Cycle Question please

Reefing Madness · Apr 4, 2013

Welp, being as this is a cycling thing, I'd personally let everything go until your at 2 months, let nature take its course, before intervening. But, you can run it if you have it.

bavass · Apr 4, 2013

Ok so here are all my results.

Ammonia 0 API
Nitrite 0 API
PO4 .049ppm Hanna ULR 736
NO3 2ppm Red Sea Pro
Magnesium 1200pm raising it to 1320ppm Red Sea Pro
Calcium 430 Red Sea Pro
Alkalinity 8.5 Hanna 755
Salinity 35ppt ATC
PH 8.0 Milwaukee Digital Handheld
Temp 78

Reefing Madness · Apr 4, 2013

dwolson2 · Apr 4, 2013

How come you used krill. Why not just a raw piece of shrimp?

bavass · Apr 4, 2013

Because the krill was already here and paid for. I used it before i redid my tank to feed my BTA

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bavass · Apr 6, 2013

This morning PO4 has climbed a little to 28ppb or .08ppm. I went ahead and cranked the reactor back up. I will retest in 24 hours and see where it is. If its below .06ppm I will cut it back off. Also I just added 5 Hermits to the tank and I would say probably Wed maybe Thurs I should have my snails from Reefcleaners.org. I didn't go with a 55g package that's to many this early. I went with a 15g package of snails minus the Nass Vibex. In a few months or as algae grows I will order more. I am hoping that with the addition of the Hermits and the addition of snails that my skimmer will start working better since life will be in the tank and will reduce the PO4 naturally rather than with GFO. Is this the right thing to do?

Reefing Madness · Apr 6, 2013

Yea, your on the right track. But most that keep Phosphates at 0 either do weekly water changes, or have a large sump with Macroalgae in it, or run a Turf Algae Scrubber. The others run the Reactor. You could get a larger Skimmer for your system, this will eliminate higher nutrients in the water column.
But your on the right track in your thinking. And in the cycling process, everyones tank is different.