Long cycle

landon · 07/25/2006, 04:28 PM

Hello,

First let me start off by saying I am not a "complete noob", I had a 55 gallon reef tank setup for about a year, and had great success. I took it down due to time/financial constraints. Well after about a year of having no tank, I lost it. At the end of May I began building a 20H Nano reef tank. The tank has been up and running for almost two months now and the cycle has still not finished.

I purchased live rock on-line and I received it within two days, there was not and is not a ton of life on the rock, so I figured die off would be minimal. However, the tank is still showing ammonia when I test the water. I have been using the Red Sea test kits (not digging them at all) and I have no clue how accurate they are, but I do have Salifert kits on their way (as soon as custom aquatics ships them out). I guess my question/concern is, why am I still showing ammonia? I am gonig to double check my nitrite level tonight, last time i checked it was hard to tell what level they were, as the "color chart" for the red sea nitrite test is not the greatest.

Anyone have any recommendations as to what I could do to get this thing over the "hump". In all of my previous saltwater expeirences, I have never had an issue with the cycle. What gives! In the past two weeks I have had some brown algae growth on the glass, and some algae has began to sprout from the rocks...not into it, so I have stopped running my lighting for now.

I have 30 lbs. of Oolite sand (not live) and about 30-35 lbs. of Fiji Live rock in the tank, and that is it. Running on a closed loop with a SQWD powered by a Pan World 40PX and an Aquaclear 110 modded into a fuge.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Avi · 07/25/2006, 05:08 PM

The first thing that comes to mind is that your ammonia test kit isn't funtioning correctly. This will be double-checked when you get the Salifert test kit. I'd suggest that you take a sample of your water to a good local fish store and have them test your tank's water for you. This may show that there, in fact, is no ammonia. That would be expected after the tank has been running for two months. If there is actually still ammonia present, then there is not enough biological filtration ongoing in the tank presently. I'd expect that the 30 or more pounds of live rock and the current you have in the tank would be enough, though. You might want to consider growing Chaeo in your sump. Some water changes may also be considered even though I wouldn't normally suggest that during a cycle. You would also benefit by putting a small protein skimmer on the system, probably working off your sump. But, again, depending on a more reliable confirmation of the ammonia's presence in the tank, you may really be fine and ready to go.

Dubbin1 · 07/25/2006, 05:08 PM

My guess is that your test kits are the problem. Do some water changes and test with the new kits when you get them. I would be willing to bet that you are good to go.

07/25/2006, 04:28 PM	#1
landon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 57	Long cycle Hello, First let me start off by saying I am not a "complete noob", I had a 55 gallon reef tank setup for about a year, and had great success. I took it down due to time/financial constraints. Well after about a year of having no tank, I lost it. At the end of May I began building a 20H Nano reef tank. The tank has been up and running for almost two months now and the cycle has still not finished. I purchased live rock on-line and I received it within two days, there was not and is not a ton of life on the rock, so I figured die off would be minimal. However, the tank is still showing ammonia when I test the water. I have been using the Red Sea test kits (not digging them at all) and I have no clue how accurate they are, but I do have Salifert kits on their way (as soon as custom aquatics ships them out). I guess my question/concern is, why am I still showing ammonia? I am gonig to double check my nitrite level tonight, last time i checked it was hard to tell what level they were, as the "color chart" for the red sea nitrite test is not the greatest. Anyone have any recommendations as to what I could do to get this thing over the "hump". In all of my previous saltwater expeirences, I have never had an issue with the cycle. What gives! In the past two weeks I have had some brown algae growth on the glass, and some algae has began to sprout from the rocks...not into it, so I have stopped running my lighting for now. I have 30 lbs. of Oolite sand (not live) and about 30-35 lbs. of Fiji Live rock in the tank, and that is it. Running on a closed loop with a SQWD powered by a Pan World 40PX and an Aquaclear 110 modded into a fuge. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

07/25/2006, 05:08 PM	#2
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	The first thing that comes to mind is that your ammonia test kit isn't funtioning correctly. This will be double-checked when you get the Salifert test kit. I'd suggest that you take a sample of your water to a good local fish store and have them test your tank's water for you. This may show that there, in fact, is no ammonia. That would be expected after the tank has been running for two months. If there is actually still ammonia present, then there is not enough biological filtration ongoing in the tank presently. I'd expect that the 30 or more pounds of live rock and the current you have in the tank would be enough, though. You might want to consider growing Chaeo in your sump. Some water changes may also be considered even though I wouldn't normally suggest that during a cycle. You would also benefit by putting a small protein skimmer on the system, probably working off your sump. But, again, depending on a more reliable confirmation of the ammonia's presence in the tank, you may really be fine and ready to go. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

07/25/2006, 05:08 PM	#3
Dubbin1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Findlay, Ohio Posts: 11,540	My guess is that your test kits are the problem. Do some water changes and test with the new kits when you get them. I would be willing to bet that you are good to go.