Setting up a saltwater tank - cycling process

[Ron Reefman]

Thank you once again @Ron Reefman I'm not planning on adding any livestock soon. So I will follow your advice and add a bit of fish food 2-3 times a week. And then after that will slowly introduce my CUC.

diatoms, hairy algea all new to me Last year when I setup my 15G (my 1st marine tank) I completely skipped the cycling process. Last time I added live sand, live rocks (with bacteria) and salt water from the LFS so within 24 hours I was able to add all my fish/corals etc and never had any diatoms, hairy algea issues - it's almost 10-11 months now and that tank is doing great.

This time I purposely wanted to try something new - start from scratch - just to learn these things. That's why I used packed live sand (it's called Caribbean sand), Dry rocks (without any bacteria), Red Sea Salt mixed water (fresh) and the Biodigest. I didn't add anything from my matured tank. So now i'm trying to learn this cycling process

Thank you

Hey, I'm always happy to help somebody who wants to learn, is willing to take their time and is willing to do the experiment. It sounds like you have an attitude that will get you far in this hobby. And just so you know, I struggled like crazy trying to understand the chemistry of saltwater tanks. I'm a physics guy and chemistry isn't even like a foreign language to me, it was downright alien! But eventually I got a grip on it... at least enough to keep things running smooth in my aquariums!

 

[ElitePirate]

Regarding early algae be sure and read this exchange it could save your tank

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-worst-advice-ever.600175/

Thank you

 

[ElitePirate]

Hi friends

Please see attached. my decaying shrimp is like this.. it's almost 3 days now. should i take out these remaining or let it fully decompose?

BTW now I can detect both Nitrite and Nitrate

 

[brandon429]

If you want to cycle that tank bulletproof can’t fail all you have to do is this-

Remove the shrimp it’s loading organics into the system now/algae feed / the bac have enough feed.

Let the water swirl a total of 30 days underwater since you first set it up

Do a large water change, cycled. It’s actually done before 30 days but since 30 days is the universal cycle completion time frame per one million google search returns on cycling charts, yours will not fail to comply.

If the tester method makes you wait longer than 30 days that’s no harm at all, we have some links on file where low level nitrite persisted for seven months lol (then they figured out use of Prime was causing a misread) but remember if you just change water on day 30 you are done. The nitrate indicates you have the right bac, give em 30 days or 20 if you’re in a rush, done

 

[sprungson]

I had no luck with Dr tims. I used bio spira and and tank cycled within a week (able to clear 3ppm ammonia in 24 hours). I used Dr tims ammonia.

 

[ElitePirate]

Hi #reefsquad need your help

Day 9 - Ammonia level dropped to 0. So I quickly checked nitrite and nitrate levels.

Nitrite is around 0.1 mg/l
Nitrate is around 10 mg/l

So now should I wait until Nitrite is 0 and then do a water change to bring down Nitrate?

Is this the correct order?

Ammonia spike > Nitrite Spike > Nitrate Spike > Ammonia will do down > Nitrite will go down.

I can do 2-3 water changes but what is the acceptable Nitrate level for me to add my 1st set of CUC members?


Thanks

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

Once ammonia is 0 you can do either water changes or simple add fish. Nitrites at such low levels are not dangerous to saltwater fish.
For inverts you will have to wait till nitrites are also 0 and nitrates steady under 50 and ideally 10ppm.

 

[Lasse]

The No2 levels is not dangerous for fish - and honestly - I do not think yours is harmful for CUC either but the NO2 level indicate that your nitrification process has stuck just before the second stage. Just add more nitrification bacteria every day. I would not add a fish now - with confirmed NO2 levels. Not because it is harmful but because a fish need food – food means more NH3/NH4, process is stuck – more NO2. Your NO3 readings are false caused by the NO2 level,

Here is my advise in a similare problem as yours but there was fish in that system

I think that your nitrification cycle has stuck before the second step NO2 -> NO3 and that you are building up NO2 for the moment. NO2 is not as toxic in saltwater as it is in freshwater because of the high chloride content of sea water. It blocks the uptake of NO2 from the water. However – if it is present – it is a stress factor and should be as low as possible

Why do I believe this? You get high levels of both NO2 and NO3 and the high NO3 is caused by the NO2. Nearly all NO3 test will be is disturbed by nitrite in the water – it will give a false reading.

No panic – this will not kill your fish, but you should take actions that partly reduces the NO2 level and which promotes the start of the second step of nitrification. In this case many people recommend a WC – I do not do that. Instead – stop feeding. The good thing is that you will not have any free NH3 in the water – that step is working because you get NO2 – it is converted NH3/NH4 in the first step. However, if you continue to feed – you will add more NH3/NH4 that will be converted to NO2 and you will build up more NO2 if the second step not working.

Together with stop to feed you should add some nitrification bacteria active in the second step – it means Biospira spp or/and Nitrobacter spp,

1. You can get it in a bottle – be sure it contains any of these genera.

2. You can get it from a working aquarium – salt or fresh. Take some superficial sand from a working aquarium or squeeze the sludge from a working filter into a few litres of water (fresh water or saltwater). Shake and let it settle for a minute or thw, pour into a new container. Put this in the refrigerator and pour some of this water into the aquarium every day

3. Move a working filter from another aquarium

4. Get out in forest or unfertilized lawn and take some superficial soil. Put a hand or two in around 2 – 3 litres of water. Shake and pour it through a coffee filter and store the filtrate in the refrigerator. Pour some every day into your aquarium

Hope its help

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ElitePirate]

The No2 levels is not dangerous for fish - and honestly - I do not think yours is harmful for CUC either but the NO2 level indicate that your nitrification process has stuck just before the second stage. Just add more nitrification bacteria every day. I would not add a fish now - with confirmed NO2 levels. Not because it is harmful but because a fish need food – food means more NH3/NH4, process is stuck – more NO2. Your NO3 readings are false caused by the NO2 level,

Here is my advise in a similare problem as yours but there was fish in that system



Hope its help

Sincerely Lasse

Hi @Lasse

Thank you. I will stop adding Ammonia (adding fish food) but don't you think I need to feed those active bacteria? Can they survive without ammonia for like 1-2 weeks?

 

[ElitePirate]

Once ammonia is 0 you can do either water changes or simple add fish. Nitrites at such low levels are not dangerous to saltwater fish.
For inverts you will have to wait till nitrites are also 0 and nitrates steady under 50 and ideally 10ppm.

Thank you for that info @Dr. Reef

 

[Lasse]

If you add fish food - you delay the release of NH3/NH4 from the adding moment with around 3-5 days. The food needs to be broken down by heterotrophic bacteria before it will become NH3/NH4. If the nitrification bacteria run out of feed - the will go dormant. But they will not run out of food.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ElitePirate]

@Lasse

I have a question -

> Together with stop to feed you should add some nitrification bacteria active in the second step – it means Biospira spp or/and Nitrobacter spp,

So if I add another 1 more vial of bacteria i.e. biodigest, don't you think it will start from 1st step? which is Ammonia -> Nitrite?

Just wanted to clarify this -

So right now my ammonia level is 0. That means if I add more bacteria, it will skip step 1 and it will straight away go to step 2 which is Nitrite -> Nitrate process. Is that correct?

 

[ElitePirate]

Hi Friends,

Just wanted to give you guys an update.

Day 22

I'm happy to announce that my fishless tank (4g nano tank) cycled in 22 Days.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

- 100% fishless cycle
- Added only dead shrimp to increase ammonia
- Nitrite -> Nitrate cycle got stuck for a while but managed to convert them all
- Didn't add anything other than BioDigest to jump start a bit
- Got 2 big live rocks and live sand so that bacteria can grow

Now, I'm gonna do some 20% - 30% water change to bring down nitrate levels. And then gonna introduce my CUC - 1 Hermit crab, 2 Nassarius snails and 1 Trochus snail. Going to take it very slow. Will be adding some soft corals/Zoas in another 2-3 weeks..

I will start a mini build thread later on. I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing their experiences/helping me out.

Patience is the key guys, patience is the key!