Cycle Question

cmart28 · 11/14/2006, 11:20 AM

Just wanted to know if these sounds ok. The weekend of 11/4 I added RO/DI water to my tank (this is a new set up) and mixed the salt in the tank. After my salinity was about right I added approximately 95lbs of live rock on 11/7. When I purchased the rock I was told it was partially cured, I also had it curing in a separate tank for 3 days before I added it to my main tank on 11/7. So on 11/8 I tested the water for Ammonia and Nitrite, the Ammonia was around .75 PPM and the Nitrite was 4 PPM. I then tested the water again on 11/8 and the Ammonia was between .50 and .75 PPM and the Nitrite was still at 4 PPM. I then tested the water yesterday 11/13 and my Ammonia had dropped, it wasn't 0, but somewhere between 0 - .25 PPM, my Nitrite had dropped to 2 PPM and my Nitrate was at 20 PPM. From what I read it takes a few weeks to cycle, now I know my cycle is not complete it just seems that everything is cycling fast. Does this sound ok, is there anything else I should or could be doing?

Shagsbeard · 11/14/2006, 11:32 AM

Your rock is continuing to cure, and your tank is "cycling". I'd expect the tank to continue with ammonia and nitrite readings well above zero for 4-6 weeks, based on the numbers you have there. Everything sounds pretty much normal for setting up a tank with semi-cured live rock. Just give it time and it will become a healthy tank shortly. Don't rush it. You'll have your tank up for years, not weeks, so take a few weeks and let your tank warm up. Rushing to get stuff in it is the easiest mistake to avoid.

For other things you could be doing... Add a couple pieces of small base rock (no metals... stay away from "lava" rocks) to watch how your tank colonizes them. It's interesting. You can "feed" your live rock with chopped up table shrimp fed with a turkey baster right into the rock. All sorts of critters will come crawling out to feed. Don't over do it... a single shrimp could last you a week or so.

Keep testing. If you are using a 5in1 test strip... consider getting a proper chemical test like Salifert for ammonia, pH, and Nitrates. These tests are far more accurate and easier for a beginner to read. Well worth the investment. Keep your test strips for "check ups", when you don't expect there to be any problems, but use the more accurate tests to really check every so often.

Once your tests for ammonia and nitrite are close to zero, you can add a clean up crew... you're going to have algae and diatom growth by that point... don't panic. You'll still have measureable nitrates (20-40ish) at this point. Nitrate reduction is best done by water changes and growing/harvesting macro algae.

cmart28 · 11/14/2006, 11:44 AM

Thanks for the response and advice. I am in no rush, just wanted to make sure everything seems about normal. BTW I am only using Salifert test kits.

11/14/2006, 11:20 AM	#1
cmart28 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 269	Cycle Question Just wanted to know if these sounds ok. The weekend of 11/4 I added RO/DI water to my tank (this is a new set up) and mixed the salt in the tank. After my salinity was about right I added approximately 95lbs of live rock on 11/7. When I purchased the rock I was told it was partially cured, I also had it curing in a separate tank for 3 days before I added it to my main tank on 11/7. So on 11/8 I tested the water for Ammonia and Nitrite, the Ammonia was around .75 PPM and the Nitrite was 4 PPM. I then tested the water again on 11/8 and the Ammonia was between .50 and .75 PPM and the Nitrite was still at 4 PPM. I then tested the water yesterday 11/13 and my Ammonia had dropped, it wasn't 0, but somewhere between 0 - .25 PPM, my Nitrite had dropped to 2 PPM and my Nitrate was at 20 PPM. From what I read it takes a few weeks to cycle, now I know my cycle is not complete it just seems that everything is cycling fast. Does this sound ok, is there anything else I should or could be doing?

11/14/2006, 11:32 AM	#2
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	Your rock is continuing to cure, and your tank is "cycling". I'd expect the tank to continue with ammonia and nitrite readings well above zero for 4-6 weeks, based on the numbers you have there. Everything sounds pretty much normal for setting up a tank with semi-cured live rock. Just give it time and it will become a healthy tank shortly. Don't rush it. You'll have your tank up for years, not weeks, so take a few weeks and let your tank warm up. Rushing to get stuff in it is the easiest mistake to avoid. For other things you could be doing... Add a couple pieces of small base rock (no metals... stay away from "lava" rocks) to watch how your tank colonizes them. It's interesting. You can "feed" your live rock with chopped up table shrimp fed with a turkey baster right into the rock. All sorts of critters will come crawling out to feed. Don't over do it... a single shrimp could last you a week or so. Keep testing. If you are using a 5in1 test strip... consider getting a proper chemical test like Salifert for ammonia, pH, and Nitrates. These tests are far more accurate and easier for a beginner to read. Well worth the investment. Keep your test strips for "check ups", when you don't expect there to be any problems, but use the more accurate tests to really check every so often. Once your tests for ammonia and nitrite are close to zero, you can add a clean up crew... you're going to have algae and diatom growth by that point... don't panic. You'll still have measureable nitrates (20-40ish) at this point. Nitrate reduction is best done by water changes and growing/harvesting macro algae.

11/14/2006, 11:44 AM	#3
cmart28 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 269	Thanks for the response and advice. I am in no rush, just wanted to make sure everything seems about normal. BTW I am only using Salifert test kits.