So i know that what's happening to my tank is probably normal, but it looks like someone took a blow torch to the rock and sand.. How long will it take to get to the next stage? Have a 220g tank with 60g in the sump. The tank has been up for just over 6 weeks. Thought the tank was cycled but I guessing from the stages I have happening now. The fish are helping it along. Ammonia is 0 and nitrites and nitrates are 1. Should I hold tight or should I be looking down a different street?
My poor tank.
- Thread starter Anthonyl
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Diatoms. Normal.
Its cycled. This is the ugly phase.
They are two different things.
Its cycled. This is the ugly phase.
They are two different things.
Neo Jeo
Valuable Member
Yes. Prob like 8hrs a day for a bit then around 10hrs. Its all normal.I would get some clean up crews now. Seems like you're ready.
I'm not a fan of crabs. I would just go with trochus. The diatom bloom you are experiencing is normal. You said cutting back on the lighting schedule was hard with work, you do have a timer on the lights right? If not, get one. Even a cheap clicky one.
The lights are on a timer. Just dont want to rely on family to feed the fish. Lights come on 1/2 before I leave for work. And shut down 3 hrs after I get home. I just want to make sure I can feed them in the allotted time and sometimes I might be at work a little late.
Ahh.. Usually if the lights in the house are on, the fish are "awake" enough to eat, at least a bit. So it's not a big deal to do a feeding in the morning, and then let the lights turn on at 10am or something so your photoperiod is still going when you get home.
You don't really need to feed a ton in the morning, just a little bit to tide them over.
You don't really need to feed a ton in the morning, just a little bit to tide them over.
Stability would mean not messing with it.
You want it to run it's course. Every one of these mini cycles a tank goes through removes something from the tank, and stabilizes it. Every time you dump a vat full of chemicals in, or try some method of short circuiting the cycle, you just create more problems down the road. Whatever the ugly stuff is eating, will be left behind when you kill it down with fire.
Sure, try to siphon some off, or scrape them or whatever, but don't go nuts. If you can remove a little, that's great, if not, oh well. But this is all part of a tank being ready to support life.
Personally, I believe in a 4-6 month cycle of a tank before you start really adding life to it, but I'm crazy.
Sure, try to siphon some off, or scrape them or whatever, but don't go nuts. If you can remove a little, that's great, if not, oh well. But this is all part of a tank being ready to support life.
Personally, I believe in a 4-6 month cycle of a tank before you start really adding life to it, but I'm crazy.
