Cycling ??

lemonyx · Jun 13, 2009

Finally got water in the tank, been about 3 weeks or so. Used "dead" LR that I cooked out and reused the sand that I had in the previous tank - just rinised it out really good. https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23079

Got a cup of sand from a reeffer friend and also a fish bag full from a LFS along with some ammouim chloride to get the tank started. I have been testing once a week using Salifert and so far:

PH - 7.7
NO2 0
NH1 0
CA 390
KH/ALK 8
NO3 0
PO4 - need another test kit

For lights there are just the URI's 2x super white actinic and 2x actinics waiting for the next paycheck to get 2x 14k Phoenix DE bulbs so not too much in a hurry to stock yet. :snicker::snicker::snicker::snicker: I just told a lie :bigsmile:
Got some Cheto in the fuge on the reverse light cycle - somewhat comes on at night and it's about the same size when I put it in.

Will it cycle? Or not?

gilmour01 · Jun 13, 2009

have you tested for ammonia?

was there anything dead on the live rock to really kick in the cycle?

you could always toss in a table shrimp if needed.

Yellowtang · Jun 13, 2009

It looks like you have added enough ammonium chloride to lower the PH you might want to add some baking soda to bring your PH up to 8 or so. Did you see an ammonia or nitrite spike or did the reading say zero all through the three weeks.
If that is the case and they stayed at zero you might want your LFS to run a couple tests cause it doesn't sound right.

JR,

lemonyx · Jun 13, 2009

No nothing on the rocks to kick in the cycle, all dead LR the back wall and the three islands.

The ammonium chloride was about a cup and that was add about 3 weeks ago - supposedly that was the catalyst to start things going.

I took readings once a week and according to what I read (could have been wrong) was 0

Test kits ever get old?

Yellowtang · Jun 13, 2009

Yep. Some have an effective till date but most of the time they stop working before then. If nothing else and the tank did cycle you should have some kind of Nitrates. It leaves me to believe kits are bad or the tank didn't cycle, If you got some buddies around there maybe you can have them test your water if they know their kits are working if not I would head to the LFS with some water, and see if they can help.

JR,

lemonyx · Jun 20, 2009

Got 20gal of a WC from a buddy and a pc of LR w/coraline algae on it.

Did a 20gal WC and added the "old" water. Tested and the Nitrates were high just as his tank is, and now week later it's back to "0"

Cycled?

dmjordan · Jun 20, 2009

i would still put a raw shrimp in the tank for a couple of few days just to make sure.

dmjordan · Jun 20, 2009

on a side note you should always test your water in a new set up everyday. this way you can see what is going on in your tank. alot of things can happen to your water quality in a weeks time. when you have fish and or coral in your tank this can cost you alot of $$$.