Fresh rock and cycling questions

[dapfunkera]

I purchased fresh live rock last weekend and I now have 8 pounds of fresh live rock and 38 lbs of cured live rock. I started off with 30 lbs of cured live rock (no smell) in my 34g Red Sea Max. I used the shrimp (my wife did not let me keep it in there after two days) and got my spike and return to 0. I then added the 8lbs of fresh rock. 8lbs of cured rock, and 5 lbs of live sand (had ~20lbs sand in there). I got a small ammonia spike and now I am back down to 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, and 20 Nitrates. There is no smell at all on those fresh rocks, but I would guess it can't cure that fast. Is the system handling the decay in such a way to keep the ammonia and nitrites at 0? I have no plans on adding a fish, but I plan on adding the rest of my CUC this weekend. I have two turbo snails and two blue legged hermits now to start with.

I have some algae, but nothing on the glass and its hard to tell on the rocks. How long with the Ammonia and Nitrites at 0 before I can add a fish assuming the nitrates edge back down.

I think I am on the right track , but I was prepared for at least two months of additional cycling when I put the fresh rock in there. They said they got it two days before I purchased it so it had to be full of dead stuff.

 

[BigAl07]

As long as your tests come back at Amm-0 and Trites-0 I would do a water change and see what your Trates come down to. Remember a 50% water change will only bring them down to 10 or so. You may need to do a couple of water changes over a couple of day with testing in between. Your inverts are sensitive to Nitrates so I'd really work at getting them down before adding anything else. Once you get them down to say 10 (you'd like the lower but for now we're testing) wait a couple of days and see if they are still on the rise. If so, you're cycle isn't complete. Just test and the results will dictate what your next move should be.

 

[dapfunkera]

As long as your tests come back at Amm-0 and Trites-0 I would do a water change and see what your Trates come down to. Remember a 50% water change will only bring them down to 10 or so. You may need to do a couple of water changes over a couple of day with testing in between. Your inverts are sensitive to Nitrates so I'd really work at getting them down before adding anything else. Once you get them down to say 10 (you'd like the lower but for now we're testing) wait a couple of days and see if they are still on the rise. If so, you're cycle isn't complete. Just test and the results will dictate what your next move should be.

thanks - I have not done a water change yet. I wasn't sure when to do one since I was worried about messing with the anaerobic bacteria formation.

 

[BigAl07]

Well honestly you don't DO one during a cycle but if your tests come out at Zero then the ONLY way to remove Nitrates is a Water Change. Re-test and if Amm and trites are ZERO do a water change and watch how it handles that. Remember our tests are sometimes subjective (what's pink to Me maybe be more PURPLE to some) and not an exact conclusion.

 

[dapfunkera]

Well honestly you don't DO one during a cycle but if your tests come out at Zero then the ONLY way to remove Nitrates is a Water Change. Re-test and if Amm and trites are ZERO do a water change and watch how it handles that. Remember our tests are sometimes subjective (what's pink to Me maybe be more PURPLE to some) and not an exact conclusion.

my wife does them and they have been zero for 3 days straight. I am really bad with those tests

 

[BigAl07]

I'd do another series of tests just for confirmation and IF they come back with

NH4 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 20

I'd do a partial water change and retest a few hours later. Record those results. Then the next day test again. If nitrates are on the rise let it "stew" some more. Either way keep us posted

 

[dapfunkera]

I'd do another series of tests just for confirmation and IF they come back with

NH4 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 20

I'd do a partial water change and retest a few hours later. Record those results. Then the next day test again. If nitrates are on the rise let it "stew" some more. Either way keep us posted

thanks - this has been easier, yet more involved than I thought. Not sure if that makes sense, but I tend to figure out one thing only to have something new to figure out.

 

[prow]

thanks - this has been easier, yet more involved than I thought. Not sure if that makes sense, but I tend to figure out one thing only to have something new to figure out.

lol, the funny thing is, it keeps getting eaiser, yet keeps getting more involved:turntable