Cycling an Aquarium
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New Tank running 3 month so far, after 2 months add 1 fish every week total of 4 fish no coral; all readings are good.
Question - when should I do the first water change? And if any start with 10% or 20%?
Thank you All
Question - when should I do the first water change? And if any start with 10% or 20%?
Thank you All
OP
OP
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Water changes are a good habit to get into imo. I would try to keep your nitrates below 30ppm for now if you plan on adding coral in the future. 20% is a good start and I would do that once or twice a month for now.
Glad you are off to a good start!
OP
OP
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Is it the same bacteria? Pretty much, yes, but that doesn't mean it will perform as well in a marine environment. I've never known anyone who has done that so I'm not sure how well it would work.
Hey I’m new to this site as well as to the hobby but I’m currently cycling a tank stocked only with a single shrimp for about a week now. Dosing only a cap full of seachem. As a result when testing my water conditions I get results such as PH-8.0 Nitrate-0 Nitrite-0.25 and Ammonia levels of 0.50. I was wondering if I’m going in the right direction or are their more steps I must take in order to complete the cycle.
OP
OP
Brew12
Electrical Gru
You are going in the right direction. All you need to cycle a tank is an ammonia source and time. Pretty much everything else is done to speed things up and is not required.
Maybe this is a little out of topic, im new to reefing and we set up a 55 gallon tank about 2 weeks ago with live rock and live sand from the LFS, for the past 3 days we have noticed some green algae forming on top of the rocks and some on the back of the glass, also part of the sand is brown , I did an API test but is kinda confusing , here are some images, btw the image with the 4 tests is from yesterday around 9pm , and today morning before heading to work I decided to test ammonia . but under the sunlight it has a different color than no light . Is the tank still cycling? im in no rush btw. but just wondering what's going on and if I should keep testing with API. Thank you in advance to everyone.
In all cases where live rock and sand (clean bagged caribsea) were moved tank to tank, bacteria survive for the filter and they dont change to a degree we can measure. This is how MACNA conventions all start on time with no stalled cycles
The growths you mention only confirm live rock transfer and also indicate full cycling, algae and diatoms will not form without filtration basal layer being there first, it never varies, since upon submersion the first animals to colonize are bacteria. It’s ironic the things not pictured completely confirm your cycle was done long before you owned the tank. The api test kit above simply has no bearing on your cycle status. Post a pic of the tank for more complete cycle confirmations unrelated to the test kits
The growths you mention only confirm live rock transfer and also indicate full cycling, algae and diatoms will not form without filtration basal layer being there first, it never varies, since upon submersion the first animals to colonize are bacteria. It’s ironic the things not pictured completely confirm your cycle was done long before you owned the tank. The api test kit above simply has no bearing on your cycle status. Post a pic of the tank for more complete cycle confirmations unrelated to the test kits
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OP
OP
Brew12
Electrical Gru
If you are growing algae already you are unlikely to see nitrates. Not only will algae consume ammonia directly but it will also consume nitrates out of the water.Maybe this is a little out of topic, im new to reefing and we set up a 55 gallon tank about 2 weeks ago with live rock and live sand from the LFS, for the past 3 days we have noticed some green algae forming on top of the rocks and some on the back of the glass, also part of the sand is brown , I did an API test but is kinda confusing , here are some images, btw the image with the 4 tests is from yesterday around 9pm , and today morning before heading to work I decided to test ammonia . but under the sunlight it has a different color than no light . Is the tank still cycling? im in no rush btw. but just wondering what's going on and if I should keep testing with API. Thank you in advance to everyone.
So yes, you can add a few small fish and start feeding lightly if you want.
Thanks for your answer. when will I find out if the tank has finished cycling? also, do you reccomend a more accurate test kit?
OP
OP
Brew12
Electrical Gru
A tank never finishes cycling, the nitrogen cycle is always continuing. And no, if it were me I wouldn't get a different kit. I would never test for ammonia again unless I suspected a problem.
The question about when a tank is cycled is normally someone asking when their tank is safe to add fish. For you, you are there.
Now if you want to keep sensitive inverts or corals, the tank might not be ready. It will need more time to stabilize.
Thanks for the answer Brandon, I think you helped me out in another post. I will send a picture of the tank when I get home from work.
We set up nearly every pico reef on the planet using live rock transfer, try and find pico reefs that weren’t skip cycled / handy context for patterns. They’re even less dilution to handle things like the dreaded dead worm in rock etc. check this example lr ls transfer
a neat way to see live rock skip cycles is there are ways of setting them up that don't vary on the allowed start date. Totally uncured rocks from the ocean/certain dieoff are examples where allowed start dates would range. Dry rock systems range until ammonia is under control. your pics will show if tunicates and yellow sponges and heavy macro algae are there, or if it’s normal rock simply transferred
a neat way to see live rock skip cycles is there are ways of setting them up that don't vary on the allowed start date. Totally uncured rocks from the ocean/certain dieoff are examples where allowed start dates would range. Dry rock systems range until ammonia is under control. your pics will show if tunicates and yellow sponges and heavy macro algae are there, or if it’s normal rock simply transferred
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just to let you know about my experience, as I am in the same boat. New cycle, seachem stability and a shrimp (I'm on my 2nd shrimp), 100 gal tank. I have not seen appreciable rises in ammonia (.25?), nitrite (0-.1)or nitrate (<1) in the 10 days since I started cycling....patience I guess.
Hello, my tank its on week 3 of cycling,(its 15g tank) ammonia its at 0, nitrite 1.0-2.0, nitrate 100. I have been using Microbacter Start XLM for the bacteria, my question is: Should I add more ammonia to get it to spike again to 1.0 or its fine and just wait for the nitrite to fall to 0? and then do a water change to lower nitrates, let it run for another week, test for nitrates, do another water change and then add fish? Whats the safe level of nitrates to add livestock? (BTW, I have not seen any diatoms at all just some white filaments growing in the rocks). Thanks!
OP
OP
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I would give it a little time for nitrites to fall and then see where your nitrates are at. Having nitrites will cause your nitrates to read high. If your nitrates are still over 20ppm or so, I would be fine adding fish. If they read lower than that I would boost it up one more time.Hello, my tank its on week 3 of cycling,(its 15g tank) ammonia its at 0, nitrite 1.0-2.0, nitrate 100. I have been using Microbacter Start XLM for the bacteria, my question is: Should I add more ammonia to get it to spike again to 1.0 or its fine and just wait for the nitrite to fall to 0? and then do a water change to lower nitrates, let it run for another week, test for nitrates, do another water change and then add fish? Whats the safe level of nitrates to add livestock? (BTW, I have not seen any diatoms at all just some white filaments growing in the rocks). Thanks!
jalewis
Community Member
Here's a recap of what's been going on:
First two weeks - just life rock. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2.0 ppm
Week two - added two clowns. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2.0 ppm. Started to get diatom on sand and algae on glass. Cleaned glass and sand. Diatom did not return (pic #1).
Week three - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Swapped stock light for Aqamai LRM. Set daylight levels to approx. blue purple, red at 50%, yellow, green, light blue(?) approx. 25-30%. Algae under control, no diatom. Minimal (approx. 5 gal.) water change.
Week four - Added three nassarius snails, three turban snails, two emerald crabs. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Algae still under control and no diatom (pic #2).
Week five - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Readjusted daylight levels to blue and purple 100%, light blue 50%, red, green and yellow unchanged. Another minimal (3 gal.) water change. Algae and diatoms reappeared within days (pic #3).
I'm assuming the sudden outburst of algae and diatoms is due to the light levels being increased. I've cut them back to what they were before and will do a glass (and maybe sand) cleaning tomorrow. Am I correct in this thinking? Am I doing this right or should I be doing something else?
Thanks.
First two weeks - just life rock. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2.0 ppm
Week two - added two clowns. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2.0 ppm. Started to get diatom on sand and algae on glass. Cleaned glass and sand. Diatom did not return (pic #1).
Week three - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Swapped stock light for Aqamai LRM. Set daylight levels to approx. blue purple, red at 50%, yellow, green, light blue(?) approx. 25-30%. Algae under control, no diatom. Minimal (approx. 5 gal.) water change.
Week four - Added three nassarius snails, three turban snails, two emerald crabs. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Algae still under control and no diatom (pic #2).
Week five - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Readjusted daylight levels to blue and purple 100%, light blue 50%, red, green and yellow unchanged. Another minimal (3 gal.) water change. Algae and diatoms reappeared within days (pic #3).
I'm assuming the sudden outburst of algae and diatoms is due to the light levels being increased. I've cut them back to what they were before and will do a glass (and maybe sand) cleaning tomorrow. Am I correct in this thinking? Am I doing this right or should I be doing something else?
Thanks.
OP
OP
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Don't fear the diatoms. Once they consume the free silicate they will go away on their own. Might as well just let that happen imo.Here's a recap of what's been going on:
First two weeks - just life rock. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2.0 ppm
Week two - added two clowns. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 2.0 ppm. Started to get diatom on sand and algae on glass. Cleaned glass and sand. Diatom did not return (pic #1).
Week three - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Swapped stock light for Aqamai LRM. Set daylight levels to approx. blue purple, red at 50%, yellow, green, light blue(?) approx. 25-30%. Algae under control, no diatom. Minimal (approx. 5 gal.) water change.
Week four - Added three nassarius snails, three turban snails, two emerald crabs. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Algae still under control and no diatom (pic #2).
Week five - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.0 ppm. Readjusted daylight levels to blue and purple 100%, light blue 50%, red, green and yellow unchanged. Another minimal (3 gal.) water change. Algae and diatoms reappeared within days (pic #3).
I'm assuming the sudden outburst of algae and diatoms is due to the light levels being increased. I've cut them back to what they were before and will do a glass (and maybe sand) cleaning tomorrow. Am I correct in this thinking? Am I doing this right or should I be doing something else?
Thanks.
Eventually you will need to increase the lighting. Coral and algae have similar lighting requirements. A coral reef would be over run with algae if not for critters eating it. A healthy reef tank won't be much different.
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