Tank Un-cycled Help please

[MnFish1]

Okay I'm sure you know. I remember when you came over and tested my tank water.

Actually - I was implying (directly saying -no offense) - your tests were wrong - or misinterpreted.
Before you are suggesting that I'm being rude or something - biology is biology. There is no way it can take 8 months to cycle a tank - unless there is a mistake somewhere - this is said in all friendliness - not anger

 

[William Mumford]

That is a myth - nothing takes forever. Bacteria is bacteria. Whenever someone has a problem - they say - your tank is not 'mature enough'. Of course they cant define what that means. And - depending on the water flow - water changes do not get rid of ammonia 'only in the water column'. The water on the rocks is also in the 'water column'. Now - this is not to say - there aren't localized concentrations of high ammonia - there probably are - but - this - no... unless you have some evidence- which everyone would like to see...

Do you use rocks with holes or concrete there is no way to get the most heavy concentrated areas. That is why is spikes.

 

[William Mumford]

Actually - I was implying (directly saying -no offense) - your tests were wrong - or misinterpreted.
Before you are suggesting that I'm being rude or something - biology is biology. There is no way it can take 8 months to cycle a tank - unless there is a mistake somewhere - this is said in all friendliness - not anger

Badges and tests were wrong or misinterpreted. How could you possibly know??? Just wondering I know you said your fishtank store thing.

 

[MnFish1]

Badges and tests were wrong or misinterpreted. How could you possibly know??? Just wondering I know you said your fishtank store thing.

Actually - I was suggesting that ((I dont have a fishtanks store thing) ) - your tests were incorrect. Maybe @brandon429 can expand. I wasnt in your house - I dont know what you were mistakenly adding or subtracting - but - there is no way it way anyone would think it takes 8 months to cycle a tank - without a mistake - I would suggest you search for that mistake. Good luck

 

[MnFish1]

I disagree - depending on the flow in the tank - that seems wrong

 

[Ryan9316]

Well, I've done the 90% water change, I'm not going to add anything expect the badge and carbon tomorrow. I'll update you guys every day with what's going on in the tank.

 

[SeaDweller]

Well, I've done the 90% water change, I'm not going to add anything expect the badge and carbon tomorrow. I'll update you guys every day with what's going on in the tank.

Honestly, on a tank that small, a 90-100% WC would have been the first move, not adding or removing anything, but I can see why such a small tank could potentially have some issues. As has been stated, you were probably chasing your tail by using a junk test kit. Leave things alone, alot of people have a knee jerk reflex when it comes to this hobby and start doing a ton of things at once, like you did, and make things worse. good luck

 

[Ryan9316]

Honestly, on a tank that small, a 90-100% WC would have been the first move, not adding or removing anything, but I can see why such a small tank could potentially have some issues. As has been stated, you were probably chasing your tail by using a junk test kit. Leave things alone, alot of people have a knee jerk reflex when it comes to this hobby and start doing a ton of things at once, like you did, and make things worse. good luck

I've done probably tons of huge water changes, I leave it alone and test ammonia, a week later it's high. We will see if it was the kit soon. thank you!

 

[SeaDweller]

I've done probably tons of huge water changes, I leave it alone and test ammonia, a week later it's high. We will see if it was the kit soon. thank you!

I honestly think all will fall into place for you...your rock and sand alone can handle the NH3 I bet...

 

[Ryan9316]

I honestly think all will fall into place for you...your rock and sand alone can handle the NH3 I bet...

Haha, that would be amazing, because I've seriously considered getting out of the hobby. Watching my coral die for what seems like no reason has been very depressing. But I've been doing this two months and it's hasn't gotten better so we will see

 

[MnFish1]

Haha, that would be amazing, because I've seriously considered getting out of the hobby. Watching my coral die for what seems like no reason has been very depressing. But I've been doing this two months and it's hasn't gotten better so we will see

Lots of people (myself included) have seen coral die in 'perfect condition'. If (and I know this sounds harsh - but its not meant that way) you cant handle it - it might be best to just keep fish - because (despite all of the coral experts here) - MANY many people have lost coral unexpectedly - no one knows why - though many will try to explain. Good luck

 

[brandon429]

plus, check out his corals from the bottom up. no rtn

no history of issues, full flesh. thats a prime candidate tank for quit messing with po4 and just feed export, feed export, hold a work standard thats not been applied for 8 weeks and report back.

it'll fix ya up for sure. tank cpr.

so in other words if you posted a pic of the tank wo any reports of mis testing, we couldnt tell you've had troubles other than corals closed up. I bet your big water change was safe/ideal about to happen as long as it didnt kick up a bunch of waste. good moves here.

 

[SeaDweller]

plus, check out his corals from the bottom up. no rtn

no history of issues, full flesh. thats a prime candidate tank for quit messing with po4 and just feed export, feed export, hold a work standard thats not been applied for 8 weeks and report back.

it'll fix ya up for sure. tank cpr.

so in other words if you posted a pic of the tank wo any reports of mis testing, we couldnt tell you've had troubles other than corals closed up. I bet your big water change was safe/ideal about to happen as long as it didnt kick up a bunch of waste. good moves here.

Honestly, I don't think you can stress enough the importance of feeding and exporting, feeding, exporting, etc. This is what will keep fish, microfauna, bacteria, and ultimately, corals happy. I think at some point in time, we've all (probably) fallen into the trap of keeping nutrients low, feeding once a day (or less) and starving our WHOLE tanks. I'm glad you pointed this out and hope others will read it too! I was guilty of that in the past, and in hindsight, seeing skinny fish with sunken in bellies is no fun. It's like looking at a child who's obviously emaciated and thinking that's ok.

 

[brandon429]

my reef weighs 15 pounds all running/ am easily spoiled on feed/water change cpr but it works. I myself consider the right size for anyones tank isn't the largest (and claimed most stable)

its whatever gallonage of water you are able to manipulate fully, if required, and not in parts. if a system is so big that you can't hardly access that water for a rip clean, or the bottom most rocks for scraping out brush algae, then we've chosen the wrong size tank at least for guaranteed safe running. his willingness to access this tank so far means its the right size imo.


*of course nobody can rip clean 800 gallon reefs lol as easy, they're water balancers/sages/pros but if I had a tank that big, UV oversized big time would be running on it that way some other system is accessing all the water, always. I think that's why zoos use UV almost in every case, its to have access to all water if needed in the best way a big tank can access.

Any system you have whole instant access to can simply be forced to run forever, this is why we dont have trouble making canning jars into sps reefs that never die. its bc we can access all water, always. you guys get all the good fish tho
b

 

[Bastray]

I was in the same boat a year and a half ago. Honestly, I did more harm than good by constantly changing things and worrying about fixing everything. I have pulled all GFO, carbon dosing, etc and focus on water changes, keeping things simple and not changing anything and my tank has never been better. If I see a problem now I wait it out and see if it gets better on its own and it usually does. I might up my water changes if I see issues but that is it. My tank is very stable now, no coal deaths in around a year, and ALK consumption has quadrupled as a result of keeping things simple.

if you need to, do daily water changes while this works itself out. Make sure that your target parameters match whatever salt your using so the water changes keep things stable as well

it’s hard to ignore the advice of change this and change that when things are going wrong.I always felt like I was being active in trying to make the tank better by changing everything to fix a problem, but I was the problem for not letting things be.

That is my 2 cents

 

[Ryan9316]

Lots of people (myself included) have seen coral die in 'perfect condition'. If (and I know this sounds harsh - but its not meant that way) you cant handle it - it might be best to just keep fish - because (despite all of the coral experts here) - MANY many people have lost coral unexpectedly - no one knows why - though many will try to explain. Good luck

Not offended at all, I wish I could just keep fish, that would be so easy. But I love the challenge and reward of growing coral, I'd rather just have a fishless tank only coral lol

 

[MnFish1]

Do you use rocks with holes or concrete there is no way to get the most heavy concentrated areas. That is why is spikes.

No

 

[MnFish1]

Not offended at all, I wish I could just keep fish, that would be so easy. But I love the challenge and reward of growing coral, I'd rather just have a fishless tank only coral lol

Patience is virtue. I would wait on the current issue - since you've probably read that maxim (that I dont subscribe to) - that nothing happens 'quickly' in the hobby - in this case just wait - some corals will come back - you will find the cause - if you keep changing and changing and changing - you might be making a mistake

 

[William Mumford]

Actually - I was suggesting that ((I dont have a fishtanks store thing) ) - your tests were incorrect. Maybe @brandon429 can expand. I wasnt in your house - I dont know what you were mistakenly adding or subtracting - but - there is no way it way anyone would think it takes 8 months to cycle a tank - without a mistake - I would suggest you search for that mistake. Good luck

My tanks fine wasnt the one with the problem. I am so glad I found the person with all answers though when I do need a helping friendly hand.

 

[MnFish1]

My tanks fine wasnt the one with the problem. I am so glad I found the person with all answers though when I do need a helping friendly hand.

Your right- I should have said 'his tests were incorrect', that I wasnt in 'his house', and that I didnt know what 'he' was adding or subtracting.

As to the rest - I think I was answering your question when you asked me 'how could I know?' If you didnt want the answer why did you ask me. To clarify - the reason I know it had to be an error is that it cannot take 8 months to cycle a tank - unless there is a mistake in testing - or adding something that can affect the cycle.