My cycle wont start

Keijo · Apr 1, 2019

Hello,

I have a red sea nano (75) tank, started in 15th March with live rock (7 kg) and live sand (3-4 kg) and until now I have ammonium 0, nitrite 0 and nitrate between 2-3. I have added a frozen shrimp in the tank on 19th, second 28th and two more on 31st May and still the numbers are the same. Ph is between 8.3 - 8.5.

I use Sera for testing ammonium and Red Sea marine test kit for nitrate and nitrite and Ph. All I have managed to get is algae, so am I doing something wrong or have I missed something? Should I go and buy ammonia and dose it directly into tank or just sit and wait?

/Keijo

EmdeReef · Apr 1, 2019

Welcome to R2R!

The presence of nitrate indicates your cycle is working.

Did you use actual cycled live rock? If so, that would explain what’s going on.

BestMomEver · Apr 1, 2019

Sometimes the cycle is so short or barely there that it seems like you had none at all. If you used real, cured live rock you may not have had much of a cycle. With nitrates showing and no ammonia or nitrite, you may be done!

Oh.... welcome to the reef!

nautical_nathaniel · Apr 1, 2019

If you started with live rock and live sand, the establishment of nitrigni fixing bacteria was already started and as such, the cycle occurred much quicker than it would with dry rock and sand

I'd wager that you're ready for your first fish

I'd still start with something hardy though.

Keijo · Apr 1, 2019

EmdeReef said:
Welcome to R2R!

The presence of nitrate indicates your cycle is working.

Did you use actual cycled live rock? If so, that would explain what’s going on.

The rock is CaribSea Life Rock Original and sand sand is CaribSea Ocean Direct, both from local reef shop.

The thing is that nitrate was 3 from day 2 and has been there all the time and at the same time nitrite has been 0 every day. I did not measure the ammonium in the beginning as I was sure I am able to kill something in the tank, so I kind of assumed that ammonium I would get by doing nothing

What I got was cyano after a week or so from the start and now I got green hair algae starting to show up every here and there.

Keijo · Apr 1, 2019

nautical_nathaniel said:
If you started with live rock and live sand, the establishment of nitrigni fixing bacteria was already started and as such, the cycle occurred much quicker than it would with dry rock and sand

I'd wager that you're ready for your first fish I'd still start with something hardy though.

I am in no hurry with the fishes, but I do need a good clean up crew now

Keijo · Apr 1, 2019

Keijo said:
The rock is CaribSea Life Rock Original and sand sand is CaribSea Ocean Direct, both from local reef shop.

The thing is that nitrate was 3 from day 2 and has been there all the time and at the same time nitrite has been 0 every day. I did not measure the ammonium in the beginning as I was sure I am able to kill something in the tank, so I kind of assumed that ammonium I would get by doing nothing

What I got was cyano after a week or so from the start and now I got green hair algae starting to show up every here and there.

Sorry, the rock was Premium Cultured Rock - Fiji, not CaribSea...but anyways..

Ruben's Reef · Apr 1, 2019

!!! Welcome to R2R !!! If the rock was live (wet) from your LFS and live sand and you don't have no ammonia or Nitrites you tank is probably cycle already. Just do a 10% WC and you are good to go. I will get a Seachem Ammonia batch and put on your tank to monitor the ammonia.

Keijo · Apr 1, 2019

spyder813 said:
!!! Welcome to R2R !!! If the rock was live (wet) from your LFS and live sand and you don't have no ammonia or Nitrites you tank is probably cycle already. Just do a 10% WC and you are good to go. I will get a Seachem Ammonia batch and put on your tank to monitor the ammonia.

Thank you.

Yes, it was wet and I picked it up from tank myself at the LFS and brought home. I am still bit unsure as I have not seen any nitrite, but maybe I will do a 10% wc and get some cleaners in and continue monitoring for couple of weeks before adding any fish or coral.

Ruben's Reef · Apr 1, 2019

Keijo said:
Thank you.

Yes, it was wet and I picked it up from tank myself at the LFS and brought home. I am still bit unsure as I have not seen any nitrite, but maybe I will do a 10% wc and get some cleaners in and continue monitoring for couple of weeks before adding any fish or coral.

There you go.. Then remember to go slow adding fish and corals. Corals I would recommend anything hardy but be careful with some of those that grow fast and cover your whole tank.