next purchase advice:

[pdiehm]

I'm roughly 3/4 of the way through my display cycle (my QT cycle still hasn't had nitrites hit 0 after 7 weeks since the first sign of nitrites). I was fairly certain that I would add fish first, but given the lack of QT cycle so far, should i instead add 5-7 corals to my tank? Then comes the next question, my nitrates again tested over 50ppm, so corals probably wouldn't like that too much. Been told to do a large water change at the end of the cycle to get nitrates under 10, but the question remains, I have a 30g brute. I have 120 gallons of water. Takes me 24 hours to make 30 gallons RODI, and another 18-24 to mix it clear. The math doesn't add up, if I do a large water change, and the rock dries out, my bacteria die before I can fill it up.

But that's not the basis of the question.

Should I buy a controller first or my photon 48 first? Obviously if I put corals in first, I need the light. But the only real piece of equipment I have right now is the ATO (tunze 3155), which works like a charm. Do I "need" a controller at this stage?

definitely looking for opinions, so feel free to jump in.

 

[jman9331]

when you say your nitrates are 50ppm are you speaking for the QT or display? also what type of test did you use for nitrates?

 

[pdiehm]

Display but not done cycling.

Used Red Sea to test

 

[pdiehm]

Haven't tested the qt for nitrates since nitrites haven't fallen below 1 in a while

 

[jman9331]

those are high. how long has it been cycling?

 

[pdiehm]

Display 5 weeks.

QT 7 weeks going on 8

 

[jman9331]

have you noticed an increase in ammonia then nitrite in your display yet? also you can do a large water change and your bacteria will not die that's on the rocks. when they ship live rock to places they take the wet rock wrap it with newspaper then put it in a plastic bag and sent it. if it can survive that then a water change is nothing.

 

[pdiehm]

I did an initial 2ppm dose of ammonia. Waited a few days to test nitrites. When nitrites hit 0, I dosed back to 1 ppm ammonia. Have done this process 4 times so far. Takes about 36 hours to go from 1ppm ammonia to 0 with 0 nitrites.

I know the rock would survive a water change but don't think it would survive a large water change where the rocks dried up.

I will get another brute.

When one is mixing saltwater, I am filling the other up. My calculation is that it will take 4 water changes to get nitrites below 10 when the time comes.