I am not new to fish tanks, just marine tanks. I am really confused about whats going on in my tank. I have a 20g with about 15lbs of live rock, 2 clowns, 2 firefish, and a small cleaning crew. also running a cascade 700 and wave maker. I have had the tank running for over a month, PH, ALK, and Phos looking fine. I am showing 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 0 nitrate. I have some diatoms pop up, some green algae growing on base rock and coraline on live rock looks good, doing 10% water changes weekly. no ammonia, nitrite, and especially no nitrate is going against everything I know about keeping fish tanks! any ideas why there isn't any?
Confused- Cycle Issue
- Thread starter Tastyjamz
- Start date
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what test kit are you using?
Usually when you use live rock, youll skip the first cycle. The cycle youre going through now is probably the algae cycle.
That sounds like a lot of fish for a brand new tank :/
or your test kit isnt picking it up...
Usually when you use live rock, youll skip the first cycle. The cycle youre going through now is probably the algae cycle.
That sounds like a lot of fish for a brand new tank :/
or your test kit isnt picking it up...
http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/
We wrote in that cycling thread that your tested params aren't abnormal, they're predicted to be as you are testing
Regarding nitrate, take a water sample to someone who runs a different test kit brand to compare, all systems produce some but if yours is low the tester may not read it
You can enjoy the tank and no nitrate spikes, live rock doesn't need to cycle when we bring some home it transfers all ready
We wrote in that cycling thread that your tested params aren't abnormal, they're predicted to be as you are testing
Regarding nitrate, take a water sample to someone who runs a different test kit brand to compare, all systems produce some but if yours is low the tester may not read it
You can enjoy the tank and no nitrate spikes, live rock doesn't need to cycle when we bring some home it transfers all ready
Vegasgundog
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What is it you are trying to say is happening? The diatoms and algae? Or the peramaters? If you got no ammonia and no nitrates, that's awesome. Nitrates are going with your water changes. Good husbandry 
I'm using API liquid tests, and also tried some API strips just to see if I was getting the same readings. All the livestock is doing great, fish are happy, a featherduster popping out of empty snail shell, copepods in the morning when lights are off. Ive had fresh water fish for years this is my first experience with marine. It's really just blowing my mind that nitrates aren't presenting themselves and I just mentioned the diatoms and algae because I think everything is working well
that's totally fine and perfect reefs have algae and diatoms too. im always speaking in an intervention mode HA
as long as we know we're allowed to lift out any noncompliant rocks, and cheat burn the invaders off them, the locus of control is ours to choose what kind and how much remain any given day. a little is natural.
as long as we know we're allowed to lift out any noncompliant rocks, and cheat burn the invaders off them, the locus of control is ours to choose what kind and how much remain any given day. a little is natural.
