nitrates newly cycled

romsoccer12 · 04/30/2009, 06:12 PM

what ppm should my nitrates be at in 3weeks into the cycle?

davewbush · 04/30/2009, 06:24 PM

Depends on how much die off you had in your live rock. What is it at?

Aquarist007 · 04/30/2009, 06:24 PM

that depends on a lot of specific variables to your tank
Usually by week three the nitrates start diminishing

More importantly they should be at zero---then your tank has fully cylcled

romsoccer12 · 04/30/2009, 06:34 PM

i started with 20 lbs of liverock that seemed almost bare with a little coraline algae that diminished color than after 2 weeks i added 10 more lbs of liverock and there was nothing dieing on it some coraline marroon and green hair algae have grown plus i have a damsel and 1 hermit crab because the nitrites and ammonia was 0 after 3 weeks

davewbush · 04/30/2009, 07:41 PM

I would keep my eye on them and if they go up do a water change. I would also look into GFO and get on top of the GHA. Maybe wait a week and test every day and if the nitrates stay down, start to add your CUC.

romsoccer12 · 04/30/2009, 07:51 PM

thx sorry but what is gfo and gha? and should my nitrate be at 0?

davewbush · 04/30/2009, 07:57 PM

0 is where you want nitrates. As your tank runs over the next few months it will go up and down until it stabilizes. The best place for nitrates to be is 0.

GHA is green hair algae.

GFO is Granular Ferric Oxide. It is used to get phosphate out of the tank.

Here is a link to a place that sales it at a good price and has a dscription of it:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Carbon...phate-Remover-(GFO)-Granular-GFO/c109_8_87/p351/2-pounds-(-907-Grams)-Granular-Ferric-Oxide/product_info.html

romsoccer12 · 04/30/2009, 08:05 PM

do I need a gfo? im doing weekly water changes and its been at 0 for 3 strait days

Aquarist007 · 04/30/2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by romsoccer12
do I need a gfo? im doing weekly water changes and its been at 0 for 3 strait days

IMO you don't need to run phosban(gfo) at this point in the cycling of the tank. Your rock is still curing and releasing phosphates and other organics into the water. It is the phosphates that are the fuel for the algae.
Phosphates are also introduced to the tank by using tap water and by overfeeding.
Providing you are not doing this then as the rock cures the phosphates will reduce and the algae will starve itself out.

Aquarist007 · 04/30/2009, 08:35 PM

If you are stuggling with reef anacronyms you can check here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/modules.p...&eid=2&ltr=all

04/30/2009, 06:12 PM	#1
romsoccer12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 2,625	nitrates newly cycled what ppm should my nitrates be at in 3weeks into the cycle? __________________ Colin R Current Tank Info: 3rd tank working fine!(29gal oceanic biocube) 5-6months old

04/30/2009, 06:24 PM	#3
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	that depends on a lot of specific variables to your tank Usually by week three the nitrates start diminishing More importantly they should be at zero---then your tank has fully cylcled __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

04/30/2009, 06:34 PM	#4
romsoccer12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 2,625	i started with 20 lbs of liverock that seemed almost bare with a little coraline algae that diminished color than after 2 weeks i added 10 more lbs of liverock and there was nothing dieing on it some coraline marroon and green hair algae have grown plus i have a damsel and 1 hermit crab because the nitrites and ammonia was 0 after 3 weeks __________________ Colin R Current Tank Info: 3rd tank working fine!(29gal oceanic biocube) 5-6months old

04/30/2009, 07:51 PM	#6
romsoccer12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 2,625	thx sorry but what is gfo and gha? and should my nitrate be at 0? __________________ Colin R Current Tank Info: 3rd tank working fine!(29gal oceanic biocube) 5-6months old

04/30/2009, 08:05 PM	#8
romsoccer12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 2,625	do I need a gfo? im doing weekly water changes and its been at 0 for 3 strait days __________________ Colin R Current Tank Info: 3rd tank working fine!(29gal oceanic biocube) 5-6months old

04/30/2009, 06:24 PM	#2
davewbush ... Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California Posts: 739	Depends on how much die off you had in your live rock. What is it at?

04/30/2009, 07:41 PM	#5
davewbush ... Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California Posts: 739	I would keep my eye on them and if they go up do a water change. I would also look into GFO and get on top of the GHA. Maybe wait a week and test every day and if the nitrates stay down, start to add your CUC.

04/30/2009, 07:57 PM	#7
davewbush ... Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California Posts: 739	0 is where you want nitrates. As your tank runs over the next few months it will go up and down until it stabilizes. The best place for nitrates to be is 0. GHA is green hair algae. GFO is Granular Ferric Oxide. It is used to get phosphate out of the tank. Here is a link to a place that sales it at a good price and has a dscription of it: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Carbon...phate-Remover-(GFO)-Granular-GFO/c109_8_87/p351/2-pounds-(-907-Grams)-Granular-Ferric-Oxide/product_info.html

04/30/2009, 08:35 PM	#10
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	If you are stuggling with reef anacronyms you can check here: http://www.reefcentral.com/modules.p...&eid=2&ltr=all __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock