Cycle questions, first big tank

chain · 10/31/2013, 04:20 PM

I am moving from a 29 gallon nano cube to a 120 reef tank. Got my 120 set up with RODI saltwater and 120 lbs of live rock. The rock was not cured, it came straight from the ocean out of Florida. It was out of water for a day and in my tank the next. Had a bit of die off from the time it was out of the water and of course ammonia got up there. Reading for ammonia is at the highest on my API kit and nitrites are at 0. It's been like this going on a week now. I have done a couple 20% water changes trying to get it down and it still reads high ammonia with 0 nitrites. I also see there is white stuff starting to grow on the rocks. Is my cycle going to happen or is something wrong?

chain · 10/31/2013, 04:41 PM

Forgot to add, I don't know that it should matter at this point but I don't have lights on it yet. I will be getting them on tonight hopefully.

Kdawg_69 · 10/31/2013, 06:22 PM

your cycle is happening right now just a waiting game to see when its going to go down if i was you i wouldn't be doing those water changes just yet

fltekdiver · 10/31/2013, 07:21 PM

Don't do any water changes till the cycle is complete, then do larger water change

Lights don't matter , I left. Mine off the complete time my 180 was cycling

Expect once you start leaving the lights on. A diatom bloom possibly

After your cycle, put. a hardy fish in. Wait about a week, then add the CUC

chain · 10/31/2013, 08:10 PM

I just realized something else that may be hurting the cycle. With the die off and everything it was stinking pretty good the first couple days. Talked to the LFS and they said if I drop in a bag of carbon that should help with the stink. It might have helped that but doubt it helps my cycle. I just took it out, I assume I should leave it out right?

rfgonzo · 10/31/2013, 08:10 PM

Congrats on the upgrade.

Cliff519 · 10/31/2013, 08:15 PM

The carbon won't hurt anything, but it certainly can help with the smell

If the ammonia gets too high, it slow things down a little. You'll have to give it some more time. The last time I used uncured live rock like that, it took about 3 weeks before the parameters were in line and I waited another two weeks just to be safe

ca1ore · 10/31/2013, 08:18 PM

Starting with 'fresh' rather than cured rock is a wonderful way to start up a reef tank as you will end up with lots of diverse creatures in your tank. The only issue you may have is that the higher level of initial die-off will quickly make its way to nitrate so you may need to do some larger water changes. don't do them until the tank has cycled through ammonia and nitrite, but soon after that because you don't want to give algae a chance to gain a foothold.

chain · 10/31/2013, 08:31 PM

Got ya. Glad to hear you think fresh rock will end up with more life rather than cured rock. I was starting to think I'd be worse off because everything is going to die from the ammonia.

I got my kessil's in and finally got my plumbing quited down. I guess now I just need to leave things alone and wait it out.

chain · 10/31/2013, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfgonzo

Congrats on the upgrade.

Thanks. It's a huge upgrade but I figured best to go big now instead of wanting to upgrade later. It helps that this fits perfectly in it's new home. I will have to get a thread up with pictures.

ca1ore · 10/31/2013, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chain

Got ya. Glad to hear you think fresh rock will end up with more life rather than cured rock. I was starting to think I'd be worse off because everything is going to die from the ammonia.

Using fresh rock is not without it's challenges, and it is probably a good idea to mechanically remove anything that looks obviously dead, but otherwise it just requires a bit of patience and a nose plug .....

chain · 10/31/2013, 09:40 PM

Well the stinky part has passed so that is good. I have already vacuumed the dead stuff off of the glass to help with that. I have also been changing filter socks pretty regularly.

chain · 11/03/2013, 09:56 PM

Grrrr..... Ammonia is still pegged and nothing reading for nitrite yet. =(

acabgd · 11/03/2013, 10:19 PM

Actually if your ammonia is over 7-8ppm it can stall the cycle. Measure the exact value of ammonia and hopefully you have around 4-5ppm which would be ideal to kick start the cycle. If it's any higher than that you might need to do another water change in order to get that number down.

chain · 11/03/2013, 10:20 PM

It is at least 8ppm.

10/31/2013, 04:20 PM	#1
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	Cycle questions, first big tank I am moving from a 29 gallon nano cube to a 120 reef tank. Got my 120 set up with RODI saltwater and 120 lbs of live rock. The rock was not cured, it came straight from the ocean out of Florida. It was out of water for a day and in my tank the next. Had a bit of die off from the time it was out of the water and of course ammonia got up there. Reading for ammonia is at the highest on my API kit and nitrites are at 0. It's been like this going on a week now. I have done a couple 20% water changes trying to get it down and it still reads high ammonia with 0 nitrites. I also see there is white stuff starting to grow on the rocks. Is my cycle going to happen or is something wrong?

10/31/2013, 07:21 PM	#4
fltekdiver Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1,533	Don't do any water changes till the cycle is complete, then do larger water change Lights don't matter , I left. Mine off the complete time my 180 was cycling Expect once you start leaving the lights on. A diatom bloom possibly After your cycle, put. a hardy fish in. Wait about a week, then add the CUC __________________ RedSea Reefer 350 ,Apex Controller ,2x Hydra 26HD lights Reef Octopus eSsence S-130 Protein Skimmer Reef Octopus VarioS return pump , UV sterilizer Ice Cap 3K Gyre - Started up 8/13/19

10/31/2013, 04:41 PM	#2
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	Forgot to add, I don't know that it should matter at this point but I don't have lights on it yet. I will be getting them on tonight hopefully.

10/31/2013, 06:22 PM	#3
Kdawg_69 Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 160	your cycle is happening right now just a waiting game to see when its going to go down if i was you i wouldn't be doing those water changes just yet

10/31/2013, 08:10 PM	#5
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	I just realized something else that may be hurting the cycle. With the die off and everything it was stinking pretty good the first couple days. Talked to the LFS and they said if I drop in a bag of carbon that should help with the stink. It might have helped that but doubt it helps my cycle. I just took it out, I assume I should leave it out right?

10/31/2013, 08:10 PM	#6
rfgonzo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,280	Congrats on the upgrade.

10/31/2013, 08:15 PM	#7
Cliff519 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Saskatoon, SK, Canada Posts: 189	The carbon won't hurt anything, but it certainly can help with the smell If the ammonia gets too high, it slow things down a little. You'll have to give it some more time. The last time I used uncured live rock like that, it took about 3 weeks before the parameters were in line and I waited another two weeks just to be safe

10/31/2013, 08:18 PM	#8
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Starting with 'fresh' rather than cured rock is a wonderful way to start up a reef tank as you will end up with lots of diverse creatures in your tank. The only issue you may have is that the higher level of initial die-off will quickly make its way to nitrate so you may need to do some larger water changes. don't do them until the tank has cycled through ammonia and nitrite, but soon after that because you don't want to give algae a chance to gain a foothold.

10/31/2013, 08:31 PM	#9
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	Got ya. Glad to hear you think fresh rock will end up with more life rather than cured rock. I was starting to think I'd be worse off because everything is going to die from the ammonia. I got my kessil's in and finally got my plumbing quited down. I guess now I just need to leave things alone and wait it out.

10/31/2013, 09:40 PM	#12
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	Well the stinky part has passed so that is good. I have already vacuumed the dead stuff off of the glass to help with that. I have also been changing filter socks pretty regularly.

11/03/2013, 09:56 PM	#13
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	Grrrr..... Ammonia is still pegged and nothing reading for nitrite yet. =(

11/03/2013, 10:19 PM	#14
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	Actually if your ammonia is over 7-8ppm it can stall the cycle. Measure the exact value of ammonia and hopefully you have around 4-5ppm which would be ideal to kick start the cycle. If it's any higher than that you might need to do another water change in order to get that number down.

11/03/2013, 10:20 PM	#15
chain Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canonsburg, PA (S. of Pittsburgh) Posts: 67	It is at least 8ppm.