How Bad Will My Tank Cycle?

H2oH2o · 05/22/2007, 08:49 PM

I have a 75 gallon tank, its about 12 months old, i have 2 inches of crushed coral that is just packed with nitrates and waste. I did a test on my nitrate level and its over 160 ppm, which it should be 0!!!!

This weekend i want to take everything out and removes all the crushed coral and put down live sand, I know there will be a massive cycle involved with this?

So my question is, is this safe to do, since i have about 15 pieces of coral and 5 fish, that have already adapted. Also if it is, what steps should i take to go about doing this without causing a massive cycle?

schoch79 · 05/22/2007, 08:53 PM

Best bet would be to do a little bit at a time. Take some CC out and add some sand then let the mini cycle do its thing then repeat until done. Or even remove a little CC at a time over a couple weeks or more until the tank is barebottom then start to fill in with the sand.

fish 511 · 05/22/2007, 08:56 PM

You definately will want to remove that cc. I had to do the same thing. What I would do is put the rock/corals in a bucket or qt if you have one. Same goes for the fish. Then change out the crushed coral and remove all detrius with a gravel cleaner. Then, after you lay down the LS, I would do a big water change and hope for the best!

HTH

fish 511 · 05/22/2007, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by schoch79
Best bet would be to do a little bit at a time. Take some CC out and add some sand then let the mini cycle do its thing then repeat until done. Or even remove a little CC at a time over a couple weeks or more until the tank is barebottom then start to fill in with the sand.

Thats a good idea. Probably less work also...

Southern Boy · 05/22/2007, 08:57 PM

Do you have someone that can fish/coral sit for a few day's?

drummereef · 05/22/2007, 08:58 PM

I would start by siphoning the substrate over the next few water changes first. You want to try and remove as much gunk from the crushed coral before you get into this. Once you think you've cleaned it out pretty well, then go ahead and start taking it out. I would do it slowly over the course of a couple weeks. Once it's all out you can add your 'dry' aragonite. You can use a piece of pvc with a funnel to introduce the new sandbed without causing a huge sandstorm. There's always the risk of a mini-cycle, but by eliminating much of the trapped detritus you will hopefully avoid it as much as possible. If you can setup a quarantine tank first, that would be ideal.

zma21 · 05/22/2007, 08:59 PM

I would just take everything live out and take all of your CC out at once. Then put your sand in all at once. It might be one hell of a cycle, but it will be for the best and the more beneficial bacteria you have in that new sand, the better.

alan214 · 05/22/2007, 09:36 PM

Before you get too carried away, have you verified that your test kit is not bad? 160 when you're expcting 0 would make me at least take a water sample to the LFS for a second opinion.

mskohl · 05/22/2007, 10:34 PM

I would replace 1/3 of your cc at a time. This will buffer any cycle and give the bacteria time to populate the sand. I'd have water ready to do any necessary changes if you started reading any ammonia or nitrites.

On the other hand, you could add a refugium and use a 6" sand bed, several small pieces of LR, and some macro algae. This will help bring down your nitrates and then you can replace your cc with the added benefit of the bacteria in the fuge.

clevername · 05/22/2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fish 511
You definately will want to remove that cc. I had to do the same thing. What I would do is put the rock/corals in a bucket or qt if you have one. Same goes for the fish. Then change out the crushed coral and remove all detrius with a gravel cleaner. Then, after you lay down the LS, I would do a big water change and hope for the best! HTH

Bingo. Dont do partial change, youll end up with some CC peices laying around years later. Its a PITA

Kissfan79 · 05/23/2007, 08:33 AM

My dad had the same problem. He has a 75 and had crushsed coral. One night when he had some time, he scooped it all out (went around the live rock rather than removing it) and laid down about 40 pound argonite non-live sand and topped it off with a bag (either 5 or 10 pounds...I can't remember which) of live sand. This way....he'll get the sand cultured and seeded with live sand but without any massive cycle. He had no problems and his fish were fine.

Jim

supateddy · 05/23/2007, 08:48 AM

Is crushed coral really that bad? I understand I'm kind of new, but we've had our tank up for 5 months with no problems. (except when we had the undergravel filter, bad things there. took it out 3 months ago) There is 4" of CC in our tank, along with 60 lbs of live rock and a sump/refugium, and our nitrates stay around 0.

H2oH2o · 05/23/2007, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by supateddy
Is crushed coral really that bad? I understand I'm kind of new, but we've had our tank up for 5 months with no problems. (except when we had the undergravel filter, bad things there. took it out 3 months ago) There is 4" of CC in our tank, along with 60 lbs of live rock and a sump/refugium, and our nitrates stay around 0.

Yeah mine was fine to, till about 10 months, then it seemed no matter how many times i cleaned it during water changes, nothing would change. The left over food, and fish waste gets trapped in there, and for good, till removed.

fish 511 · 05/23/2007, 06:42 PM

Another thing I do not like about cc is you have to siphon it every time you to a water change. No need to do that with a DSB

hanas · 05/23/2007, 06:51 PM

CC traps a lot of debris, which in turn is causing your high nitrates. I would recommend removing all the crush coral and going with sand.

JFK-FL · 05/23/2007, 07:05 PM

Ok, now I'm super curious... What about an inch of clean, crushed coral as deep substrate covered by three to four inches of live sand bed? Anybody have that experience?

H2oH2o · 05/23/2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JFK-FL
Ok, now I'm super curious... What about an inch of clean, crushed coral as deep substrate covered by three to four inches of live sand bed? Anybody have that experience?

I dont understand why you would want to do that?

05/22/2007, 08:49 PM	#1
H2oH2o Grower of the Small Polyp Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 211	How Bad Will My Tank Cycle? I have a 75 gallon tank, its about 12 months old, i have 2 inches of crushed coral that is just packed with nitrates and waste. I did a test on my nitrate level and its over 160 ppm, which it should be 0!!!! This weekend i want to take everything out and removes all the crushed coral and put down live sand, I know there will be a massive cycle involved with this? So my question is, is this safe to do, since i have about 15 pieces of coral and 5 fish, that have already adapted. Also if it is, what steps should i take to go about doing this without causing a massive cycle?

05/22/2007, 08:53 PM	#2
schoch79 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: hegins,pa Posts: 1,071	Best bet would be to do a little bit at a time. Take some CC out and add some sand then let the mini cycle do its thing then repeat until done. Or even remove a little CC at a time over a couple weeks or more until the tank is barebottom then start to fill in with the sand. __________________ We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night... mostly.

05/22/2007, 08:58 PM	#6
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I would start by siphoning the substrate over the next few water changes first. You want to try and remove as much gunk from the crushed coral before you get into this. Once you think you've cleaned it out pretty well, then go ahead and start taking it out. I would do it slowly over the course of a couple weeks. Once it's all out you can add your 'dry' aragonite. You can use a piece of pvc with a funnel to introduce the new sandbed without causing a huge sandstorm. There's always the risk of a mini-cycle, but by eliminating much of the trapped detritus you will hopefully avoid it as much as possible. If you can setup a quarantine tank first, that would be ideal. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

05/22/2007, 08:59 PM	#7
zma21 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NOLA Posts: 1,453	I would just take everything live out and take all of your CC out at once. Then put your sand in all at once. It might be one hell of a cycle, but it will be for the best and the more beneficial bacteria you have in that new sand, the better. __________________ SCA 50 Starfire: In Progress Current Tank Info: 20 High -> 40 Cube -> Nanocube 12 DX -> 25 Gallon Rimless -> 10 Gallon AGA Temporary Tank -> JBJ 24 LED -> SCA Starfire 50 Cube

05/22/2007, 09:36 PM	#8
alan214 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 1,258	Before you get too carried away, have you verified that your test kit is not bad? 160 when you're expcting 0 would make me at least take a water sample to the LFS for a second opinion. __________________ I live really close to the airport. The other day I was walking across the living room and the stewardess told me to take my seat. Current Tank Info: 73G FOWLR

05/22/2007, 08:56 PM	#3
fish 511 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, California Posts: 679	You definately will want to remove that cc. I had to do the same thing. What I would do is put the rock/corals in a bucket or qt if you have one. Same goes for the fish. Then change out the crushed coral and remove all detrius with a gravel cleaner. Then, after you lay down the LS, I would do a big water change and hope for the best! HTH

05/22/2007, 08:57 PM	#5
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	Do you have someone that can fish/coral sit for a few day's?

05/22/2007, 10:34 PM	#9
mskohl Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stilwell, KS Posts: 2,114	I would replace 1/3 of your cc at a time. This will buffer any cycle and give the bacteria time to populate the sand. I'd have water ready to do any necessary changes if you started reading any ammonia or nitrites. On the other hand, you could add a refugium and use a 6" sand bed, several small pieces of LR, and some macro algae. This will help bring down your nitrates and then you can replace your cc with the added benefit of the bacteria in the fuge. __________________ Current tanks: 225g mixed reef and a 75g lps and softy

05/23/2007, 08:33 AM	#11
Kissfan79 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 558	My dad had the same problem. He has a 75 and had crushsed coral. One night when he had some time, he scooped it all out (went around the live rock rather than removing it) and laid down about 40 pound argonite non-live sand and topped it off with a bag (either 5 or 10 pounds...I can't remember which) of live sand. This way....he'll get the sand cultured and seeded with live sand but without any massive cycle. He had no problems and his fish were fine. Jim

05/23/2007, 08:48 AM	#12
supateddy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cloverdale, IN Posts: 85	CC really that bad Is crushed coral really that bad? I understand I'm kind of new, but we've had our tank up for 5 months with no problems. (except when we had the undergravel filter, bad things there. took it out 3 months ago) There is 4" of CC in our tank, along with 60 lbs of live rock and a sump/refugium, and our nitrates stay around 0.

05/23/2007, 06:42 PM	#14
fish 511 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, California Posts: 679	Another thing I do not like about cc is you have to siphon it every time you to a water change. No need to do that with a DSB

05/23/2007, 06:51 PM	#15
hanas Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 795	CC traps a lot of debris, which in turn is causing your high nitrates. I would recommend removing all the crush coral and going with sand.

05/23/2007, 07:05 PM	#16
JFK-FL Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 5	Ok, now I'm super curious... What about an inch of clean, crushed coral as deep substrate covered by three to four inches of live sand bed? Anybody have that experience?