200L cycle

[Original.Roo]

hey all,

This has probably been asked quite a few times.

My 200L rimless tank is cycling. (80L sump too) and I’m experiencing the same thing I had when setting up my nano. Which was:

Cycling the tank. Used Dr. Tim’s ammonia and Dry Pukani rock, live sand.

New tank: For the first week ammonia was at 2-4ppm and has been at a zero now for about 3 days. Nitrites are at about 2-4ppm (using API kit)
Nitrates are over 100ppm (very dark red).

We are now on day 9.

With the nano. It stayed like this for about 3 weeks with no drop in values.

I took a sample to a local fish store. (Highest recommended in my city) who said that Phosphates are high (Pukani known for that).

To go against the web and do a 100% water change. Add clean up crew and a few softies... I did this and levels have been great since. Only spike in Nitrites was when I took some live rock from the tank and added to the new one. Had a bad diatom break out about 2 weeks ago on the nano and have some hair algae growing.. (AIO converted into Fuge which is helping).

Current readings on new tank.
(Live rock, live sand in sump, crushed coral in main display)

Ammonia:0
Nitrites: 2-4ppm
Nitrates: 100-160 +

Is it worth doing what I did previously or leave it alone? My understanding is really high Nitrates will depleat oxygen and slow the cycle down.

Thanks in advance.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No. It won’t bring any oxygen thing down.

Your tank is cycled.

Honestly, with all the problems sooooooooo many have with dinoflagellates and bizzare algaes that come from having absolutely no nutrients in the tank, You are ahead of the game.
Thers is a crazy long thread on nutrient dosing to cure them too.

Do some water changes , get the nitrates down , just to avoid some common algaes and cyanos later, you’ll be fine.


A fwiw. The cycle is the ability to make ammoina into nitrates. That’s it. If your tank is doing that. It’s cycling. Can’t slow that down.