Very confused about the results of my cycle, help fast please.

l.MetalHead.l · 03/04/2011, 12:39 PM

So i put a cocktail shrimp in my 10 gallon nano about 3 months ago, inorder to start the "cycle", It had dead rock, "live sand" and a filter, there was no heater, nor lighting (aside from the sun from an open window.) Anyways, i went on a trip, i came back, and the tank was about fifty percent evaporated. I refilled the tank to normal levels, to find that the pH is 8.4, the ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate is 0. In addition my refractometer reads 1.0024. What could have happened? Is it safe to add fish and or clean up crew.?

Japsican · 03/04/2011, 12:41 PM

I'd keep it topped off and let it cycle for a few more days while testing your parameters. If it seems pretty stable, then I'd start adding a clean up crew.

wbdevers · 03/04/2011, 12:44 PM

Not sure what you mean by "what happened". Your tank cycled and you are good to go. Do what Japsican said and just give it a week or so at the correct level and get your CUC. I would recommend uping your SG to 1.025-6 though. .024 is on the low side, but by no means dangerous or drastic however.

l.MetalHead.l · 03/04/2011, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wbdevers

Not sure what you mean by "what happened".

Where did the nitrates go if the only water loss was via evaporation... and the water level evaporated to 50%

vorm · 03/04/2011, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l.MetalHead.l

Where did the nitrates go if the only water loss was via evaporation... and the water level evaporated to 50%

Got any algae growth? Deep Sand Bed?

Nitrates can be converted into nitrogen gas.

l.MetalHead.l · 03/04/2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorm

Got any algae growth? Deep Sand Bed?

Nitrates can be converted into nitrogen gas.

I have some brown algea, some on the sand bed, and some growing on the wall facing the sunlight, I see little green though, its more of a brown colour

Ps. Can the denitrifying bacteria die at a high salinity concentration, that is my big concern.

l.MetalHead.l · 03/04/2011, 03:05 PM

bump

Sk8r · 03/04/2011, 03:20 PM

I'd add a couple of micro hermit crabs and get a little Formula One fishfood. Install them, feed them a bit, and see if they survive. Test the water. If still good, add more hermits, couple of snails. Repeat until you have a full cleanup crew and give them a couple more weeks to work. If it's going well, get a cheap 20g tank with airdriven floss filter and start your first fish in quarantine (4 weeks) to be sure it doesn't contaminate that tank with a parasite (you can treat in qt, never, ever, ever in your main tank---and 4 weeks is time enough for something to show up.) Meanwhile get an ATO (automatic topoff, so that thing doesn't become the Dead Sea again!)

wbdevers · 03/04/2011, 03:22 PM

If your bacteria utilized ALL of the food source then there will be no nitrates. There is nothing to convert. The bacteria will start dying off but that too will reach an equilibrium and you will have extremely low levels.

The brown is diatoms and just part of a new tank. Once they use all of the silicates up they will go away--unless you add more via water changes by not using RO/DI water. If you are seeing some green as well then you do have some nitrates. You have to remember that algae will use the nitrates for food. Very often they will be consumed below detection limits of a test kit. If you have nuisance algae, you have NO3.

Yes I'm sure the bacteria will die in extreme HYPER salinity but you didn't go from 35ppt to 60ppt (for example) overnight. It happened over 3 months. Sure you had some die off, but what died has 99% most likely already come back. Bacteria are some tough SOB's. They've been around a lot longer than we have and have taken all that the planet has throw at it.

Just check your water parameters over the next week and if all is stable go as suggested.

As a side note, if you match the parameters in Sk8r's signature you can't go wrong; she's right. I'm speaking from experience. I dialed in my readings and my tank looks great (IMO).

Best of luck.

rossbryant1956 · 03/04/2011, 09:06 PM

I appreciate sk8r putting in her parameters, gives us newbies something to shoot at...

Question: what's up with the shrimp? I imagine that is something for the tank chemistry to chew on, but is the whole story? Leave it in how long? What happens to it?

THx

SushiGirl · 03/04/2011, 09:19 PM

I have to giggle at the image of a 20g tank as a quarantine for fish going into a 10g tank!

03/04/2011, 12:39 PM	#1
l.MetalHead.l Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 19	Very confused about the results of my cycle, help fast please. So i put a cocktail shrimp in my 10 gallon nano about 3 months ago, inorder to start the "cycle", It had dead rock, "live sand" and a filter, there was no heater, nor lighting (aside from the sun from an open window.) Anyways, i went on a trip, i came back, and the tank was about fifty percent evaporated. I refilled the tank to normal levels, to find that the pH is 8.4, the ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate is 0. In addition my refractometer reads 1.0024. What could have happened? Is it safe to add fish and or clean up crew.?

03/04/2011, 12:44 PM	#3
wbdevers Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 754	Not sure what you mean by "what happened". Your tank cycled and you are good to go. Do what Japsican said and just give it a week or so at the correct level and get your CUC. I would recommend uping your SG to 1.025-6 though. .024 is on the low side, but by no means dangerous or drastic however. __________________ Wes Beatings will continue until morale improves!!! "I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them."--Judge Smails Current Tank Info: 125g ML dual corner OF mixed reef, Custom stand and canopy, 40g custom sump, lighting (in flux :( )

03/04/2011, 03:20 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I'd add a couple of micro hermit crabs and get a little Formula One fishfood. Install them, feed them a bit, and see if they survive. Test the water. If still good, add more hermits, couple of snails. Repeat until you have a full cleanup crew and give them a couple more weeks to work. If it's going well, get a cheap 20g tank with airdriven floss filter and start your first fish in quarantine (4 weeks) to be sure it doesn't contaminate that tank with a parasite (you can treat in qt, never, ever, ever in your main tank---and 4 weeks is time enough for something to show up.) Meanwhile get an ATO (automatic topoff, so that thing doesn't become the Dead Sea again!) __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/04/2011, 03:22 PM	#9
wbdevers Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 754	If your bacteria utilized ALL of the food source then there will be no nitrates. There is nothing to convert. The bacteria will start dying off but that too will reach an equilibrium and you will have extremely low levels. The brown is diatoms and just part of a new tank. Once they use all of the silicates up they will go away--unless you add more via water changes by not using RO/DI water. If you are seeing some green as well then you do have some nitrates. You have to remember that algae will use the nitrates for food. Very often they will be consumed below detection limits of a test kit. If you have nuisance algae, you have NO3. Yes I'm sure the bacteria will die in extreme HYPER salinity but you didn't go from 35ppt to 60ppt (for example) overnight. It happened over 3 months. Sure you had some die off, but what died has 99% most likely already come back. Bacteria are some tough SOB's. They've been around a lot longer than we have and have taken all that the planet has throw at it. Just check your water parameters over the next week and if all is stable go as suggested. As a side note, if you match the parameters in Sk8r's signature you can't go wrong; she's right. I'm speaking from experience. I dialed in my readings and my tank looks great (IMO). Best of luck. __________________ Wes Beatings will continue until morale improves!!! "I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them."--Judge Smails Current Tank Info: 125g ML dual corner OF mixed reef, Custom stand and canopy, 40g custom sump, lighting (in flux :( )

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03/04/2011, 12:41 PM	#2
Japsican Beans&Rice Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Corona, CA Posts: 341	I'd keep it topped off and let it cycle for a few more days while testing your parameters. If it seems pretty stable, then I'd start adding a clean up crew.

03/04/2011, 03:05 PM	#7
l.MetalHead.l Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 19	bump

03/04/2011, 09:06 PM	#10
rossbryant1956 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 8	I appreciate sk8r putting in her parameters, gives us newbies something to shoot at... Question: what's up with the shrimp? I imagine that is something for the tank chemistry to chew on, but is the whole story? Leave it in how long? What happens to it? THx

03/04/2011, 09:19 PM	#11
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	I have to giggle at the image of a 20g tank as a quarantine for fish going into a 10g tank!