New Tank Set up

Scubajoe1 · 01/04/2015, 08:24 AM

Hey guys,
I have been working on setting up a new 180 gallon reef tank with coast to coast overflow. I have started with dead rock (once live) and have also used live sand as a substrate. The tank was cloudy at first because of the live sand but that all settles out. I then used Dr. Tims fishes cycling method with his bacteria. Everything seemed to be going fine. If I add the ammonia to about 3 ppm it is 0 within 24 hours. Nitrites are still measurable at about 0.3 ppm but that is coming down. My main issue if it looks like I got a bacteria bloom in the water a couple days ago. I have no livestock in the tank. I have a lifer protein skimmer that has been skimming nuts for the past couple days. Nice thick skimmate. I also have a biopellet reactor that I am cycling at the same time. I have a Neptune apex on the system and the ORP has been going up steadily and was at 273 this morning. The water does not seem to be getting any less cloudy though after 1.5 days from when it started. You basically cannot see to the other side of the 6 foot tank. Is this just a waiting game until things get equilibrated?

Ammonia : 0
Nitrites: 0.3 ppm
nitrates were about 2 ppm the other day
phosphate: 0
not much algae left on the rocks.....had some brown algae followed by a little green but I don;t thing there are enough nutrients for it to grow. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Joe

STPA · 01/04/2015, 08:51 AM

I had the same thing when I started my cycle also using dead rock. I used ammonia as well. My water didn't clear until almost a month. Seems like it takes forever but hang in there. Mine finished cycling in about 7 weeks.

deagan14 · 01/04/2015, 09:26 AM

Agreed just got to wait it out

Scubajoe1 · 01/04/2015, 11:12 AM

Thanks guys. I was guessing that would be the answer. With the bacteria in the water column does that actually give you a false sense that the tank is cycled? I would imagine that it would be a lot of that bacteria that is removing ammonia and nitrites.

Scubajoe1 · 01/06/2015, 08:17 AM

ORP is really shooting up this morning. Water is becoming clearer. I assume the bacteria is leaving the water column and being pulled up by the skimmer allowing more oxygen in the water. Jumped from 200-306 in two days. Has been going up about 1 point every 10-20 minutes this morning for the last two hours.

01/04/2015, 08:24 AM	#1
Scubajoe1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 409	New Tank Set up Hey guys, I have been working on setting up a new 180 gallon reef tank with coast to coast overflow. I have started with dead rock (once live) and have also used live sand as a substrate. The tank was cloudy at first because of the live sand but that all settles out. I then used Dr. Tims fishes cycling method with his bacteria. Everything seemed to be going fine. If I add the ammonia to about 3 ppm it is 0 within 24 hours. Nitrites are still measurable at about 0.3 ppm but that is coming down. My main issue if it looks like I got a bacteria bloom in the water a couple days ago. I have no livestock in the tank. I have a lifer protein skimmer that has been skimming nuts for the past couple days. Nice thick skimmate. I also have a biopellet reactor that I am cycling at the same time. I have a Neptune apex on the system and the ORP has been going up steadily and was at 273 this morning. The water does not seem to be getting any less cloudy though after 1.5 days from when it started. You basically cannot see to the other side of the 6 foot tank. Is this just a waiting game until things get equilibrated? Ammonia : 0 Nitrites: 0.3 ppm nitrates were about 2 ppm the other day phosphate: 0 not much algae left on the rocks.....had some brown algae followed by a little green but I don;t thing there are enough nutrients for it to grow. Any suggestions? Thanks Joe

01/04/2015, 09:26 AM	#3
deagan14 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Montana Posts: 184	Agreed just got to wait it out __________________ Biocube 32

01/04/2015, 08:51 AM	#2
STPA Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 22	I had the same thing when I started my cycle also using dead rock. I used ammonia as well. My water didn't clear until almost a month. Seems like it takes forever but hang in there. Mine finished cycling in about 7 weeks.

01/04/2015, 11:12 AM	#4
Scubajoe1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 409	Thanks guys. I was guessing that would be the answer. With the bacteria in the water column does that actually give you a false sense that the tank is cycled? I would imagine that it would be a lot of that bacteria that is removing ammonia and nitrites.

01/06/2015, 08:17 AM	#5
Scubajoe1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 409	ORP is really shooting up this morning. Water is becoming clearer. I assume the bacteria is leaving the water column and being pulled up by the skimmer allowing more oxygen in the water. Jumped from 200-306 in two days. Has been going up about 1 point every 10-20 minutes this morning for the last two hours.