Advice required - 1st cycle

[fishpalace]

I am on day 5 of a brand new tank set up with saltwater being added on Sunday evening and Today (Friday) being the 5th day.

I have tested and not a lot happening

Day 3

Nho4 - 0
no2 - 0
no3 - 5
Salt - 1.025
Temp 26.2

Day 5

nho4 - 0
No2 - 0
No3 - 5
Ph - 8. Tested for 1st time today
Salt - 1.025
Temp 26.2

I purchased cured LR which is colouring up nicely and tank has a good flow via a circulation pump and no lights.

I would have expected a reading for ammonia by now, according to other threads?

Any advice or just be patient?

 

[sirrealism]

Be patient or add a table shrimp. The tank needs some kind of waist to work with. If your rock was already cycled it might be eating up anything in there.

 

[Snid]

What else have you added to the tank beyond cured Live Rock? Live Sand? Deli Shrimp? Pure Ammonia? Some form of Bacteria Booster?

 

[fishpalace]

Be patient or add a table shrimp. The tank needs some kind of waist to work with. If your rock was already cycled it might be eating up anything in there.

Makes sense. I will be patient and throw a prawn in.

Looking at your profile, 6 tanks and a hospital must take some looking after and certainly takes some money to build and maintain!

 

[goma]

+1 to everything above.

Here is your typical cycle. Don't worry about they days across the bottom as many factors can affect the timing (condition of live rock). The important thing to look for is the rise and fall to zero of ammonia and then the rise and fall to zero of Nitrites. Once that is done, the cycle is complete and you can do a large water change or a series of water changes to reduce Nitrates and add a CUC.

 

[fishpalace]

What else have you added to the tank beyond cured Live Rock? Live Sand? Deli Shrimp? Pure Ammonia? Some form of Bacteria Booster?

Thanks for response -

10kg of live rock, cured
Live sand, 20lb
Blue life clear fx pro
Skimmer

I put a prawn in 2 days ago but disintegrated and filtered out within one day so don't believe it had chance to mature an effect the tank.

Would you suggest I boost with another prawn and a booster?

 

[fishpalace]

+1 to everything above.

Here is your typical cycle. Don't worry about they days across the bottom as many factors can affect the timing (condition of live rock). The important thing to look for is the rise and fall to zero of ammonia and then the rise and fall to zero of Nitrites. Once that is done, the cycle is complete and you can do a large water change or a series of water changes to reduce Nitrates and add a CUC.

A great chart and really shows what I am waiting for. Just need to wait or trigger the first phase!

 

[sirrealism]

Makes sense. I will be patient and throw a prawn in.

Looking at your profile, 6 tanks and a hospital must take some looking after and certainly takes some money to build and maintain!

Thanks. My kids are grown and moved on. Some people watch TV I play with my tanks. Kind of like a kid with toys LOL. Really I spend about 30-40 miins a day on them and as far as cost I have never bought a new piece of equipment ever. There are way to many people that run out and spend big money to buy a system and then fail and get frustrated. I hate to say it but there frustration is why I can do what I do. Plus 20+ years of tank keeping dosnt hurt and most call me a hoarder when it comes to aquariums and equipment. I have everything to put together 5 or more systems in my garage. But I made a promise to the wife that when the 300g was up and running I would sell off all the extra stuff and break down a couple that are running now.
I would not put another shrimp in if you did one already. Just wait. You may be lucky and only have a small one

 

[fishpalace]

Thanks. My kids are grown and moved on. Some people watch TV I play with my tanks. Kind of like a kid with toys LOL. Really I spend about 30-40 miins a day on them and as far as cost I have never bought a new piece of equipment ever. There are way to many people that run out and spend big money to buy a system and then fail and get frustrated. I hate to say it but there frustration is why I can do what I do. Plus 20+ years of tank keeping dosnt hurt and most call me a hoarder when it comes to aquariums and equipment. I have everything to put together 5 or more systems in my garage. But I made a promise to the wife that when the 300g was up and running I would sell off all the extra stuff and break down a couple that are running now.
I would not put another shrimp in if you did one already. Just wait. You may be lucky and only have a small one

I have had a non existent spike to date but will wait and be patient. Any pictures of your 300g as that sounds huge!!

 

[sirrealism]

well I am still in the collection phase but if you look at my Reef Chronicle under my avatar you can see a pic or 2 of what i am doing.
It is possible that you will have no cycle at all if your rock is very mature but still unlikely. Remember nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank

 

[fishpalace]

well I am still in the collection phase but if you look at my Reef Chronicle under my avatar you can see a pic or 2 of what i am doing.
It is possible that you will have no cycle at all if your rock is very mature but still unlikely. Remember nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank

Not sure how mature rock is and assume a spike will happen, eventually, but in meantime will just sit tight.

I look forward to reading your chronicle as you build the beast!

 

[fishpalace]

I am running skimmer 24/7 to break in and with no lights, is this right or should I try something different?

 

[sirrealism]

OH ya turn the skimmer off and turn the lights on for a normal period. this will get your first diatom bloom out of the way. when you get some ammonia then turn it back on. Thanks for the compliments. I really cant wait to get it up and running. It kills me every time I see it in my garage. I only need a few things and then I will start the build. I have to drill it first and that scares the He!! out of me. The glass is 3/4" thick

 

[Snid]

Skimmer off and remove the Blue Life Clear FX Pro for the time being. Those two things are fighting a cycle from happening by removing/neutralizing the food source that the bacteria needs to feed on to grow and seed your tank more.

 

[Snid]

P.S. Because those things work to remove excess Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, you might not ever see a cycle now because they may have removed the excess that would have been tested. I'd guess that if you never see a spike by about week 3 or 4, then it is probably safe to go. In the mean time, I'd keep adding very small amounts of meaty fish food 2-3 times a week to the tank so that there is something feeding the bacteria that may already be present.

 

[fishpalace]

OH ya turn the skimmer off and turn the lights on for a normal period. this will get your first diatom bloom out of the way. when you get some ammonia then turn it back on. Thanks for the compliments. I really cant wait to get it up and running. It kills me every time I see it in my garage. I only need a few things and then I will start the build. I have to drill it first and that scares the He!! out of me. The glass is 3/4" thick

Thanks I have turned skimmer off, turned lights on and will run for 12 hours on day and 8 hours on night, no timer so will control manually and wait for diatom bloom before I kick start skimmer.

This marine game is one of contradictions as there are more differing views and variables that take you down different route based on your decisions!

Reality is I will make mistakes and would rather make them early on when no fish in tank and remember patience.

 

[fishpalace]

P.S. Because those things work to remove excess Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, you might not ever see a cycle now because they may have removed the excess that would have been tested. I'd guess that if you never see a spike by about week 3 or 4, then it is probably safe to go. In the mean time, I'd keep adding very small amounts of meaty fish food 2-3 times a week to the tank so that there is something feeding the bacteria that may already be present.

Thanks for advice.

Realise and understand what I have now done by putting in FX clear pro, oops.

If I was to keep skimmer and clear fx on/in I suppose the first cycle would not happen but the bacteria would not build and the firm foundation I need would not materialise and could damage fish, once introduced?

I have put a prawn in to rear sump to have kick start

 

[fishpalace]

@Sirrealism and @snid all for feedback.

Done lots of reading yesterday and today and have made a couple of changes to tank to slick start a cycle -

To date I have run tank with no lights so turned lights today for 8 hours and will run night light for a further 8 hours later

Introduced a prawn to sump, where return pump is

Taken out clear FX pro to stimulate a cycle

Bought a Jebao wp25 to replace the stock Fluval circulation pump to increase flow (also a bit noisy so will hopefully run quieter)

Turned skimmer off for now until lights stimulate a diatom outbreak. The above could result in an outbreak of hairy algae but I would then switch on skimmer, change water and re introduce clear FX.

I am trying to undo the mistakes I have made but aware that I also need to be patient and wait for nature to takes it course. A lot learnt in 7 days

 

[sirrealism]

sounds like your doing great. You are so right about all the different opinions on how to do what your doing and the truth is every tank is different and what works for one might not work for the other. So take in everything everyone says and make your own decisions on what your tank tells you. Test test and test some more. that is your best indicator. You might not get ammonia. Do you have Nitrites, nitrates phosphates? you might have skipped right over the ammonia stage because your rock was cycled and if so you will have the other things I mentioned. If so your ahead of the game and on your way to having a beautiful tank. Also I hope you dont but most reefers do end up with GHA. There are a few reefers that say they never had it but the truth is I find that very hard to believe. Maybe they had a great clan up crew that kept it at bay but it seems some where around 30-60 days in it will happen. when it does the biggest thing is dont panic. If you really want to know the best way to deal with it read Snids chronicle. That guy has some patients and has had it for months but knows that staying on track and a good clean up crew will do the job. When its gone his tank will be very stable and I can bet he wont have another break out for a very long time or maybe never if his parms never get out of wack. So many get frustrated by it and give up or will freak out and put every product they can find to get rid of it. Its kind of like getting the Flu. let it run its course and you build an immunity. It kind of works that way. I am sure other will disagree so I will put this is all just IMO and what works for me

 

[fishpalace]

sounds like your doing great. You might not get ammonia. Do you have Nitrites, nitrates phosphates? you might have skipped right over the ammonia stage because your rock was cycled and if so you will have the other things I mentioned. If so your ahead of the game and on your way to having a beautiful tank. Also I hope you dont but most reefers do end up with GHA. There are a few reefers that say they never had it but the truth is I find that very hard to believe. Maybe they had a great clan up crew that kept it at bay but it seems some where around 30-60 days in it will happen. when it does the biggest thing is dont panic. If you really want to know the best way to deal with it read Snids chronicle. That guy has some patients and has had it for months but knows that staying on track and a good clean up crew will do the job. When its gone his tank will be very stable and I can bet he wont have another break out for a very long time or maybe never if his parms never get out of wack. So many get frustrated by it and give up or will freak out and put every product they can find to get rid of it. Its kind of like getting the Flu. let it run its course and you build an immunity. It kind of works that way. I am sure other will disagree so I will put this is all just IMO and what works for me

Just seen your post, thanks

Just tested and still no ammonia or nitrite but nitrate is @ 8 and live rock is beginning to show signed of brown algae and green shoots are appearing, not sure if GHA or other growth. This must be due to lights being on for 8 hours day and 8 hours night for past few days.

Will have to play the long game!