HELP with Cycling new tank

[kratosxxl]

Hi All
I have 90 gal DT with 30 gal Sump, Reef Octopus int 150 Skimmer, about a week i added 80lb Cured Live rock and 80 lb Live sand ,then i added BioSpira and absolutely nothing happens all readings were 0, then about 3 days ago i added 3-4 hermit crabs, in the beginning they looked they were dying (not moving ) then i added some mysis Shrimp (frozen food), now my readings are following
Amonia 2.0
Nitrite unknown (color is clear so not matching any color)
Nitrate 5-10
PH- is about right
And crabs start acting normal they move eat some stuff from rocks.
My question is is it how tank starts the cycle ? and do i need to continue adding shrimp ? Do i need to do water change ?
Skimmer producing just a bit of waste and its not brown color.
Thank you

[MondoBongo]

what test kit are you using? have you double checked the results with another kit?

sometimes it is good to get a second opinion, just in case your reagents are bad. your LFS should test your water for free.

[kratosxxl]

Im not sure if i can see any brand on it
here is exactly what i have
https://www.google.com/search?q=salt...b7EZofM0DtM%3A

My LFS can pain in Neck to test water if you not buying anything.

what is the most reliable brant for test kit?

[kratosxxl]

Originally Posted by kratosxxl

Im not sure if i can see any brand on it
here is exactly what i have
https://www.google.com/search?q=salt...b7EZofM0DtM%3A

My LFS can pain in Neck to test water if you not buying anything.

what is the most reliable brant for test kit?

But the test kit worked before i added shrimp
Nitrite shows 0

[MondoBongo]

i would find a new LFS. testing water for free should be a staple for then, it's probably one of the best loss leaders (and not that much of a loss) that a store can use to get people in the door.

i've never seen a test kit like that before. looks almost like an old or knock-off API test kit. ha.

for monitoring the cycle, an API test kit is fine. but in my opinion SeaChem and RedSea both make better kits.

i would suggest getting a second opinion on those results. that will give you more clarity on how you should proceed.

if your ammonia really is 2ppm, you'll want to get your hermits out of there. they won't last long at those concentrations.

[kratosxxl]

Thanks for Reply
Ill order Red Sea and will sea the difference
but lets assume the test results are kind of correct , is that how it should cycle ?

[CStrickland]

Can you find an expiration date? Aquarium pharmaceutical inc is API but that is not how the U.S. Packaging looks

Does the tank stink? When mine was at 2ppm during the cycle I thought the cat peed on the rug

[KingTriton1]

Originally Posted by kratosxxl

Hi All
Amonia 2.0

My question is is it how tank starts the cycle ? and do i need to continue adding shrimp ? Do i need to do water change ?

Don't add anything else if your ammonia level has reached 2.0ppm. Don't do a water change either unless your ammonia level gets above 4ppm. just get the inverts out of the tank as the tank is not ready. Once the ammonia and nitrites have dropped to zero then your tank has cycled and ready. Best advice is to wait and let the tank cycle without additives. Nothing good happens fast in terms of cycling.

+1 on the red sea ammonia kit.

[Fish Keeper82]

Agree with the red sea testing kits I love them.

Every tank will take a different amount of time to cycle, Mine took 18 days.

For reference attached is my data I recorded when I cycled my new 125 gallon.

I did not take readings the first couple of days since I knew it would take some time for the ammonia to build up.

[kratosxxl]

#CStrickland
It does stinks like Chemistry class also there is sticky film on top im using pump for circulation (until i get my jebao) film float around but doesn't looks dissapearing

[kratosxxl]

Now i see differencce between test kits mine cost ~17$ ,RedSea ~45$
good stuff doesn't come cheap
So the plan is to wait and see what will happened. ill keep you guys updated
Also the weird part was i have no algae at all, i have some chetao in fuge with 55kCFL on it running over night and 2 bags with Carbon, should leave everything as it is ?

[kratosxxl]

Forgot to mention the test kit came with Tank (bought from CR about a 3-4 month ago but just got chance to set it up)ill post some pics when i get home

[Fish Keeper82]

Originally Posted by kratosxxl

Now i see differencce between test kits mine cost ~17$ ,RedSea ~45$
good stuff doesn't come cheap
So the plan is to wait and see what will happened. ill keep you guys updated
Also the weird part was i have no algae at all, i have some chetao in fuge with 55kCFL on it running over night and 2 bags with Carbon, should leave everything as it is ?

You can get some good deals if you look for them online.

You wont see algae till the beginning of the end of the cycle.( will start as brown diatoms all over the rocks and substrate.

[CStrickland]

When you say "keep adding shrimp" do you mean like you have been feeding shrimp to the tank? I think you can stop now and let the bacteria processs what's in there. If you mean add live shrimp, no and if the crabs can go back to the store until the bacteria are done cycling out the ammonia that would be best. Definitely no fish.

You need an ammonia test you trust, I used API during my cycle because I tested like twice a day (haha good times) so I wanted a cheap one. Others like the better brands, I switched to Red Sea once I calmed down cause it is more accurate. But the API worked too, just make sure it isn't expired.

Edit: sorry I think I understand, you hadn't fed anything until the crabs. Yeah, I don't think it was cycled. Live sand isn't always so live, same with rock depending how it came to you. Return the crabs and cycle the tank is my noob opinion.

[kratosxxl]

Originally Posted by CStrickland

When you say "keep adding shrimp" do you mean like you have been feeding shrimp to the tank? I think you can stop now and let the bacteria processs what's in there. If you mean add live shrimp, no and if the crabs can go back to the store until the bacteria are done cycling out the ammonia that would be best. Definitely no fish.

You need an ammonia test you trust, I used API during my cycle because I tested like twice a day (haha good times) so I wanted a cheap one. Others like the better brands, I switched to Red Sea once I calmed down cause it is more accurate. But the API worked too, just make sure it isn't expired.

Yup i feed just once with mysis shrimp (and crabs ate 90 % of it )

[kratosxxl]

Also im feeling i need to add more rock (just for the look and stand for corals) is it something i can add now or should i wait untill it completes the cycle ?
I read somewhere that every time u add LR it will start cycle, is it true ?

[CStrickland]

I think the bacteria population was pretty small and the crab pee and shrimp was too much all at once. They need to reproduce some more until there enough of them to eat the leftover food from ammonia into nitrates

There is a lot of info on cycling in the thread called "setting up" at the top of the noob section of the forum

[kratosxxl]

Originally Posted by CStrickland

I think the bacteria population was pretty small and the crab pee and shrimp was too much all at once. They need to reproduce some more until there enough of them to eat the leftover food from ammonia into nitrates

There is a lot of info on cycling in the thread called "setting up" at the top of the noob section of the forum

So basically BioSPira was waste of money ?

[MondoBongo]

Originally Posted by kratosxxl

Also im feeling i need to add more rock (just for the look and stand for corals) is it something i can add now or should i wait untill it completes the cycle ?
I read somewhere that every time u add LR it will start cycle, is it true ?

Not necessarily. It depends on how much live rock you add, and how much die off occurs.

Typically, unless you're adding a large amount, these are "mini cycles". Completing in one to several days, as your bio filter sizes appropriately. Rather than the several weeks that a full cycle of a brand new tank. This varies based on the details of course, so if you're planning on making changes, monitor accordingly with your test kit.

For rock additions, you may want to consider dry, or dead, rock instead of live. It is more cost effective, you can usually have more choice in which pieces you use, and it shouldn't have any die off, so it shouldn't prompt any ammonia spikes.

[CStrickland]

Originally Posted by kratosxxl

So basically BioSPira was waste of money ?

If your tank had no ammonia, and you added 3 crabs and a shrimp, and now it has 2ppm ammonia, then yes it was a waste of money since ammonia processing is its job. But your test could be off so ...

[kratosxxl]

ok here is an update
I tested today with same test kit btw i didnt find any expiration date on it
Ammon 0.50
Nitriti 0-0.25
Nitrate 20

[kratosxxl]

Here is some pics
so are those make any sense ?
RedSea will arrive tomorrow so ill do more testing

[thegrun]

Well if your ammonia was at 2ppm (are you certain it was at 2ppm?) and now is at 0 I would say that the rock you added was already fully cycled and you are now safe to add livestock. It would be a good idea to make a major water change first to help bring down the nitrates, but the ammonia and nitrites at zero indicate the bacteria can process fish waste.

[mm949]

no need to test. once the brown algae turns green you should be done with the cycle, than test before adding fish

[kratosxxl]

Hi Guys
now im Totally confused
i got red sea test kit and here are results
Amm 2.0
nitrit 0
nitrat 50

the old one still show s all 0
a see some brown algae on one of rocks but also i have coraline algae growing to another rocks (i bough 20 lb rock fully covered in coraline)
any suggestions ? wait, do Water change ?