Red Sea Reef Mature Issue

[RMS18]

I decided to try the Red Sea kit on my new system. Directions were followed accurately however yesterday was day 14, according to the directions I should have .05ppm of Nitrite and I was suppose to add my first 2 fish. I decided to do a full range of tests on the system before adding the fish. Ammonia was at 0, but Nitrite was at 2ppm. Phosphates 99ppm on my hanna and nitrates are at 30ppm. I was only concerned about the Nitrite in regards to the fish's safety.

Obviously I did not add any fish. It seems like the system is still cycling.

Any ideas on why my system didn't follow the schedule of the Red Sea kit?

 

[jameswetton2895]

Unfortunately it's very difficult to predict exactly how each tank will react to the cycling process. We are relying on bacteria to convert Nh4 into No2 and then into No3 and these don't always multiple in the same way stick with it or add some kind of kick start bacteria like ATM colony or Dr tims. I would also recommend getting a phos reactor with rowaphos in. Your correct that it won't harm the fish but you are asking for algae issues with phos and nitrate that high. Good luck

 

[jameswetton2895]

I decided to try the Red Sea kit on my new system. Directions were followed accurately however yesterday was day 14, according to the directions I should have .05ppm of Nitrite and I was suppose to add my first 2 fish. I decided to do a full range of tests on the system before adding the fish. Ammonia was at 0, but Nitrite was at 2ppm. Phosphates 99ppm on my hanna and nitrates are at 30ppm. I was only concerned about the Nitrite in regards to the fish's safety.

Obviously I did not add any fish. It seems like the system is still cycling.

Any ideas on why my system didn't follow the schedule of the Red Sea kit?

Hows this coming on ??

 

[RMS18]

Hows this coming on ??

Gave it another 5 days and the levels dropped to where they were suppose to be. Not sure why it didn't follow schedule. Tank now has 6 fish with no issues.

 

[jameswetton2895]

Gave it another 5 days and the levels dropped to where they were suppose to be. Not sure why it didn't follow schedule. Tank now has 6 fish with no issues.

Brill, Like I said the bacteria that are added and expected to multiply do not always follow a strict pattern. Glad to hear your up and running, what size was your tank ?

 

[RMS18]

Brill, Like I said the bacteria that are added and expected to multiply do not always follow a strict pattern. Glad to hear your up and running, what size was your tank ?

55 total.

 

[jameswetton2895]

55 total.

Nice, what fish you got in there ?

 

[RMS18]

Nice, what fish you got in there ?

1 clown, 1 banggai cardinalfish, 1 Caribbean blackcap, 1 radiant wrasse, 2 blue star lepord wrasse (females).

 

[jameswetton2895]

1 clown, 1 banggai cardinalfish, 1 Caribbean blackcap, 1 radiant wrasse, 2 blue star lepord wrasse (females).

Is your profile pic of the leopard wrasse, if so they are stunning !!

 

[RMS18]

Is your profile pic of the leopard wrasse, if so they are stunning !!

Yes they are. Got both of them in rough shape from my lfs. After 6 weeks in qt all fins are 100% grown back and they gained a lot of weight and color. It's funny but the to lepords follow the big radiant around all day like it was a male leopard.

 

[bubbaque]

No issues with getting them to eat at first?

 

[RMS18]

No issues with getting them to eat at first?

Of course I did. But I had every live or frozen food type on hand. I honestly wasent sure if they would like... but then 2 months later

 

[bubbaque]

I'm getting two leopard wrasse tomorrow from liveaquaria.com and I am hoping they eat. I called around to a few local fish stores to see what life food they had but they don't have any besides pods.

 

[RMS18]

I'm getting two leopard wrasse tomorrow from liveaquaria.com and I am hoping they eat. I called around to a few local fish stores to see what life food they had but they don't have any besides pods.

Livequaria has live brime and pods.

PE mysis shrimp, live tiger pods, live black worms, and live brime were the top 4 they ate in that order.

Frozen brime, reef frenzy, rods, pecalanus and frozen pods they didn't go for much.

I think the most important part of their success was the acclimation process and I don't just mean getting them into the tank. I had 1 other leopard that died 2 days after getting it. Here what I did this time around:

30 minute acclimation of adding a little water and taking some out of the bag then adding etc.


I matched ph, temp and salinity.

I made sure the bottom of the tank was painted black. I noticed when the bottom is painted the wrasses's do not swim and pace the bottom which is stressful imo.

I had 2 big containers of sand in the tank and 2 pvc pieces.

Once I let them go in the qt tank I made sure the bag opened right above the sand so they could dive in, which they both did. Last time I did not do this and the fish could not find the sand for 2 days and paced the bottom of the tank.

No lights for 5 days. Only used a small strip of leds after 5 days.

I made sure ammonia was at 0 obviously.
I used dr. Tims live bacteria.

I didn't see them for a few days, however anytime I did see them after that period I would very quickly get some food in the tank.

I shut off all flow when feeding so they could eat easily without leaving their pvc hiding spots.

After 2 weeks of eating I would leave 1 water movement source on... then 2 weeks later leave all water movement on.

Only did waterchanges at night when they were sleeping in their sand.

Ran prazi 3 times 7 days apart but did not start until week 3 of having them. They did have flukes btw.


Maybe this all was overkill, but I felt if I could make things easier, prevent stress, and provide all kinds of food this would help their chances. Call me crazy lol but I have 2 healthy fish.