New tank nitrates and nitrites rising

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Well everything in the tank seems to be doing good thus far... Only put the rock in a couple days ago but it has come to life. I have found the following hitch hikers:

-2 Dart Gobies
-1 snail
-1 Copepod
-1 Mini Britle star

The bristle star came from one hole in a rock to another and havent seen him since VERY COOL. Wish i didnt have these free guys since i didnt cycle my tank yet.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
Your Rock is your biological system so it wouldn't make much sense to me to cycle your system without it. If you cycle your aquarium without it your Nitrates will keep rising and become more difficult to get rid of. You want your bacteria to grow in your rock and sand bed, not in your life-support or anywhere else. I would add all your rock, take the dead shrimp out, wait for everything to go to zero, then immediately add fish.
 
Sorry, didn't see your last post. If you feed the gobies sparingly until the Ammonia and Nitrites come down everything should survive. Good luck.
 
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Added all the rock I believe it was a total of 56 lbs and live sand had the shrimp in there for 2 days took them out as i read good and bads about trying to cycle the tank that way. As far as the life support (fish, critters) they came in the tank on the live rock. No way in heck i would purchase them as this tank is only going on 2 weeks. Some of the live rock has purple coraline on it. Should that make it? Or will i get alot of die off?
 
You should be alright... Just keep monitering your ammonia and nitrites. If they get too high you can do a partial water change to cut it back. If you do that, everything should balance out and your animals should survive.
 
Well the progress so far on the tank I feel is going good. I am not to sure but my ammonia is the same My Nitrates have gone down and Nitrites gone up this is since my post about adding the live rock. I have not seen a huge spike in anything is there always going to be a huge spike in cycling a tank?

Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrites 2.0 ppm
Nitrates 20 ppm
 
Deltec
No, it will not always show a big spike. Every system cycles different depending on many variables.
 
also a few of the live rocks seem to have a black fungus/cyano ? on them that wasnt there several days ago i have just noticed this. Is this something to be alarmed about is this just one of the stages?
Thanks again everyone for your insight and help
 
Probably growing on some rotten sponge or something. Just peel it off and toss it if you can.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
Well update on the water cycle
Nitrates 10ppm
nitrites 1.0 ppm
ammonia 0

Things are dropping but i am worried that they didnt max out not to sure if the live rocks is helping out with that more than expected ?? Just love everyones feedback as i want to do this right as this is my first salt water tank
 
Your readings are not uncommon. The key is that your ammonia is now zero. Now your nitrite should go to zero next. With liverock, your nitrates shouldn't go up any. The nitrates should slowly go down after all is said and done. Seems like you're on the way.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
photo (2).jpg
This is an update photo thus far 3 week old sand and 1 week old live rock Need to go pick up a power head and a T5 light dont really care for the LED lighting
 
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I like the koralia pumps a lot. I have a 2 and a 3 in my 54 gallon. If you have the loot though those ecotechs are pretty awesome.
 
those are awesome powerheads I would love one. I am currently working on building a sump 10' wide 20" long by 20" tall I cant find one that is close to that size that will fit below my tank
 
Chewy.com
Did you use glass or plexi? I am trying to figure out what would be the ideal setup for it trying to get as many photos and dimensions. Dont want to build it to rebuild it.
 
ammonia still 0
Nitrites .25
nitrates 20

Fish are still alive just noticed some small spots of brown on rocks not to sure if its to early to tell if its brown algae or brown Diatoms

Picked up one ecotech power head and T5 lights last night.

Is there something i can do to avoid getting brown algae?
Thanks Jason
 
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