Hi John, it's good to see you back! Whether or not the tank recycles is a toss up. Personally I'd get it running and toss a raw shrimp in and watch the parameters to see what happens.
Hi Guys & Gals,
It's been awhile. My wife & I started back with the hobby. Our 30 gal tank was fully operational, but the rocks was covered with short green hair algae. Looked like bermuda grass. Our 40gal was in worse shape. It had lots of die off & had alot of hair algae.
So yesterday I scrubbed the rocks with a stiff brush to get rid of the HA.
Suctioned the sandbed & cleaned the walls of the tank. I arranged the rocks & added salt & water. Cleaned the skimmers, fuge, powerheads, heaters & phoshate reactors. Checked the salinity & my next move is to test the tank.
The 30 gal was an easier task to do, since I did not have to do a major tear down. It was more of a minor clean up. It's up & running & CLEAN!!!!
The 40gal I still need to add about 10gals of water. The heater is running and the pumps. Once I fill it up with water I will run the skimmers & fuge.
Do my testing & add salt on the 40gal.
So my question on the 40gal, do I need to cycle it all over again? Or can I put my inverts in there after a couple of weeks?
It's great to be back & I'm excited on how the tanks will turn out.
-John
Last edited by DJGonzo69; 03-12-2009 at 01:09 AM.
"Just a Whole Bowl Of Wrong"
Hi John, it's good to see you back! Whether or not the tank recycles is a toss up. Personally I'd get it running and toss a raw shrimp in and watch the parameters to see what happens.
Carmie
Only disasters happen fast!
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haha well if you toss in the raw shrimp I can guarentee you a cycle.. if not, then I would say you MIGHT have a cycle... so I guess the safest thing to do is cause the cycle... atleast then you won't be surprised by a "tank of death" one sunday morning
70 Gallon Reef System
29 Gallon Reef System
"It's not about what you know, it's what you notice."
Great! I will start a cycle.
This brings back memories when the core group had a discussion about how to start a cycle...from Vodka (as Rob mentioned he would rather drink it...LOL)...to the shrimp & the funniest of all drink the vodka & unrinate in the tank. :-) Now that was funny!!!
Good Times!
-John
"Just a Whole Bowl Of Wrong"
Welcome back john glad to see you getting back into the hobbie. I agree with Carmie and Carty on getting the cycle going with a raw shrimp. I think I remember reading that thread that was a good discussion and a funny one good memory's even though I don't think I was in on that one (more of a newbie at that moment) but remember reading it.
Ray or Raymond
There is no elevator to success in marine tanks. You have to take the stairs.
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Very funny! Since I don't think I could manage the urinating in the tank I would have to use the shrimp.
Actually a raw shrimp in a cycled tank will not create a cycle just like a fish dying won't create a cycle. It should give you a bump in ammonia which the nitrifing bacteria will process. What you won't see is a high level of ammonia or nitrite.
Carmie
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really?? I figured the huge jump in ammonia would create a surplus of food for bacteria meaning growth which would then produce more nitrates etc etc
70 Gallon Reef System
29 Gallon Reef System
"It's not about what you know, it's what you notice."
Hey John and welcome back. Hope everything runs smoothly and that you won't have to deal with any more HA.
Will your voice count?
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Thanks SD. Yeah I'm monitoring the tank & hoping all goes well.
"Just a Whole Bowl Of Wrong"
So today I did some testing on the tank.
Nitrate= 100ppm
Nitrite= 0ppm
Amonia= .25ppm
Phosphate= 3ppm
PH= 8
Alk= 2.9
KH= 8
Salinity= 1.025
Tested using Salifert test kits & a refractometer.
What do I need to do to get the nitrate down? Just let it take it's course or do I need to do some water change? I'm going to run some Phosphate media. I'm running my skimmer. Any suggestions?
Thx,
John
"Just a Whole Bowl Of Wrong"
Hello DJ! I'm trying to follow along with your thread, so excuse me if I get any info wrong. Why are you showing a reading of amonia? Did you introduce any creatures before the nitrogen cycle finished?
Will your voice count?
One new reefer, another voice united with the many against ignorance and greed. Educate, influence, good stewardship, all in one accord to work together as a whole in saving our reefs.
"Get Reefy With It!"
SD- No I did not add anything in that tank. The is 40gal plexi & it had LR with lots of HA & no fish or corals. The water went down to 1/2 the tank from just water evap.
It had lots of gunk on the sand bed, so I siphoned it out to the point where the water level was down to about 1/2 to 1 inch. Then I took the rocks & scrubbed the HA out.
Introduced the rocks & added salt water & ran my skimmer, pumps, HOB fuge I made.
So the amonia, Nitrate & phosphate is probably from the die off that I could not siphoned.
"Just a Whole Bowl Of Wrong"
It looks like you have only been running about a week. I would continue testing daily and charting the numbers and when all is balancing then I would do a water change.
It appears you are cycling and the tank needs a chance to build up the biological system. I would not rush as treat this as a complete new tank set up and give it the time cycle completely.
I bet that's exactly what it is. Time will take care of that. I can't wait for the tank to stabalize as I know you are excited. It's like starting all over again, but w/o having to buy everything! Would love to see some pics when you find the time. Gosh, I love seeing tanks just taking off and watching them mature. Anddddddddd..... you are so lucky to have a wife to share your hobby with. You are truly blessed.
Will your voice count?
One new reefer, another voice united with the many against ignorance and greed. Educate, influence, good stewardship, all in one accord to work together as a whole in saving our reefs.
"Get Reefy With It!"
I have a question for the lighting experts out here. Currently on our 40gal tank we have a 305watt MH/CFL lighting. Im thinking of going to a T5 setup. What do you guys recommend as far as wattage. Planning to stock the tank with only LPS, & softies.
Thx-John
"Just a Whole Bowl Of Wrong"
Hey, they are both here! Good to see you Valeen! Are you growing any macro? I think that would help suck up some of the nutrients.
Carmie
Only disasters happen fast!
Carmie's 54 Corner Tank
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if you are going T5's go with as many as you can fit as long as each on has its own reflecter
70 Gallon Reef System
29 Gallon Reef System
"It's not about what you know, it's what you notice."
Well our tank has finally done a full cycle.
Ammonia= 0ppm
Nitrate= 5ppm
Nitrite= 0ppm
Phosphate= 0ppm
PH= 8
Alk= 2.9
KH=8
Salinity= 1.025
"Just a Whole Bowl Of Wrong"
nice looking tank.
Ray or Raymond
There is no elevator to success in marine tanks. You have to take the stairs.
Raymond's 30 gallon tank
Raymond's 60 gallon tank
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