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rica5tully
07-25-2006, 12:11 PM
Hello,

I am in the process of cycling my 10-gallon quarantine tank in preparation to restart my bigger reef tank.

It doesn't seem to be working! Am I doing something wrong?

1) I put a whole dead shrimp in the tank (from Pick N Save)

2) I ran an Aqua C Remora skimmer in there.

3) After 1.5 weeks, hardly any Ammonia, no Nitrite.

4) Found shrimp remains in skimmer cup; dumped some of the nasty juice back in the tank.

5) waited a couple of days, put in another shrimp. Turned the skimmer off.

6) After 5 days, Ammonia = 1-2; Nitrites = 0; and I'm getting whitish cloudy water.

Q: Do I have a bacteria bloom? Is that bad? Will it correct itself?

Q: Maybe my test kit is bad? I think even with a skimmer running part of the time, I should still see some Nitrite after two weeks.

The tank is at 80 degrees; do I need to turn it up?

Thanks, I'm trying to be patient, but it seems like the Ammonia is very low for having a rotting shrimp for two weeks.

- Eric

gwen_o_lyn
07-25-2006, 05:40 PM
Eric,

Sometimes the cycle isn't seen like you want it to be, for various reasons. This is why I don't worry about what happens in my tank and I let it sit for 12 weeks without testing. Many people want to see a cycle so they can go ahead and add livestock or to better understand what is happening. Three years down the road, it doesn't matter if the tank cycled or how it cycled for that matter. :) And I guess this is why it doesn't matter to me, but I completely understand people that want to SEE it. If that is the case, others can pipe in and help you see it.

If you want the cycle to be over with so you can add livestock, please read this article http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic23945-9-1.aspx and reconsider if your tank is really ready.

Patience is the true key to success in this hobby.

As far as temps, 80 is good for a reef tank. You are seeing ammonia which is good. What kind of test kits are you using? Most people in this hobby use Salifert test kits and many reefers believe that if the test kit isn't salifert then don't trust the results. Do you have a LFS in the area that can test your water?

Do you have Live rock?

Sounds like u have a nice setup- 10g with an AquaC Remora is a great start, but just remember nanos require lots of attention since things can go wrong very fast and there is no forgiving with a low water volume. Just stay on top of things. I'm not sure if this is your first tank or not so just trying to tell you everything I can think of to help you out. :)

rica5tully
07-25-2006, 09:09 PM
Thanks for your reply! Well, it's not critical that I see the full cycle take place with test kits, but I do want to make sure it is finished before I add a fish. Sometimes cycles last longer than others, etc.

Actually, I do think that the temperature makes a difference. I think when the temperature is higher everything should go quicker.

That's a good suggestion to take it to a LFS. It wouldn't hurt to get a 2nd opinion for my test kit.

Thanks,
ET

CarmieJo
07-25-2006, 10:49 PM
Eric,

What are you using for filtration besides your skimmer? If the tank is bare bottom (BB) and you don't have any live rock (LR) or a sponge filter there is no place for the good bacteria to live and I am not sure that you would ever see any appreciable levels of nitrite or nitrate. You would however get ammonia from the decomposing shrimp.

If your water is getting cloudy I would definitely get the shrimp out of there.

I think that your temp is fine and would not increase it. I don't know for sure but it seems to me that you would have to really push it up high in order to make a real difference in the time it takes to cycle.

gwen_o_lyn
07-25-2006, 10:50 PM
I wouldn't suggest trying anything to make nature go quicker. Not even higher temps.

There is more to tank maturity than just the nitrogen cycle.. so just be patient and read Eric's article ;)

rica5tully
07-25-2006, 11:05 PM
Thanks for the suggestions.

I do have an AquaClear Powerfilter on the tank with sponges in it for biological filtration. That's where I was planning for the nitrifying bacteria to live.

Yeah, I wasn't sure about the whitish-cloudiness. Today it actually looks better, like it's cleared up a bit. So maybe I'll wait a day or so to see what happens.

ET

CarmieJo
07-25-2006, 11:10 PM
Since you don't have any fish yet you are probably OK to wait. You just don't want to get a stinky tank!

fat walrus
07-25-2006, 11:24 PM
hey. good luck with the cycling. those two ladies above know what they are talking about. keep us updated.

rica5tully
08-02-2006, 08:42 PM
Well, things aren't any better.

- the LFS confirmed that I had 0 nitrite, so I assume the test kit is ok
- it's now been 3.5 weeks and I'm showing ZERO nitrite! I just don't understand it. I'm running a power filter with sponges, so there should be a place for the bacteria to live.
- Ammonia is between 4-6. Salinity is a little low: 1.020; temp is 78
- I'm not showing any Nitrate either

What should I do?

Thanks for your help.

ET

gwen_o_lyn
08-02-2006, 08:58 PM
wait about 12 weeks, test, and if the test read ok, then you are good.

I also wonder if this is a QT tank, why is it being cycled? Dosing medications could kill the bacteria you are trying to establish.

Raise your specific gravity to around 1.025.

rica5tully
08-02-2006, 09:02 PM
I don't think it should take 12 weeks to show Nitrite. Robert Fenner (Conscientious Marine Aquarist) says it should take 4 days before Nitrite begins to accumulate in small amounts. Obviously it doesn't peak until about the 3 week mark. So I should expect to see something by this point.

I'm not using the tank as a hospital tank but as a quarantine tank. I wouldn't dose medication unless the fish was sick. And I'm putting the fish in there to make sure they aren't sick before they go in the main tank.

gwen_o_lyn
08-02-2006, 09:08 PM
If you want to be safe and you aren't sure, then wait a long time. Patience always works. There are more factors to consider then waiting for the nitrogen to end; maturing your tank is just as important.

You dont need to cycle your QT.

Rob
08-02-2006, 09:25 PM
im not going to get into the cycle debate, as it varies on so many things

but what i will say, is that a fish is in a QT for about 4-6 weeks. since this tank is essentially empty besides water and maybe a sponge filter, you it wont complete the cycle. and it should simply be maintained with water changes.

rica5tully
08-02-2006, 09:30 PM
Hmmm, good point, Rob. Or maybe it will take so long to establish that it isn't worth the wait. What do you think of the following plan?

1) Drain the water
2) Put in friend's water from water-change (I don't have my main tank up yet)
3) Continue to run sponge filter
4) Add two clowns and monitor amonia carefully.
5) Run Aqua-C Remora skimmer and feed sparingly

fat walrus
08-03-2006, 02:49 AM
1) i agree with Rob that you do not need a cycled tank as a hospital.

2) with your cycling difficulties, from what i interpret......there has not been an introduction of any source of bacteria to begin said cycle.

CarmieJo
08-05-2006, 08:35 PM
Eric,

You don't say in your post but I am guessing that the QT tank is bare bottom and no LR. Using the power filter, skimmer and water changes should work for what you want to do. I think that you will have to be very conscientious with the water changes.

rica5tully
08-05-2006, 08:41 PM
Yeah, I guess I'm going to do that. Last time I had this set up as a quarantine it did eventually cycle. But now that I remember...at that point I did have some LR in there.

I think I'll start with heavy skimming and water changes and hopefully it'll eventually establish bacteria on glass, power filter, etc.

ET

Raggamuffin
08-05-2006, 10:31 PM
You could ask your LFS if they have some LR rubble to sell, at $1 a lb. I had no prob dropping 5 bucks into it for a bit of a bacteria boost, even if it eventually dies off it can easily be repopulated with another pound and helps fishies feel a bit more at home.

Rob
08-06-2006, 03:53 PM
the thing is you dont "need" to cycle the QT.
you can use the powerfilter, if you want, but cycling wont do much for you in a case like this. just set it up as BB with a heater light and filter. do regular water changes ever few days or once a week as needed.

if you use LR, you likely wont be able to put it any other tank because it will have medication or disease/parisites on it..

understand, that cycling is preparing your tank to handle the bioload on its own, in a QT you are going to manage it with water changes, so theres no need to cycle it

Raggamuffin
08-06-2006, 04:20 PM
I agree Rob but so far *knocks on wood* mine has just been a temp home and not a hospital.

Rob
08-07-2006, 01:42 AM
I agree Rob but so far *knocks on wood* mine has just been a temp home and not a hospital.
yes, in a case like that the rick is MUCH less, as long as the new fish is not sick