cycle

I just finished cycling my rock in a trash can. It's been about 3 weeks since I started. The nitrites were sitting at 5 ppm and my Nitrates were at about 20 ppm. I've been doing 25% water changes trying to reduce those. However, each time it still says 5 ppm and 20 ppm for each. If the nitrite...

I am currently cycling my live rock and live sand in a trash can. My question is, once the cycle is complete, do I have to periodically add Ammonia Chloride until I add livestock? I won't be adding any livestock until June once I have moved. And that's just adding them to the 20 gallon QT that I...

I am currently cycling my live rock and live sand in a trash can. My question is, once the cycle is complete, do I have to periodically add Ammonia Chloride until I add livestock? I won't be adding any livestock until June once I have moved. And that's just adding them to the 20 gallon QT that I...

Hi everyone, I'm totally new to this and I have my tank (46 gal) in its 2nd week of water cycle. My salinity measure was 1127 2 weeks ago and now it reaches 1131. However, the algae is still growing according to the instructions/guide I read. Is it necessary to lower the salinity and how should...

Does a saltwater quarantine tank have to be fully cycled normally? Or is it easy enough to "seed" filter sponges by pouring Dr. Tim's One and Only over them? I am currently cycling the bio media (sand and live rock) for my new tank and I'm wondering if I can instantly setup a QT so that I can...

I am moving on June 1st; only about 2 hours away. I know cycling takes time to build a good bacteria population (I have some freshwater tanks). I have my first saltwater tank already. I am wondering if it would be a terrible idea to start cycling my tank now and move it on that day. Would moving...

My first saltwater aquarium! I’m having some difficulty understanding why I have trace amounts of Ammonia, 0Nitrites and a possible 10ppm for Nitrates. Is it my eyes seeing the faint green for Ammonia or is the API liquid test kit just not going to distinguish a very true yellow for 0...

I am cycling my first tank and the pH is about 7.5. Is it normal for it to be this low before there’s anything in it?

I used Dr Tims all in one and dosed ammonia to cycle my tank. My tank has been cycling for around a month now and I thought it was finished. All of my readings were indicative of a finished cycle (ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: through the roof) and so I decided to get two clownfish. Its...

1) Problem: (Growing Despair) 75 gallon, bare bottom, dry rock fishless cycle using Microbacter7 (per instructions) using new API tests. Now at 7 weeks I still have a consistent 2ppm ammonia (initially from raw shrimp, and now Dr. Tim's ammonia) but the ammonia level never drops, and I've...

Ive posted here before and Im sorry if im taking too much of your time guys but youve been really helpful. Brief background behind the question is that my bachelor thesis is about designing a smart aquarium. **Some more elaboration on the question:** It doesnt really make sense to have 20...

I'm restarting a tank after a 2 year break and want to avoid pests. I've bleached my old rock and equipment but have a 4 year old bag of unused dry Aragonite. Can I consider that substrate pest free at this point to rinse in RODI water and add to my cycle tank? Or should it still be sterilized...

Link to my new AIO thread build: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/aquatop-40g-aio-formerly-29g-build.815779/ Hello Hello! Finally after months of research and gathering equipment, I was finally able to setup my 29 gallon tank yesterday evening. Please excuse the heater and the huge powerhead...

Two weeks into cycling my tank, it’s never been uglier lol. Brown algae everywhere with hair algae sprinkled in. But my ammonia is below 0.02ppm and these are my current parameters tested with api salt/fresh 5 in 1 test strips. Question is, does it look like so good so far? I’m used to...

I’m currently a week into cycling my tank with live rock from a friends tank thats been established for years now, and a clown fish. And I noticed that my parameters are still down, ammonia etc.. but now i have all this algae growing. Is that normal?

Hi, I have been cycling my tank for 1 month now, I have got lots of maxspect bioballs in the filtration and have been adding special blend bacteria twice weekly. I have upped my ghost feeding to a decent amount everyday but my ammonia has only gone up to 0.25 and I still don’t have a nitrate or...

Hello! I will summarize at the end and provide photos if you don't want to read my initial tank journey from start to now, but here we go! I included the journey only because maybe there was a misstep I took that can explain things. Look for the colored markers if you want quick notes, and...

Hey all, this is my first time posting on here so go easy on me! Also new with saltwater in general, but I have been freshwater fish keeping for a few years, I know, apples to oranges. But I’m in the middle of cycling my tank, it has been going since middle of December. I started with dry rock...

Hello again. 2nd post yay! I'm getting my Ai Prime 16HD on Monday and I've got a few questions. Since my aquarium is in its VERY early stages of even cycling I do not know if it is wise to stick it on there and set up a schedule immediately. Like I said in my previous post that I have about...

Getting back into the hobby after being out for 6 years after moving. A lot has changed in the hobby in such a short time. I a, now trying RODI and my output is testing at 2ppm. However two nights ago I set up the aquarium added base rock and live sand. I added my RODI water and salt. Now the is...

Hello, a few days ago I posted a thread asking how to revive my neglected aquarium. You guys all had such good advice and with some additional tips from my local LFS I am now heading the right direction again with the tank. Just to quickly recap I left my 54 gallon corner in my basement...

Hi guys. I've been cycling this tank for almost 3 weeks now. I have used 2 shrimp and a bottle of Dr Tim's one and only. I'm seeing this white grey mould like film covering probes and wave pumps. The water kinda smells like mould too. I've used RODI water and tropic marin salt. Ammonia currently...

Hello Reefers. I don't know if this had been made here before but I want to built a innovative marine 10 gallons tank with all idea and help from you guys. it a long shot but it could work. please help me from pick a rock, sand, light and other stuff that I don't have. as of now I only have...

Hello all, I am a returning member of the reef community after years off, and new to the site! Please excuse me while I learn the etiquette and how to ask what I'm thinking in my head. I've set up a 20G Nuvo Peninsula tank in my office and so far here is what I've done. I'm mainly concerned...

I’ve been cycling down for almost a month, my ammonia has gone sky high and come back, my NITRATE has gone sky high come back down to around 10ppm and is again high(160ppm) my nitrites has gone high, and has remained there. is my cycle complete, and just needing a water change?