cycling my new tank

[reef_addict]

Its been awhile since I've had to cycle a salt tank and I'm wondering how
its going so far. I just put 15lbs of cured LR into my 10 on Friday lastweek. I've been testing the water My ammonia levels should been some shade of green, dark being the worst. Mine is Blue! I'm assuming that this is really high. I have no nitrites. Is the correct for a tank of this age? How long should I wait before this is too long at the reading?


I'm running a 15lb LR, 2 Power heads, 2 Lbs LS and 175 MH. No filter.


-Brian

 

[Jennie]

You might have just hit an amonia spike and should start to see some nitrites soon. You're still less than a week into the cycle, so I don't see anything amiss. Even with 'cured' live rock, there is going to be some dieoff.

The amonia test kit you are using, does it stay yellow if the reading is zero?

 

[reef_addict]

Yes, it stays a yellow at 0ppm ...it seems that the day after I put the LR in it jumped to where it is now and hasn't moved.....I've cycle large tanks 55, 75, 90 gals but never anything this small... I maybe jumping the gun, expecting a shorter cycle with the cured LR and small tank.

 

[Jennie]

In a nano tank things can happen quickly due to the small water column, that is why it is so important to test often. I really think that the cycle is going smoothly.

 

[reef_addict]

Cool....I'm not trying to rush it, I just want it to go right! Thanks

 

[sadielynn]

sounds like you are right on track with it testing is very important and can not be understressed in these small tanks as things happen so fast Jennie has it pretty well covered :mrgreen:

 

[reef_addict]

Also, If someone can help...my LR, sand and tank is being covered in a
real dark Brown agae..Is this normal this early?



-Brian

 

[Jennie]

Sounds like a diatom bloom and yes this is common in a new tank. You can syphon it off the sand bed and blow it off he rockwork. Try cutting your photoperiod down a few hours, this is commonly done as well during a cycle.

HTH
:mrgreen:

 

[reef_addict]

I only run them for about 4 hours a day right now And I've been using a powerhead to clean the LR off .....Thanks :maitre

 

[reef_addict]

its been about 17 days since I started the tank...this time lastweek everything hit the roof and they haven't moved since. I'm starting to get a little worried. The Ammonia is still off the chart and this has been like this 2 or 3 days after I add the LR. The only thing I've seen move is nitrites and nitates both going up...should I be concerned?

-B

 

[skipm]

It sounds like its in the middle of the cycle to me, keep an eye on things and you should start to see the ammonia level begin to drop.

 

[EDGRAY]

:welcome and well looks like you're at a good start and sounds like after that stage everything is gonna drop and well normally it takes like a month for the cycle or if you get lucky 3 weeks :mrgreen: and like the girls said is always good to keep a test kit handy

 

[reef_addict]

YES YES YES !!! Ammonia has dropped to 0 ppm and everything else looks like it starting to follow. So cool, I can't tell you how good it is to have a tank cycle so cleanly. Back in the day( 15 yrs ago) just to get the thing to cycle at all was hard to do.

-B

 

[skipm]

Congratulations. What are you nitrite and nitrate levels reading?

 

[reef_addict]

Nitrites are 10 ppm
Nitrates are 5 ppm

 

[EDGRAY]

Almost there .....and getting low.

 

[reef_addict]

I just tested my water again and the ammonia is up between .25ppm and .50ppm
The Nitrites are above .5ppm (test kit doesn't go past .5ppm)
The Nitrates are way over 160 ppm(again test kit doesn't go past 160ppm)

This sound ok?

BTW the water is start to get a bit funky and a slight smell.Not bad but now what I expected. The LR has a brown algae growning on it along with a lot "junk" on it.