Tank not cycling yet - JBJ 28 LED

saira · 08/15/2011, 06:25 PM

Hi,

I have a question about my nano tank not starting its cycle yet. We are on day 10 after putting in our live rock and live sand. Using RO/DI water and Reef crystals/salt blend. We are using the Red Sea test kits and getting nowhere! Ammonia has been stuck at .25 since day one. No spikes, no drops. When we got our live rock, the LFS said it had been curing for 3 months already ??? Or do I just need to be patient? It seems like after 10 days, we would be seeing some changes in water chemistry. So is it possible that it really is already cured? I am really confused here.... Thank you for your help!

Hextall · 08/15/2011, 07:10 PM

I put in 10 lbs live rock purchased from my lfs along with 15 or so lbs of dry rock bought online. After 10 days or so, I also so no movement of my ammonia (I have the APS test kits, and ammonia read zero). So I bought a raw cocktail shrimp, put it in and a day later, my ammonia went to 1 ppm... a little after that, my nitrate popped up, then everything went down to zero. I've since added a small damsel and a cuc with no ammonia spikes. I removed the shrimp after about a day and a half in the tank.

What I think happened was that the live rock I purchased had plenty of the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate eating bacteria and that I was not going to see a cycle until I put in some more food for them to eat (i.e. decaying cocktail shrimp).

add a cocktail shrimp to try and add more food than your current bacteria colony can eat, and you should see a spike.

Try testing some RODI water to see if your ammonia test will read 0.0. that way you can rule out a suspect test kit.

ange062 · 08/15/2011, 09:24 PM

I'd also try a different test kit or test your pure RODI for NH3 with your kit. I also used cured live rock and live sand in my tank and never got a cycle, so suspect you may have an issue with your test kit.

If NH3 actually is reading that, use hextall's method of a cocktail shrimp, should get the process started.

Patriot54 · 08/16/2011, 01:53 AM

put the shrimp in a mesh bag or the like so it's easier to take it out of the water when the time comes

saira · 08/16/2011, 08:39 AM

thank you all for your replies - I will let you know what happens!

Jackd1987 · 08/16/2011, 11:17 AM

You could also use fish food, or pure ammonia to get the cycle going... I'm not 100% sure I'm right but I think I am. You're not seeing a cycle because there is nothing in the tank that is decaying which would cause ammonia... Someone correct me if I'm wrong

Whip316 · 08/16/2011, 10:26 PM

if you have live sand and cured live rock whay would you want another cycle? i just go for the soft cycle for a week and then i add my fish when everything evens out.

08/15/2011, 06:25 PM	#1
saira Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 33	Tank not cycling yet - JBJ 28 LED Hi, I have a question about my nano tank not starting its cycle yet. We are on day 10 after putting in our live rock and live sand. Using RO/DI water and Reef crystals/salt blend. We are using the Red Sea test kits and getting nowhere! Ammonia has been stuck at .25 since day one. No spikes, no drops. When we got our live rock, the LFS said it had been curing for 3 months already ??? Or do I just need to be patient? It seems like after 10 days, we would be seeing some changes in water chemistry. So is it possible that it really is already cured? I am really confused here.... Thank you for your help!

08/15/2011, 09:24 PM	#3
ange062 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 3,223	I'd also try a different test kit or test your pure RODI for NH3 with your kit. I also used cured live rock and live sand in my tank and never got a cycle, so suspect you may have an issue with your test kit. If NH3 actually is reading that, use hextall's method of a cocktail shrimp, should get the process started. __________________ JBJ NC28, Radion, MP10, HOB-1, Mini Arctica, 2LF Phosban 150's - MARSH May 2012 TOTM JBJ 3g Picotope, Panorama Pro, AC70 29g AGA Planted FW

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08/15/2011, 07:10 PM	#2
Hextall Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Newmarket, NH Posts: 327	I put in 10 lbs live rock purchased from my lfs along with 15 or so lbs of dry rock bought online. After 10 days or so, I also so no movement of my ammonia (I have the APS test kits, and ammonia read zero). So I bought a raw cocktail shrimp, put it in and a day later, my ammonia went to 1 ppm... a little after that, my nitrate popped up, then everything went down to zero. I've since added a small damsel and a cuc with no ammonia spikes. I removed the shrimp after about a day and a half in the tank. What I think happened was that the live rock I purchased had plenty of the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate eating bacteria and that I was not going to see a cycle until I put in some more food for them to eat (i.e. decaying cocktail shrimp). add a cocktail shrimp to try and add more food than your current bacteria colony can eat, and you should see a spike. Try testing some RODI water to see if your ammonia test will read 0.0. that way you can rule out a suspect test kit.

08/16/2011, 01:53 AM	#4
Patriot54 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 727	put the shrimp in a mesh bag or the like so it's easier to take it out of the water when the time comes

08/16/2011, 08:39 AM	#5
saira Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 33	thank you all for your replies - I will let you know what happens!

08/16/2011, 11:17 AM	#6
Jackd1987 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Mass. Posts: 76	You could also use fish food, or pure ammonia to get the cycle going... I'm not 100% sure I'm right but I think I am. You're not seeing a cycle because there is nothing in the tank that is decaying which would cause ammonia... Someone correct me if I'm wrong

08/16/2011, 10:26 PM	#7
Whip316 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Chester Springs, Pa. Posts: 384	if you have live sand and cured live rock whay would you want another cycle? i just go for the soft cycle for a week and then i add my fish when everything evens out.