Help with cycling

[abirozy]

Hello

I have been cycling my 28 gallon nano LED cube for about 1 1/2 months and I am pretty sure it is at the VERY tail end of cycling. My ammonia spiked, nitrites, and then nitrates... I was (and still am) adding bacter-7 cycling bacteria and my nitrates have settled to a relatively low amount. I currently have two clowns, a yellow tail damsel, and a fire fish. I got a diatom bloom about a week ago and added about 20 snails.

1) My nitrates are not that high, but I can't seem to get them to zero... They seem stuck at a low amount (2nd bar on the color chart) but will not go lower. I have tried sea-prime, nitrate sponge in my filter, and turned on my protein skimmer... The protein skimmer is still breaking in, but it is pulling about 1 cup of light green liquid a day, so I assume it is working at least a little bit.

I even did a partial water change although I am a little hesitant to do too much for fear of wiping out my helpful bacteria.

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!

Adam

 

[TJ's Reef]

Having a low reading on Nitrates is probably a good thing in most cases. Water changes will not remove the 'Good' bacteria in our systems as they are associated with our hard surfaces and not free floating in the water column. Starting a normal water change regimen now would be ideal, 20-50% monthly which could be broken down or in half by doing them bi-monthly if easier. This will be your primary nutrient removal process. Are you planning on adding Corals or an Anemone at this point ??? If so I think you'd be fine in doing so.

Cheers, Todd

 

[abirozy]

Todd

Thanks for the advice. Based on my little color charts, my nitrates are about 6 or 7 (in-between the 5 and the 10 bar). Is that considered low? Yes I am planning on adding corals. So far I have a small frag of zoo's, yellow polyp's and 2 ricordia, but are planning on adding more. In about 1 week, I have an order that I had delayed for a month already from saltwater fish.com that contains a leopard wrasse, yellow wrasse, and a neon goby along with two corals. Do you think I will be fine if I keep up with the water changes?. This is due to this tank being mainly for my daughter and wife who enjoy mainly fish. I am the coral lover. Also, will adding more live rock increase the bio-load capacity?

Will adding corals be a problem? Also, my skimmer has only been going for about 2 days. It is the aquamaxx HOB-1 rated at 75G (I have a 28G tank). Will that lower the nitrates significantly once it starts to skim better?

Thanks again for the advice.

Adam

 

[TrialandError]

What test kit are you using? Also I wouldn't add anything else to the tank for a week or 2 after the last added items so your good bacteria has a chance to catch up to the bio load.

 

[Pete polyp]

Adding all those new fish probably isn't the best idea. With 2 clowns, firefish and a damsel you're already pushing being overstocked. Adding another 8" of fish really won't help either.

 

[abirozy]

Trialanderror, I am using the API series of liquid test kits. It has already been about 4 weeks with no additions other than the corals, and those have been about 2 weeks ago. My new fish do not come for about another 2 weeks. I am thinking of adding more live rock to increase the bio-load capacity.

 

[TrialandError]

Get a redsea or salifert test kit. They are easier to read and more accurate.

 

[Tahoe61]

Trialanderror, I am using the API series of liquid test kits. It has already been about 4 weeks with no additions other than the corals, and those have been about 2 weeks ago. My new fish do not come for about another 2 weeks. I am thinking of adding more live rock to increase the bio-load capacity.

Having had a JBJ 28 gallon I can assure you that you're already stocked to the limit. There is not enough room or territories for 5-6 fish, adding more rock will not change that. Adding a sump and stepping up water changes might help. Honestly you really need a larger tank for that bio-load. Eventually the clowns will mature and become more aggressive as will the yellow tail damsel. Aggression leads to disease.

Not trying to be Debbie Downer, just giving you a heads up that you're very likely headed for problems if you continue to over stock the tank.

Good luck

FYI: You'll never realistically be able to keep the nitrates at 0 in that tank with that bio-load, so I would shoot for 10-20.

 

[fishroomlady]

yes, your nitrate level should not be a problem - some have even discovered that a little nitrate in an established system can be good for corals. Unfortunately, I have to agree on the fish...I might suggest that you take out the yellow tailed damsel and then add the leopard or yellow wrasse but not both........I'm not sure how big the neon goby is - if it's one of the tiny nano gobies then maybe that would be ok. I wouldn't add more than 2 fish at once.

 

[abirozy]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I purchased a red sea nitrate pro test kit since that seems to be the level I need to monitor the most right now.

 

[TJ's Reef]

Good to hear Adam, post up the results after you perform the more accurate test. Also can you post a pic of the tank and a top down showing the back compartment with HOB equipment. I'm thinking that there is still a way to add a DIY refugium. I can post a pic of one I made for someone a couple years ago on Monday when I am back at home for you.

Cheers, Todd

 

[TJ's Reef]

Adam, here is the pics of the refugium I built for someone a couple of years ago that might work for you ??? Sorry, they are difficult to see being on a mirror. This sat on the stand/table directly behind the tank and spilled back into the return chamber. The two opaque cross pieces were to support his CFL light. Only took me a hour or so to cut out from scraps and glue up from rough sketches he provided.

Cheers, Todd

 

[TJ's Reef]

I forgot to add that it was fed or supplied by outlet on HOB Skimmer, hence the bubble trap on left end. If I remember correctly this was for a modded 28-29 Bio-Cube ???

Cheers, Todd

 

[prsnlty]

Nice HOB fuge Todd!