Skipped a step in my cycle?

[Woodchip]

Do i heard that after your water quality gets perfect that you are supposed to wait until diatoms are over then hair algae had to form then you get fish. I got fish right before hair algae formed because i did not know. But i also read that the hair algae was supposed to almost take over your tank but i only got a few strands of it.
Also my tank has now started cycling randomly again after having fish in it for almost two months and i really don’t know what happened. Any idea’s

 

[CJB]

For the most part, your tank will always be in a perpetual cycle. Did you move any rocks around recently? Any exposure to more light or change feeding schedule?

 

[Woodchip]

Yes i did move rock around and feeding i don’t havea super strict schedule i feed every other day brine shrimp and sometimes bloodworms and krill

 

[Woodchip]

Light just goes through its cycle

 

[CJB]

When you do your maintenance do you vacuum your sand? Sometimes when moving rocks around, it can stir up dead spots and detritus causing a spike in your nutrients which can cause a boost in algae growth and throw other things off in your tank. I’ve lost corals due to moving rocks around sometimes. Try to eliminate dead spots by increasing flow and getting things that will turn your sand over just enough to help with excess nutrients.

 

[Woodchip]

I do a Willy water change of about 20%

 

[Woodchip]

Weekly not Willy sorry

 

[Woodchip]

Would just moving rock around cause nitrite and nitrate to spike so high that my test kit doesn’t have enough colors to show how high it is for multiple weeks or do you think i should see if my test kit is not showing true results?

 

[CJB]

What is your test kit reading? And yes if there is enough trapped debris it could cause problems. Do you have any corals? How are your fish looking? For multiple weeks nitrates that high would most likely indirectly kill any livestock you have. I would purchase new test kits or go to LFS and have them check your water. Also it is possible that your fish have become accustomed to the high nitrates.

 

[Jedi1199]

How big is your tank?

 

[Woodchip]

It is a thirty gallon with three fish they are all acting normal and eating a ton. Yes i do have coals and they aren’t looking great

 

[CJB]

Can you post some pictures? And are you feeding all three of those food types every other day? Or just one? What do you have for filtration and bio media. I’m sorry for al the questions just trying to figure out and help out as best I can

 

[Jedi1199]

Would just moving rock around cause nitrite and nitrate to spike so high that my test kit doesn’t have enough colors to show how high it is for multiple weeks or do you think i should see if my test kit is not showing true results?

What test kit are you using?

 

[Woodchip]

I feed one or two of those foods but not even one block of it is brine or blood worms i have a 5 gallon sump and carbon and filter resin in it. I am using api test kit

 

[CJB]

API can be inaccurate,I recommend using salifert or any Hanna testers. Invest into putting some bio balls or Biohome ultimate marine filter media in your sump to help combat the excess nutrients. You can never have to much of bio media. The biological media will help soak up any excess nutrients in your water Column. How long has this system been running?

 

[Woodchip]

It has been going two months with fish after a month and a half cycle

 

[Jedi1199]

OK... here is my advice. Keep on reefing on. If your fish are happy and healthy, then you are on the right track. Your tank is still "young". Don't be too focused on chasing numbers. Maintaining a stable system IMO is far more important that hitting that "perfect" number.

I do suggest replacing the API test kits. They are notorious for false readings. I suspect your numbers are not nearly as bad as you think.

For what its worth, my tank numbers are what most would consider "way off". I don't care. My livestock is happy, healthy and thriving. The secret is to keep those parameters as stable as possible!!

 

[CJB]

I 100 percent agree with Jedi. Don’t chase numbers, consistency is what you are looking for. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Woodchip]

Thank you guys so much for all of your help

 

[CJB]

But a quick fix for the nitrates for now, I would suggest a 10-15% water change every other day until you’ve turned the whole tank over. Or you can just wait it out when you add more biomedia to your sump to should get better with nutrients eventually, be patience is key don’t do any darastic.