Cycling question

Shan85 · 05/14/2014, 04:09 AM

Hello reefers

my 280 liter tank (approx 74G) has been cycling for 22 days now. I put in a cocktail shrimp in the sump to kick start the cycle. Along with 35kg cured LR.

Ammonia is zero .. Nitrites were zero but have gone up to 0.1 mg/l .. Nitrates came down to 0.2 mg/l but yesterday increased slightly to 0.5mg/l

Can someone plz tell me what's going on? And what should I do? I removed the cocktail shrimp on the 20th day of cycle.

Xavibear · 05/14/2014, 04:20 AM

Did the ammonia ever spike? I would try ghost feeding to help the cycle along. Sounds like things are going ok for you now. Just a little more waiting & watching before you can start adding things.

Shan85 · 05/14/2014, 04:33 AM

There was no ammonia spike.. Went upto 0.5 mg/l in the first week then down to zero and been there since.

I had a diatom bloom in 2nd week.. I shut off the lights completely and it died off.

How do I ghost feed? How many times? should i use normal pellets? Please give details as this is my first attempt at a marine tank

Xavibear · 05/14/2014, 04:44 AM

A pinch of food every 2 or 3 days.

iceet · 05/14/2014, 04:46 AM

Patience and time are your friends. A new tank can take up to a year to become fully mature and cycled. That doesn't mean you have to wait a full year before you can add livestock, it just means that you should take things slow and move ahead carefully.

Also I think you could probably put your shrimp back in there. Although they have minimal bioload I think it will stick help cycle your tank because they carry bacteria on and in their body. Don't get too upset or worried about your nitrates your tank is still cycling.

Shan85 · 05/14/2014, 05:05 AM

I am trying to be as patient as possible

When should I do my first water change?

iceet · 05/14/2014, 05:11 AM

Your tank is still cycling and you have no livestock except for the lone shrimp. Also your nitrates are at 0.5 ppm which is relatively low, almost undetectable. Based on this info I think you probably don't have to do a water change at the moment.

I know you want your tank to cycle as quick as possible but I don't think a water change will accomplish anything right now. I say keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite and when they both hit zero you know you are on the right track.

Shan85 · 05/14/2014, 05:19 AM

Hmm .. I'm a bit confused .. I forgot to mention that my nitrates went up to 50mg/l in the first week then steadily down to 0.5 mg/l right now.. Is my cycle complete?

scott3569 · 05/14/2014, 05:19 AM

you don't want to do a water change, let your tank cycle, it may take another 2-3 weeks. I say leave the shrimp in there or replace it with a new one..let that ammonia keep breaking down it will make more bacteria which is a good thing..even though I started getting very low numbers in ammonia I kept putting more in there..it can only be good at this point.

scott3569 · 05/14/2014, 05:23 AM

[QUOTE=Shan85;22759891]Hmm .. I'm a bit confused .. I forgot to mention that my nitrates went up to 50mg/l in the first week then steadily down to 0.5 mg/l right now.. Is my cycle complete?[/QUOTE

Don't worry about your nitrates right now, All you should be worried about is building up the bacteria with the ammonia...

heck when I started my cycle my nitrates where 0, then they went up to 5 back down to 0 then topped out at 40, never got higher than 40..but I also started my cycle with Dr. tims..I don't know if that made a difference or not, But I went through This phase of the cycle in about 2 weeks..

scott3569 · 05/14/2014, 05:28 AM

Also you do your first water change, when the bacteria in your system can process the ammonia and nitrite in a 24 hr period, when I got to this point I kept adding a little ammonia each day just to make sure..I am not sure but, I think I was headed to having a super cycle..

And just so your not confused, I say this part of the cycle, because I truly believe that all the algae phases everyone get is part of your tanks cycle also..

Shan85 · 05/14/2014, 09:29 AM

My final question is.. How do I know my tank is cycled?

From what I understand .. Ammonia turns into nitrites which then turns into nitrates. Then the good bacteria break these nitrates down and I will get a reading of zero. Ok so far?

Xavibear · 05/14/2014, 09:46 AM

When nitrites get to 0, add a source of ammonia to the tank & see how quickly it can cycle it.

Triggerfish · 05/14/2014, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan85

There was no ammonia spike.. Went upto 0.5 mg/l in the first week then down to zero and been there since.

you just mentioned the spike there. sounds like the initial cylce is completed.
which is about the 3 week point. as the bioload is increased nitrifying bacteria will also increase enough to stabalize the system. denitrification is where the nitrates will be converted to nitrogen gas (live rock, sand bed,macro algea).

in order to not initially overload the new system you need to add stock slowly over time or you will go through another nitrogen spike.

05/14/2014, 04:09 AM	#1
Shan85 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 40	Cycling question Hello reefers my 280 liter tank (approx 74G) has been cycling for 22 days now. I put in a cocktail shrimp in the sump to kick start the cycle. Along with 35kg cured LR. Ammonia is zero .. Nitrites were zero but have gone up to 0.1 mg/l .. Nitrates came down to 0.2 mg/l but yesterday increased slightly to 0.5mg/l Can someone plz tell me what's going on? And what should I do? I removed the cocktail shrimp on the 20th day of cycle.

05/14/2014, 05:19 AM	#9
scott3569 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Middletown,VA Posts: 929	you don't want to do a water change, let your tank cycle, it may take another 2-3 weeks. I say leave the shrimp in there or replace it with a new one..let that ammonia keep breaking down it will make more bacteria which is a good thing..even though I started getting very low numbers in ammonia I kept putting more in there..it can only be good at this point. __________________ I'm in a fishy situation!!! Current Tank Info: 56 gallon 30 x 18 x 22 with a 40gal sump, SCA 302 skimmer, 10 gal QT tank, a hydror 600 power head, 2 enhiem 150 heaters, 49#'s of dry rock, 12#'s of life rock, 40#'s of sand

05/14/2014, 05:23 AM	#10
scott3569 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Middletown,VA Posts: 929	[QUOTE=Shan85;22759891]Hmm .. I'm a bit confused .. I forgot to mention that my nitrates went up to 50mg/l in the first week then steadily down to 0.5 mg/l right now.. Is my cycle complete?[/QUOTE Don't worry about your nitrates right now, All you should be worried about is building up the bacteria with the ammonia... heck when I started my cycle my nitrates where 0, then they went up to 5 back down to 0 then topped out at 40, never got higher than 40..but I also started my cycle with Dr. tims..I don't know if that made a difference or not, But I went through This phase of the cycle in about 2 weeks.. __________________ I'm in a fishy situation!!! Current Tank Info: 56 gallon 30 x 18 x 22 with a 40gal sump, SCA 302 skimmer, 10 gal QT tank, a hydror 600 power head, 2 enhiem 150 heaters, 49#'s of dry rock, 12#'s of life rock, 40#'s of sand

05/14/2014, 05:28 AM	#11
scott3569 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Middletown,VA Posts: 929	Also you do your first water change, when the bacteria in your system can process the ammonia and nitrite in a 24 hr period, when I got to this point I kept adding a little ammonia each day just to make sure..I am not sure but, I think I was headed to having a super cycle.. And just so your not confused, I say this part of the cycle, because I truly believe that all the algae phases everyone get is part of your tanks cycle also.. __________________ I'm in a fishy situation!!! Current Tank Info: 56 gallon 30 x 18 x 22 with a 40gal sump, SCA 302 skimmer, 10 gal QT tank, a hydror 600 power head, 2 enhiem 150 heaters, 49#'s of dry rock, 12#'s of life rock, 40#'s of sand

05/14/2014, 04:20 AM	#2
Xavibear Crazy Prophet Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 1,008	Did the ammonia ever spike? I would try ghost feeding to help the cycle along. Sounds like things are going ok for you now. Just a little more waiting & watching before you can start adding things.

05/14/2014, 04:33 AM	#3
Shan85 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 40	There was no ammonia spike.. Went upto 0.5 mg/l in the first week then down to zero and been there since. I had a diatom bloom in 2nd week.. I shut off the lights completely and it died off. How do I ghost feed? How many times? should i use normal pellets? Please give details as this is my first attempt at a marine tank

05/14/2014, 04:44 AM	#4
Xavibear Crazy Prophet Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 1,008	A pinch of food every 2 or 3 days.

05/14/2014, 04:46 AM	#5
iceet Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Washington, D.C. Posts: 194	Patience and time are your friends. A new tank can take up to a year to become fully mature and cycled. That doesn't mean you have to wait a full year before you can add livestock, it just means that you should take things slow and move ahead carefully. Also I think you could probably put your shrimp back in there. Although they have minimal bioload I think it will stick help cycle your tank because they carry bacteria on and in their body. Don't get too upset or worried about your nitrates your tank is still cycling.

05/14/2014, 05:05 AM	#6
Shan85 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 40	I am trying to be as patient as possible When should I do my first water change?

05/14/2014, 05:11 AM	#7
iceet Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Washington, D.C. Posts: 194	Your tank is still cycling and you have no livestock except for the lone shrimp. Also your nitrates are at 0.5 ppm which is relatively low, almost undetectable. Based on this info I think you probably don't have to do a water change at the moment. I know you want your tank to cycle as quick as possible but I don't think a water change will accomplish anything right now. I say keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite and when they both hit zero you know you are on the right track.

05/14/2014, 09:29 AM	#12
Shan85 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 40	My final question is.. How do I know my tank is cycled? From what I understand .. Ammonia turns into nitrites which then turns into nitrates. Then the good bacteria break these nitrates down and I will get a reading of zero. Ok so far?

05/14/2014, 09:46 AM	#13
Xavibear Crazy Prophet Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 1,008	When nitrites get to 0, add a source of ammonia to the tank & see how quickly it can cycle it.