I think my tank is cycling too fast

Crawdawg · 06/04/2011, 08:09 PM

This is my first post so some background is in order.

Im currently cycling a 65 gallon breeder and it seems to have peaked and be declining too fast.

The tank has 60# of argamax special reef sand, 35# of pre cured walt smith premium fiji rock, that was taken from the store to my tank in well under an hour, and about 45# of uncured base rock and about half of that is under the sand.

I have a eheim g160 filter, wanted to go refugium, but with the stand I have wasn't an option. Once there is bio load, I plan on adding a hang on skimmer.

This will be a mostly fish tank, with some possible mushrooms and zoos.

Anyway, I filled the tank with half the base rock, sand and filled it half with water and waited for the sand storm to clear, i then topped up the tank, and started the filter, and brought the temp up to 78.

This was may 27th.

I wasn't sure if the rock have enough stuff since it was cured, so I dropped three shrimp in the tank, and removed them once there was ammonia and SMELL...

So, here's the test results so far.

On 5-30 no ammonia, salinity 1.027, pH 7.9.
06-01 Amm .25, nitrite .25
06-02 Amm .5, Nitrite 1
06-03 Amm .25, Nitrite 1, nitrate 40
06-04 Amm 0, Nitrite .25, nitrate 20

All results in ppm.

The ammonia and nitrite seem to be coming down rather quickly, and what would be lowering the nitrate?

I just want to be sure im not doing anything wrong, or shouldnt be doing something different.

Thanks in advance.

06-04 Am

Brando457 · 06/04/2011, 08:21 PM

Nitrate would be because you don't have much livestock if any besides the die off from the rock. Since the rock was precured your cycle should take only a week - 2 weeks tops.

Keep checking your nitrite and once that is 0 you can add yoru first livestock.

My tank cycled in 3 weeks using only base rock and a large shrimp. So you will be fine with the precured rock

Crawdawg · 06/04/2011, 08:24 PM

Thanks again, I just heard so many ppl talking about 5-6 week cycles that I wanted to be sure.

hollister · 06/04/2011, 08:40 PM

Dont use anything for the cycle. No shrimp or fish.

I didnt see any power heads listed , whats used for water movement?

duncantse · 06/04/2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollister

Dont use anything for the cycle. No shrimp or fish.

I didnt see any power heads listed , whats used for water movement?

Can you exolain to me why you should not use a shrimp to cycle a tank?

Crawdawg · 06/04/2011, 09:07 PM

There are no power heads in the tank yet, didn't see the need during the cycle, but a couple koralias will be used.

domb54 · 06/04/2011, 11:57 PM

Everything looks right to me so far wait on adding livestock though you may spike again if you add too quickly cuc would be best start when nitrate and ammonia at 0.

duncantse · 06/05/2011, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duncantse

Can you explain to me why you should not use a shrimp to cycle a tank?

sjwitt · 06/05/2011, 06:43 AM

"Originally Posted by duncantse
Can you explain to me why you should not use a shrimp to cycle a tank?"

I THINK that hollister read the OP and thought LIVE shrimp was used to cycle the tank because the response was written as "Don't use anything for the cycle. No shrimp or fish."

I inferred from the OP post that a raw shrimp from the grocery store was used to cycle the tank.

I could be wrong but I think it's just a miscommunication. There's nothing wrong with using a piece of raw shrimp to cycle the tank.

mike5051 · 06/05/2011, 07:09 AM

I too used dead shrimp to cycle the tank, but if you have enough live rock, the die-off will cycle the tank without another ammonia source.

Crawdawg · 06/05/2011, 05:01 PM

it was grocery store raw shrimp, I used it because I wasn't sure there would be much die off with pre cured rock that wasn't out of water for more than 45 minutes from the store to my tank.

The cycle seems to be wrapping up, as amm and nitrite are both zero today, and nitrate is down to 10 ppm. It seems the copepods are coming back also, as I saw dead pods a few days ago, and now i'm seeing them fliting about again. I'm going to let it run for a week, and build a cuc.

Again thanks for all the responses. I feel like I picked the right forum.

Brando457 · 06/05/2011, 05:38 PM

Good job!!! Now add the cuc and wait a week and add your first fish!!!! Woohooo!!

06/04/2011, 08:09 PM	#1
Crawdawg Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Adrian, MI. Posts: 113	I think my tank is cycling too fast This is my first post so some background is in order. Im currently cycling a 65 gallon breeder and it seems to have peaked and be declining too fast. The tank has 60# of argamax special reef sand, 35# of pre cured walt smith premium fiji rock, that was taken from the store to my tank in well under an hour, and about 45# of uncured base rock and about half of that is under the sand. I have a eheim g160 filter, wanted to go refugium, but with the stand I have wasn't an option. Once there is bio load, I plan on adding a hang on skimmer. This will be a mostly fish tank, with some possible mushrooms and zoos. Anyway, I filled the tank with half the base rock, sand and filled it half with water and waited for the sand storm to clear, i then topped up the tank, and started the filter, and brought the temp up to 78. This was may 27th. I wasn't sure if the rock have enough stuff since it was cured, so I dropped three shrimp in the tank, and removed them once there was ammonia and SMELL... So, here's the test results so far. On 5-30 no ammonia, salinity 1.027, pH 7.9. 06-01 Amm .25, nitrite .25 06-02 Amm .5, Nitrite 1 06-03 Amm .25, Nitrite 1, nitrate 40 06-04 Amm 0, Nitrite .25, nitrate 20 All results in ppm. The ammonia and nitrite seem to be coming down rather quickly, and what would be lowering the nitrate? I just want to be sure im not doing anything wrong, or shouldnt be doing something different. Thanks in advance. 06-04 Am

06/05/2011, 07:09 AM	#10
mike5051 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Orleans Posts: 162	I too used dead shrimp to cycle the tank, but if you have enough live rock, the die-off will cycle the tank without another ammonia source. __________________ 75g Oceanic RR, 40 breeder sump/fuge. 130lbs LS, 50lbs base rock, 50lbs LR. Reef Octopus NWB 150 Skimmer, Mag 9.5 Return, 2 Koralia Evo 750s, 2 250w MH.

06/05/2011, 05:38 PM	#12
Brando457 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Caldwell, NJ Posts: 1,281	Good job!!! Now add the cuc and wait a week and add your first fish!!!! Woohooo!! __________________ My Build Thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2259598 Current Tank Info: 180 gallon in wall w/ 75g sump & 40 breeder fuge

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06/04/2011, 08:21 PM	#2
Brando457 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Caldwell, NJ Posts: 1,281	Nitrate would be because you don't have much livestock if any besides the die off from the rock. Since the rock was precured your cycle should take only a week - 2 weeks tops. Keep checking your nitrite and once that is 0 you can add yoru first livestock. My tank cycled in 3 weeks using only base rock and a large shrimp. So you will be fine with the precured rock

06/04/2011, 08:24 PM	#3
Crawdawg Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Adrian, MI. Posts: 113	Thanks again, I just heard so many ppl talking about 5-6 week cycles that I wanted to be sure.

06/04/2011, 08:40 PM	#4
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	Dont use anything for the cycle. No shrimp or fish. I didnt see any power heads listed , whats used for water movement?

06/04/2011, 09:07 PM	#6
Crawdawg Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Adrian, MI. Posts: 113	There are no power heads in the tank yet, didn't see the need during the cycle, but a couple koralias will be used.

06/04/2011, 11:57 PM	#7
domb54 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: menomonee falls wisconsin Posts: 143	Everything looks right to me so far wait on adding livestock though you may spike again if you add too quickly cuc would be best start when nitrate and ammonia at 0.

06/05/2011, 06:43 AM	#9
sjwitt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: USA, East Coast Posts: 896	"Originally Posted by duncantse Can you explain to me why you should not use a shrimp to cycle a tank?" I THINK that hollister read the OP and thought LIVE shrimp was used to cycle the tank because the response was written as "Don't use anything for the cycle. No shrimp or fish." I inferred from the OP post that a raw shrimp from the grocery store was used to cycle the tank. I could be wrong but I think it's just a miscommunication. There's nothing wrong with using a piece of raw shrimp to cycle the tank.

06/05/2011, 05:01 PM	#11
Crawdawg Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Adrian, MI. Posts: 113	it was grocery store raw shrimp, I used it because I wasn't sure there would be much die off with pre cured rock that wasn't out of water for more than 45 minutes from the store to my tank. The cycle seems to be wrapping up, as amm and nitrite are both zero today, and nitrate is down to 10 ppm. It seems the copepods are coming back also, as I saw dead pods a few days ago, and now i'm seeing them fliting about again. I'm going to let it run for a week, and build a cuc. Again thanks for all the responses. I feel like I picked the right forum.