mikewilder
Community Member
It's true that ammonia is food for bacteria but it's also poison for the animals. I'd say do 15% weekly water changes as soon as you measure any ammonia or nitrite, and don't remove the canister.
Hello everyone! New and got a few questions.
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808jaymakoa
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Haha talk about mixed opinions. I appreciate it all though
Read up on the subjest, you will find most knowledgable reef hobbyists recommend not changing water during the cycling process as it prolongs the process. The bacteria will grow faster and more robust with the ammonia present. Many even recommend adding high strength ammonia to jumpstart the initial cycle.
Did you add a fresh dead shrimp or something else as food to start the cycle? You need something to start things off.
Did you add a fresh dead shrimp or something else as food to start the cycle? You need something to start things off.
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808jaymakoa
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The lfs owner said not to change water or clean sand bed etc to. No I did not add dead shrimp.
glb
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It's going to be difficult to protect your livestock if the cycle hasn't completed. Seachem Prime neutralizes nitrates but I've only used it in fish only tanks. The nitrates will still measure high on your test.
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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.
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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.
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808jaymakoa
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Alright I guess the better question is why hasn't it naturally started YET.
glb
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That I don't know. Mine cycled on its own with live rock.
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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.
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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.
ReeferBob
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You are ignoring the fact that his tank already contains livestock. This changes everything. He absolutely SHOULD do water changes if/when ammonia is present with the tank already stocked.
But it sounds to me like the tank could already be cycled. With what is in the tank, he should be seeing ammonia if the tank was not cycled. An ammonia spike will not happen if the tank has enough cured live rock added that contain bacteria in sufficient quantities to consume any ammonia that develops.
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808jaymakoa
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So today I tested the water. No ammonia or nitrite but it had 5ppm of nitrate. I assume that's good actually. Correct me if I'm wrong but it had to have gone thru some sort of mini cycle if its showing some nitrate. I have had 65lbs of live rock in there since it started. Maybe this filtered out the ammonia or something. Brown algae is disappearing and tank looks better today than yesterday. I fed fish mysis and also corals. My brains ate a lot of mysis and so did the bubble tip anemone and Condy anemone. Protopalys are open and bright and this little mushroom the lfs gave me for free finally footed to the rock. Fish are moving thru out the tank more today to
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808jaymakoa
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I still can't get the clown to host with the anemone. I tried feeding the mysis next to the anemone to get the clown fish to a least come near it but it wouldn't.
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808jaymakoa
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glb
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Sounds like things are improving.
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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.
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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.
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808jaymakoa
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I think they are. I changed the flow around a bit with my spray bar
ReeferBob
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No Nitrates can be in the water when you put it in. My water has 15-20ppm nitrates right out of the tap. That is why I use RO/DI.
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808jaymakoa
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But this is the first sign of any nitrates I've had. Other than initial fill up of the tank all I've used is RO water
ReeferBob
Valuable Member
OK if you started with 0 and now have nitrates (with 0 ammonia and nitrites), then your tank should be cycled.
