My tank was started on Saturday, December 16. I just wanted to get an idea how my cycle was going, and since this is my first time, I just wanted to ask your opinion. amm. Nitrite Nitrate
Day 1 0 0 0
Day 2 0 0 0
Day 3 0 0 0
Day 4 .50 0 0
Day 5 .50 0 0
Day 6 1.0 .25 0
Day 7 1.0 .25 0
Week 2 (so far)
Day 1 1.0 .25 0
Day 2 1.0 .25 5.0
I had started with 1 raw table shrimp and for the second week I add another. the tank is a 29gal. with 12 sump 2in sand bed seeded with LS and LR about 11 pounds of LR and 1 cup of LS. Next week I will putting in a powerhead, currently there are none except my return line. I also have no light which probably didnt help bateria growth any. My salanity has been between 1.025 and 1.028 which I know is a little high. I know I should be testing every other day as well. Also my temp. is around 75 degrees which I cant seem to get higher. I have a 200 watt. heater in the sump. Please advice or what I should do differently. I have a aquaC remora HOB on the way as well. Thanks

Looks like normal cycling numbers to me. Expect the nitrates to get higher as the amonia and nitrate get converted before being released.
Another week or 2 and you should be ready to go just keep testing.

That seems spot on to me as well. 75 degrees is lower than my tank but no worries, stability is as much if not more important than specifics IMO andeven then 75 is dang near where you would want to be anyway.

thanks guys, I think once I get my two powerheads in there it will reach desired temp. hopefully. I thought the nitrates was a suprise as well, I was hoping for more of a spike in amm. I feel like I wont have a good cycle to start if I don't have a huge ammonia spike.

Don't worry too much about it. Just add your livestock slowly, like you should anyway. Or put in a few more pieces of LR. I used uncured LR when I cycled my tank... the ammonia test was too sensitive to give me a reading on how much was in there for almost a month.

Watch your nitrites with that HOB. You might wanna get a little skimmer to put in your sump and nix the HOB.

And yeah, your temperture will go way up when you put in those powerheads and get some kind of light on the tank. You'll prolly be dealing with the opposite problem... trying to keep the water cool enough. I'm happy when my water is down to 80... generally it stays more around 81 or so.

Should he remove the shrimp or keep them in there still? I took out my shrimp after a week or so when the Nitrites stated to climb.

I didn't use shrimp or anything, since my LR was uncured (smelled nice...), but I believe you can take it out after the ammonia spike. Since he didn't have a very defined spike, I'd say leave it in a little bit longer, until its obviously in the high nitrite part of the cycle.

Until you put your fish in there you will need to add a daily dose of ammonia.... in whatever form. If the tank doesn't get ammonia, the beneficial bacteria you have built up will start to die off due to starvation.

Yes I was wondering about that, for instance say you get a huge ammonia spike, followed by high spikes in nitrites and nitrates. what if you dont put any animal in the tank for awhile, wouldnt your bacteria start to die off? I think keeping the shrimp in the tank will add to the ammonia and keep feeding the beneficial bacteria. What do you guys think?

But there has to be a time frame where from when the shrimp is removed to when the equilibrium is restored. So if your going to stock the tank, I dont see how you can keep the shrimp in there for as long as you have no livestock(Yet a lot of things are alive and produces Ammonia after the cycling from the Liverocks themselves as hitch hikers?)

My nitrites went form .25 to .50 today and my nitrates went from 5.0 to 10 temp. 74.9 degrees. I have a nice growth forming around the shrimp. Just to make sure something is not wrong with the ammonia test, I should bring water into the lfs and have them test it, also because I am just curious. Dont you think I would start developing algea around my tank, or is it still too early?

I have to say it looks like the LS that I put in there in the beginning is starting to develop a fuzzy look to it.

Keep posting Darren I will be doing the same thing next month for the first time so it's nice to have someones cycle to read about.Have any pictures?
Phil

No not recent ones I have to get a better camera and better lighting in the room that it is in.

I am looking at cycling like chicken pocks kinda of. If I dont have a huge spike in all three parameters will it effect my tank somewhere down the line, like when I first introduce my first critter? Like chicken pocks if you dont get a severe case when you first get it, can you have a chance of getting it again. I know your tank is always in cycle. Its almost like the LR that I put in there just kept right on trucking and starting taking in ammonia and converting it.

I used all LR & LS from an established tank and never had an ammonia spike nor NO2 and I've never had any unexpected issues with my tank.

If you didnt have an ammonia spike you must have had a short cycle. So everyone has a different kind of cycle, and you dont need to have a big ammonia spike to have a succesful cycle right?

amm. 050 Nitrite 1.0 Nitrate 10

So the shrimp is still in the tank? Whats it look like now?

You don't need a big NH3 spike to have a successful cycle. My cycle was almost non-existent but I stocked my tank slowly nevertheless.

did you just put in the shrimp whole? or shredded in some way?

whole I took one out so I only have 1 left

timinator, the shrimp has this fuzzy white stuff come off from and it looks like it's anchored to the ground

Rob, when do you normally remove the shrimp?

:)

yea I have to know this please I was wondering the same thing. I was thinking I should if my ammonia level has spike and now my nitrites are in full swing.

hey, sounds like everything is right on track, just hold the course and take things slow.. :)

ok thanks Rob! :)

Ok, I had to take that shrimp out, the water was smelling horrible!!


Ammonia and Nitrate are both undetectable
Nitrate is at 30 PPM

You could probably add some sort of livestock now. Do a water change to bring the nitrates down, and stick some hardy starter fish in the tank to keep up your bacteria colonies.

You could probably add some sort of livestock now. Do a water change to bring the nitrates down, and stick some hardy starter fish in the tank to keep up your bacteria colonies.

You have no idea how much rock I am using. I think about 60lbs of rocks in that 20l right now...

:eek:

The bacteria are still gonna need a source of ammonia to stay alive, and since you took out the stinky shrimp you're gona need something in there.

You have a pic? I wanna see your stuffed tank :)

The bacteria are still gonna need a source of ammonia to stay alive, and since you took out the stinky shrimp you're gona need something in there.

You have a pic? I wanna see your stuffed tank :)



As soon as I get home. It looks like a rock breeder tank...

:cool:

Also, there were some of those red feather dusters left on the rocks alive when I left this AM. The pods are still crawling all around in the thin crushed corral substrate too.

You could probably add some sort of livestock now. Do a water change to bring the nitrates down, and stick some hardy starter fish in the tank to keep up your bacteria colonies.

Stay away from livestock for now. Wait until you achieve a little tank maturity first. Cycling with fish isn't very considerate to the fish. A damsel would prolly survive, but it's kinda cruel.

I prefer to wait at least 8-12 weeks, providing your cycle was more than 6 weeks prior, before adding a clean up crew. There's nothing like tank maturity (http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic23945-9-1.aspx).

Rob, when do you normally remove the shrimp?

:)
sorry, totally missed this question..

i leave it in for 2-4 days.. usually a day or two after the "fuzz" is visible, then i remove it.. :)

sorry, totally missed this question..

i leave it in for 2-4 days.. usually a day or two after the "fuzz" is visible, then i remove it.. :)


man I need to get you something for new years!!!!

Thanks!

Best Gift for Rob !!! (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/site-info-news/189-premium-membership.html#post2054)

Best Gift for Rob !!! (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/site-info-news/189-premium-membership.html#post2054)


No can do, PayPal hater here.(Try to cancel and see how that goes)


But I'd be willing to send some Money for sure.

I'm sure he can PM you his address. ;)

lol.. thanks.. right now Paypal is all im working with. i know there are some people out there that aren't fond of it, but they have never done wrong by me in the almost 5 years i have used them.

but momnetary donations are the only way.. :) also see
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/site-info-news/324-easy-ways-you-can-help-tr-podcast.html