So I had my first major accident

Drix · 01/15/2008, 11:16 PM

I've been working hard lately and neglecting my tank duties. So Saturday night without thinking I decided to get back to my old habits and do what I should have been doing and started by topping off my water because I'd let it go a bit longer than usual.

My system is fairly straight foreward, I have a 55g tank in my room with a large sump in the basement with some extra live rock pieces that place awkwardly in my tank in it. Well, apparently my live rock in the basement spent some time out of water. I woke up the next morning to a mostly dead tank and a Ammonia reading of .08 near as I can figure the added water was just enough to leech out the liverock piece in the basement.

Anyhow, I did a 40% water change immediatly bumping my level down to .04.

I've monitored my tank since and my Ammonia's down to 0, as well as trites and trates, ph's 8.2, 0 phosphates salts inbetween the green lines and so's the tempreture. So my question is this, this accident should cause a tank to re-cycle but I don't see any signs of it. Why not?

Vinnie71975 · 01/16/2008, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Drix
I've been working hard lately and neglecting my tank duties. So Saturday night without thinking I decided to get back to my old habits and do what I should have been doing and started by topping off my water because I'd let it go a bit longer than usual.

My system is fairly straight foreward, I have a 55g tank in my room with a large sump in the basement with some extra live rock pieces that place awkwardly in my tank in it. Well, apparently my live rock in the basement spent some time out of water. I woke up the next morning to a mostly dead tank and a Ammonia reading of .08 near as I can figure the added water was just enough to leech out the liverock piece in the basement.

Anyhow, I did a 40% water change immediatly bumping my level down to .04.

I've monitored my tank since and my Ammonia's down to 0, as well as trites and trates, ph's 8.2, 0 phosphates salts inbetween the green lines and so's the tempreture. So my question is this, this accident should cause a tank to re-cycle but I don't see any signs of it. Why not?

You DID see the signs of it thats why you had Ammonia Show up!! Only time you should ever see Ammonia is during a Cycle!

rustybucket145 · 01/16/2008, 08:06 AM

how long has the tank been setup?

sharko88 · 01/16/2008, 01:22 PM

Yeah, the ammonia spike is the start of the new cycle.

Drix · 01/16/2008, 03:49 PM

My point is it's been 2 days and thats the only thing I saw, I would have thaught my nitrites/trates would have spiked. My tanks been set up for 2 years or so, it's been a while.

Vinnie71975 · 01/16/2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Drix
My point is it's been 2 days and thats the only thing I saw, I would have thaught my nitrites/trates would have spiked. My tanks been set up for 2 years or so, it's been a while.

With the tank being up for 2 years, Chances are you got the Ammonia Spike and Saw that and Unless you sat in front of the tank testing every 5 mins you prolly missed the rest of the cycle(i am told that in established tanks recycles go VERY VERY fast) Doesnt mean you didnt have the Nitrate/Nitrite part of the cycle just means your tank after being up for 2 years had enough bacteria to handle it VERY quickly. Just my .02

jamiep · 01/16/2008, 04:59 PM

Maybe you should invest in an auto top up unit - Maybe DIY it?

Zoophile · 01/16/2008, 05:09 PM

Yikes, I'm glad you posted this! I've got some large rocks in my sump as well. I keep an eye on top off because of SG changes, but I didn't think about exposing the LR...

01/15/2008, 11:16 PM	#1
Drix Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 590	So I had my first major accident I've been working hard lately and neglecting my tank duties. So Saturday night without thinking I decided to get back to my old habits and do what I should have been doing and started by topping off my water because I'd let it go a bit longer than usual. My system is fairly straight foreward, I have a 55g tank in my room with a large sump in the basement with some extra live rock pieces that place awkwardly in my tank in it. Well, apparently my live rock in the basement spent some time out of water. I woke up the next morning to a mostly dead tank and a Ammonia reading of .08 near as I can figure the added water was just enough to leech out the liverock piece in the basement. Anyhow, I did a 40% water change immediatly bumping my level down to .04. I've monitored my tank since and my Ammonia's down to 0, as well as trites and trates, ph's 8.2, 0 phosphates salts inbetween the green lines and so's the tempreture. So my question is this, this accident should cause a tank to re-cycle but I don't see any signs of it. Why not?

01/16/2008, 08:06 AM	#3
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	how long has the tank been setup? __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

01/16/2008, 01:22 PM	#4
sharko88 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 129	Yeah, the ammonia spike is the start of the new cycle.

01/16/2008, 03:49 PM	#5
Drix Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 590	My point is it's been 2 days and thats the only thing I saw, I would have thaught my nitrites/trates would have spiked. My tanks been set up for 2 years or so, it's been a while.

01/16/2008, 04:59 PM	#7
jamiep Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 458	Maybe you should invest in an auto top up unit - Maybe DIY it?

01/16/2008, 05:09 PM	#8
Zoophile Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NC Posts: 168	Yikes, I'm glad you posted this! I've got some large rocks in my sump as well. I keep an eye on top off because of SG changes, but I didn't think about exposing the LR...