Cycling an Aquarium

[Thom24]

If your main tank has a sump or place to hide a sponge or two, stick them in the main system and let them become saturated with beneficial bacteria. Then use them to seed your QT tank when you set it up. I always have a couple sponges in my sump in case I need to quickly set up the QT/frag tank. Just one way to handle it.

Thanks for your response, great idea about the sponges....I have neither set up and running yet, just gathering info and want to make sure QT is set up properly before introducing fish to main

 

[Seeko]

Maybe you guys can help me out...

So I have a 120g, and on 03/11, I placed two small shrimp in my tank for 48 hours then dumped two bottles of Bio Spira in, left the shrimp, and tested for a week and a half. I never had an amonia spike and my current levels are:

Amonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10

How are these levels after letting a shrimp decompose for a week? I went to the fish store to select a fish and they suggested I wait a little more, but I feel like these levels are fine, given I used bottled bacteria. I would like more opinions, though. I placed another shrimp in and it's been about 24 hours with the same levels still.

Should I remove the shrimp and go ahead and get a couple of fish?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Thom24]

Did I reply in the proper place? Lol

 

[Brew12]

Thanks for your response, great idea about the sponges....I have neither set up and running yet, just gathering info and want to make sure QT is set up properly before introducing fish to main

Sponges in the sump is a great idea if you have a week or two. Just make sure you put it in a location where water can flow through it. Letting it sink in a low flow corner of the sump will not work nearly as well as putting it between two baffles or in a filter sock.

Did I reply in the proper place? Lol

Yup, you did!

 

[Brew12]

Maybe you guys can help me out...

So I have a 120g, and on 03/11, I placed two small shrimp in my tank for 48 hours then dumped two bottles of Bio Spira in, left the shrimp, and tested for a week and a half. I never had an amonia spike and my current levels are:

Amonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10

How are these levels after letting a shrimp decompose for a week? I went to the fish store to select a fish and they suggested I wait a little more, but I feel like these levels are fine, given I used bottled bacteria. I would like more opinions, though. I placed another shrimp in and it's been about 24 hours with the same levels still.

Should I remove the shrimp and go ahead and get a couple of fish?

Thanks in advance!

I feel you would be fine to get a small fish or two. The presence of nitrate with no ammonia or nitrite implies your system is working fine. Just remember to feed lightly for the first few weeks.

 

[Thom24]

Sponges in the sump is a great idea if you have a week or two. Just make sure you put it in a location where water can flow through it. Letting it sink in a low flow corner of the sump will not work nearly as well as putting it between two baffles or in a filter sock.


Yup, you did!

Thank you, appreciated

 

[Why-Me]

@Brew12
To recap last week I dosed back up to 2 ppm ammonia, it took 2 days to reach 0. The Nitrites took another 3-4 days to hit 0. Nitrates look between 10 and 20 but closer to 10.
Any suggestions??

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12
To recap last week I dosed back up to 2 ppm ammonia, it took 2 days to reach 0. The Nitrites took another 3-4 days to hit 0. Nitrates look between 10 and 20 but closer to 10.
Any suggestions??

I'd say you are ready to add 1 or 2 small fish. Just remember to feed lightly.

 

[Why-Me]

@Brew12
Is there any reason I can't just let this brute can cook for another 6 - 8 weeks??

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12
Is there any reason I can't just let this brute can cook for another 6 - 8 weeks??

No issue with that at all. I forgot yours wasn't in an aquarium! ;Sorry

 

[GrumpyDaddy68]

Hi Brew,
I believe I met you a year or so a go in the first NASC meeting; I have a few questions I hope you can help me with:

- My tank is still cycling... is in day 17
Ammonia-0 (for about 5 days)
Nitrite- 0.25 (it took while for these to start going down but I'm hoping tonight they will be at 0)
Nitrate- ~20 but I really stop testing when I found out they were not accurate if Nitrite were not at zero.

If both (ammonia and nitrites) are at 0 (zero) tonight I will add ammonia to get back level to 2ppm.

- I have not seeing diatoms or algae yet (I'm guessing is because I don't have the lights on yet...). If I turn the lights on; what schedule should I use? Just in the afternoons when it's dark? Just whites since I have only rock, correct?
- Since I don't have algae yet when I am suppose to add the CUC? They actually won't have food?
- Do we have to Quarantine a CUC?
- My tank is a IM 25 gal lagoon; how big of a CUC would you recommend?
- My water is still a little bit cloudy (it's clear but not crystal clear); I rinsed the sand as much as I could but I'm guessing it was not enough; when the cycle is done I am planning a large water change (~80% at least). Could I do a 100% water change?
- I am not running the skimmer yet either; when should I start using it?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Brew12]

Glad to hear from you and that you are getting system set up!

I have not seeing diatoms or algae yet (I'm guessing is because I don't have the lights on yet...). If I turn the lights on; what schedule should I use? Just in the afternoons when it's dark? Just whites since I have only rock, correct?

Lots of opinions on it, but I normally recommend running the lights like you plan to do when you add your livestock. For me, that is 4 to 6 hours of full intensity and then a ramp on either side if your lights are adjustable. Otherwise, pick at least a 6 hour window but ideally no more than 12 hours to run them.

Since I don't have algae yet when I am suppose to add the CUC? They actually won't have food?

I would add a CuC once they start getting food.

Do we have to Quarantine a CUC?

If you plan on QT'ing everything and prophylactically treating all your fish, then yes. I do not, but I also don't buy CuC from local stores. I get all mine from John at Reefcleaners.org.

My tank is a IM 25 gal lagoon; how big of a CUC would you recommend?

John sells packages based on tank size and I find the recommendations to be solid. If you want to see some algae before buying the CuC they should do just fine. I would stay away from the crew with hermits. If you want hermits I would use the blue legged ones and get them separately.

My water is still a little bit cloudy (it's clear but not crystal clear); I rinsed the sand as much as I could but I'm guessing it was not enough; when the cycle is done I am planning a large water change (~80% at least). Could I do a 100% water change?

Yes, you can do a 100% water change if you want. Nothing wrong with that. You won't pull the bacteria or biofilm off the rock. The bacteria won't dry out enough to harm it. In fact, dropping the water level during a change won't even bother most coral. I have a bunch of coral that get exposed when I do a water change. Parts may be out of the water for 15 to 20 minutes.

I am not running the skimmer yet either; when should I start using it?

I would start it soon to get it broken in and so you can get used to adjusting it. It won't pull much out of the water yet (I hope!) but it will be easier to learn how it adjusts in clean water than in protein rich water.

 

[Why-Me]

+1 on reefcleaners.org

 

[GrumpyDaddy68]

Thank Brew,
I hope we can have another meeting soon.

I will give it a try to reefcleaners.org

 

[Tylerc33]

hey guys so im starting my cycle this weekend im using fritz turbo start.... i have a 75 gallon tank so what im understanding is if i put in ammonia till it reads 2 i can then pour the turbo start in there check the levels 24 hours later if it reads
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10ish?
what do i do next? do i then pour ammonia in again till it reads 2 then check 24 hours to see if it got rid of it then? and what do i want my nitrate to be at exactly? also any other tips you guys have? i am using dead rock

 

[Brew12]

hey guys so im starting my cycle this weekend im using fritz turbo start.... i have a 75 gallon tank so what im understanding is if i put in ammonia till it reads 2 i can then pour the turbo start in there check the levels 24 hours later if it reads
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10ish?
what do i do next? do i then pour ammonia in again till it reads 2 then check 24 hours to see if it got rid of it then? and what do i want my nitrate to be at exactly? also any other tips you guys have? i am using dead rock

I would add the turbostart prior to the ammonia and see how it reads 24 hours later. I wouldn't worry about trying to target a specific nitrate level. Just make sure you have "some" nitrates as verification the levels are correct.
If the ammonia is processed in 24 hours I would consider it safe to start slowly adding fish.

 

[TK_KW]

Good morning #reefsquad,

I have some questions regarding my cycle. Tank has currently been cycling for 5 weeks now. I'm starting to finally see my diatom bloom happening. The DT up until the last week, I had tank cycling with no lights and ghost feeding it daily. No skimmer or UV on. Started with dry rock, dry sand.

-Do I leave lights off? Or just leave them on with their schedule. And deal with the bloom. Does letting it bloom speed up the process?

-when do I turn on my UV? Will it help with diatom or algea?

-when should I do my first water change on DT? All my water parameters are pretty solid in DT.

-when do I turn on my skimmer?

-when do I turn on my UV?

- when would one start to grow macroalgae in sump to rob nutrients?

Sorry in advance if any of these are stupid questions, thanks for your help.

 

[rkpetersen]

Good morning #reefsquad,

I have some questions regarding my cycle. Tank has currently been cycling for 5 weeks now. I'm starting to finally see my diatom bloom happening. The DT up until the last week, I had tank cycling with no lights and ghost feeding it daily. No skimmer or UV on. Started with dry rock, dry sand.

-Do I leave lights off? Or just leave them on with their schedule. And deal with the bloom. Does letting it bloom speed up the process?

-when do I turn on my UV? Will it help with diatom or algea?

-when should I do my first water change on DT? All my water parameters are pretty solid in DT.

-when do I turn on my skimmer?

-when do I turn on my UV?

- when would one start to grow macroalgae in sump to rob nutrients?

Sorry in advance if any of these are stupid questions, thanks for your help.

Some questions -
Is your cycle completed? Zero ammonia and (less importantly) zero nitrite?
What are your other tank parameters, esp nitrate and phosphate?
Have you added any fish yet? Corals?

If you have no fish or corals in the tank yet, I'd probably leave the lights off.
If your cycle is fully completed, and you have elevated nitrate/phosphate, you can start doing water changes to bring that down.
Turn on your skimmer. It may not produce much skimmate yet, but will still be aerating the water and helping maintain pH.
If you have an actual bloom, i.e. cloudy water, you could turn your UV sterilizer on as well.
If you have nitrate and phosphate in the water, you can try growing chaeto any time. It may or may not 'take' right away.

 

[TK_KW]

Some questions -
Is your cycle completed? Zero ammonia and (less importantly) zero nitrite?
What are your other tank parameters, esp nitrate and phosphate?
Have you added any fish yet? Corals?

If you have no fish or corals in the tank yet, I'd probably leave the lights off.
If your cycle is fully completed, and you have elevated nitrate/phosphate, you can start doing water changes to bring that down.
Turn on your skimmer. It may not produce much skimmate yet, but will still be aerating the water and helping maintain pH.
If you have an actual bloom, i.e. cloudy water, you could turn your UV sterilizer on as well.
If you have nitrate and phosphate in the water, you can try growing chaeto any time. It may or may not 'take' right away.

Evening #reefsquad,

Is my cycle complete? I'm not sure,
Parameters are:
Ammomia 0
Nitrate 2.5
Nitrite 22
Phosphates.07

No fish, no corals yet. Only ghost feeding. I have 10 trocus snail and about 15 hermits in display currently.

No cloudy water, just diatom starting to cover rock and substrate

You think I should get some chaeto and start that? Should I dose ammonia to check?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Not if you're still showing Nitrites. Don't get any chaeto until your cycle for sure is done as it can prolong the cycle. Best bet would be to dose ammonia and continue the cycle. Once your tank is able to process 2ppm ammonia over 24 hours your cycle is complete