if yes does it have to be marine fish food? (I have some goldfish food and was just wondering if I could use that up??). Any advice here would be great. I'm not going to rush anything (already lost one blue hermit crab to rushing and listening to the wrong people and it broke my heart). So, if it takes another 6 months to add a fish and some coral then so be it....... One more thing, I read in a book that 24 (75.2 fahrenheit) degrees centigrade is the optimum temperature, but I have read other places that 26 (78.8) is best.....any thoughts??? Sorry for the long message!! __________________ Nothing scarier than a clown!! ----------------------------- 1 ClownFish 1 SixLine Wrasse 1 Foxface Rabbitfish Mushrooms Long Polyp Leather Green Anchor Coral Zoanthids Trumpet Coral Goniopora Current Tank Info: 360 litre (95 US Gallons), Tunze DOC Skimmer 9010, Lights: Metal Halide 250 Watt and 2x24 Watt Moon Lights, Tunze MultiController 7095

01/05/2009, 12:56 PM	#2
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	dont add anything, your nearly there, fwiw i keep my tank between 25-26 c, HTH __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

01/05/2009, 07:11 PM	#3
MrsHaggis Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: St Louis, France Posts: 675	Anything I can do to speed up the QT cycle?? Any ideas on how long it should take?? (As long at the DT??) __________________ Nothing scarier than a clown!! ----------------------------- 1 ClownFish 1 SixLine Wrasse 1 Foxface Rabbitfish Mushrooms Long Polyp Leather Green Anchor Coral Zoanthids Trumpet Coral Goniopora Current Tank Info: 360 litre (95 US Gallons), Tunze DOC Skimmer 9010, Lights: Metal Halide 250 Watt and 2x24 Watt Moon Lights, Tunze MultiController 7095