Cycling tank

Dan Rocco · Mar 30, 2018

I've been cycling my tank for about 4 weeks now and the water is a dirty yellow color. I started with dry pukani rock, rodi water and live sand. I've done a partial water change at 3 weeks, about 25-30%, but same results. any ideas?

Humblefish · Mar 30, 2018

Can you post a photo?

SuncrestReef · Mar 30, 2018

You didn't provide much detail, so I'll ask some basics:

1. You said you used RO/DI water. Did you actually mix it with salt, or just plain RO/DI water?

2. Have you been testing the water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to see how the cycling process was progressing?

3. Have you been running your return pump with filter socks and/or the skimmer running during the cycling process?

Idoc · Mar 31, 2018

Just as @SuncrestReef asked... what are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate parameters.

Before I cycled my pukani, i cured it for 6 weeks outside my tank. I know the dirty orange color you are getting from it. During the cure, i had to do 100% water changes every other day for a week or so before the color improved... but, i wasn't trying to cycle the rock, i was just curing it at that point. Pukani looks nice, but it is so dirty at the beginning.

I would be concerned that the ammonia released was too much and may have stalled the cycle, though. The ammonia off mine during the cure was through the roof! Everything I've seen about cycles suggest it can stall if the ammonia is over 5ppm. So, check your parameters. If any ammonia still present, your probably not cycled. If no ammonia, dose up to 2ppm and see if your system can clear it out in 24hrs...if so, your cycled. Then just do some big water changes to reduce your nitrates and clear out the dirty water. Also if cycled, running some GAC will help to remove some contaminants and clean up the water as well.

mike werner · Mar 31, 2018

GOT CARBON?all kinds of stuff leach out of rocks and sand to discolor water.i think more so in new tanks than established ones or when adding additional rock after cycling.normally one would employ some type of carbon filtration.this can be done in several ways but without knowing your system it's hard to recommend a method.
I see your new to reef2reef so try researching the threads relating to water discoloration.don't stress,this is usually an easy problem to solve.

Night_shift_reefer_ · Apr 1, 2018

I am going through "yellowish" water stages right now. Tank has been set up for about 3 months. Nitrates are still a little high in my tank and you are probably going through the same thing? If your parameters are in check, definitely try carbon.