Tank is finished cycling. Now what?

[Novicereefer]

Hey,

So I restarted my 20g high because it crashed. Monday I did a 95% or as much as I could water change, deeeeeep clean. I added bio Spira and a small rock from my LFS. Not sure how long it was in their tank. Tuesday I added Dr. Tim's One and only. I tested the water and ammonia was at about 1ppm and nitrite was about 1/2ppm. Wednesday I added a bigger from from another LFS I trust. He packaged it in a bag of water from his sump. He said the rock been in there for 7 yrs so this should drastically speed the process up. In the process I got 2 damsels. Friday my ammonia dropped to 1/4ppm and nitrite to 1/4ppm. Damsels are eating and living life . Lights have been off the entire time. I'm assuming the cycle will be finished within a day or so. Besides a 50% water, should I do anything else? When can I add fish? I want to add a pair of 2+ inch clowns. I will be bringing back the damsels because they'll get in the way with what I'm trying to do which is 2 have a LPS and Soft coral tank with 2 clowns and a fish to portrol the sand. Nothing crazy.

 

[Screwgunner]

As soon as you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites and show nitrates you are done with cycle. Just do 4 gallon water changes once a week thats it . Happy reefing. I would start out every two weeks . If nitrates start to climb to high go back to once a week water changes.

 

[Novicereefer]

As soon as you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites and show nitrates you are done with cycle. Just do 4 gallon water changes once a week thats it . Happy reefing. I would start out every two weeks . If nitrates start to climb to high go back to once a week water changes.

Ok cool so you wouldn't do a huge water change like 50% when the cycle is finished?

 

[Screwgunner]

If your nitrates are high i would do a big water change . If you have 10 nitrates and do a 50 % water change you will be at 5 . If you plan on corals you want to keep nitrates low. 20% weekly water change will do good . Fish only 10% would be ok.

 

[Screwgunner]

If you have a skimmer 10% would be good .

 

[Novicereefer]

If your nitrates are high i would do a big water change . If you have 10 nitrates and do a 50 % water change you will be at 5 . If you plan on corals you want to keep nitrates low. 20% weekly water change will do good . Fish only 10% would be ok.

Ohhhhhhh! Got it! Makes so much sense. Thank you!

 

[Uncle99]

A 7 year old piece of rock and a bacteria load, would allow fish addition immediately, IMM.
The 50% one time change would chop your nitrates in half.
Slow adds.
Trace ammonia is hard to get a good test on, many stick on .25, when in fact, it’s zero.
Gone are the days of long cycles.

 

[johnreef]

i wont put anything lives into the tank once it shows nh4 and no2, i will perform water changes weekly and wait till they both drop down and show zero.

 

[aSaltyKlown]

i wont put anything lives into the tank once it shows nh4 and no2, i will perform water changes weekly and wait till they both drop down and show zero.

With two bottles of bac and a known good large piece of live rock, fish could have gone in day one. The damsels were fine and prove that the tank can sustain life. 1 or 2 fish to start since you are swapping the damsels, grab some coral while you are at it. As far as nitrates go, as long as they are below 20ppm I'm happy and so are my corals.