its my fishless cycle done?

waz1234 · 05/13/2013, 09:49 PM

hey guys I started to run my 29G biocube on april 28th, I added 30lbs of live sand, 26lbs of dry rock and 5lbs of live rock from my other tank, I've been testing the water from the first day I started my tank and I added a piece of raw shrimp to help start the cycle. I already had the ammonia and nitrite spikes and they both came down already, these are my test results..

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20ppm
ph 7.8
salt level 1.028

slipknottin · 05/13/2013, 09:53 PM

Test again in 24 hours. If ammonia and nitrItes are still 0, then your cycle is complete and you can add livestock.

NitrAtes will continue to rise as that cycle takes much longer. Just do water changes to keep them under 20ppm. Eventually they should fall to below 10 even without frequent water changes. But they may not depending upon livestock load and what you have that consumes them.

hogfanreefer · 05/13/2013, 09:53 PM

Yep, time for a water change and prepare for the diatom and algae attack. Might want to lower salinity a little and check your other parameters (Mg, Ca and Alk).

waz1234 · 05/14/2013, 12:37 AM

Yeah im working on my salinity already, and should I add a little of marine buffer to raise my ph or should I wait a little more longer?

05/13/2013, 09:49 PM	#1
waz1234 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 45	its my fishless cycle done? hey guys I started to run my 29G biocube on april 28th, I added 30lbs of live sand, 26lbs of dry rock and 5lbs of live rock from my other tank, I've been testing the water from the first day I started my tank and I added a piece of raw shrimp to help start the cycle. I already had the ammonia and nitrite spikes and they both came down already, these are my test results.. ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 20ppm ph 7.8 salt level 1.028

05/13/2013, 09:53 PM	#3
hogfanreefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 2,117	Yep, time for a water change and prepare for the diatom and algae attack. Might want to lower salinity a little and check your other parameters (Mg, Ca and Alk). __________________ DSA 155,Custom Trigger 42" sump/refugium, MP40 X2, MP 10 X 2, AI Hydra 52 X3, Apex controller, Tunze ATO Current Tank Info: DSA 155 gallon, mixed reef, SPS and wrasse dominant

05/13/2013, 09:53 PM	#2
slipknottin Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New Britain, CT, USA Posts: 2,445	Test again in 24 hours. If ammonia and nitrItes are still 0, then your cycle is complete and you can add livestock. NitrAtes will continue to rise as that cycle takes much longer. Just do water changes to keep them under 20ppm. Eventually they should fall to below 10 even without frequent water changes. But they may not depending upon livestock load and what you have that consumes them.

05/14/2013, 12:37 AM	#4
waz1234 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 45	Yeah im working on my salinity already, and should I add a little of marine buffer to raise my ph or should I wait a little more longer?