Cycling a 10 gallon aquarium

[jgoad92]

 

[jgoad92]

Just added these today

 

[Invader_Moose]

Nice, are you keeping up on you alk and calcium? Have the zoas and mushrooms opened up?

 

[jgoad92]

I have never tested any of that. I just change 2 or 3 gallons every week so I’m guessing that’s been keeping those stable because everything is open and looking good. I haven’t notice really any growth but I guess it hasn’t really been that long

 

[Invader_Moose]

Glad everything is doing well! 2-3 gallons is probably keeping it in check for now, though it would be good practice to start testing those weekly before and a few hours after your water change that way you can see what is being consumed and start getting used to the color charts lol

 

[jgoad92]

I guess I need to get those test kits. How do I keep it in check if it does get low? Do I just do bigger and more frequent water changes?

 

[Invader_Moose]

With your corals weekly water changes should keep them on track with little issue but if it starts dropping lower then you'd like a small bottle of two part calcium and alk like reef fusion 1&2 would be good to have on hand.

 

[jgoad92]

I’ll look into getting some of that.
I don’t feed any of these corals. Would they benefit and grow quicker if I feed them or would it be about the same?

 

[Invader_Moose]

They are probably getting all the "food" they need from fish food and waste breaking down. Best growth comes from stable water parameters (salinity, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium) and lighting.
Edit: plus good flow

 

[jgoad92]

What kind of algae is this? It has been coming back shortly after I do water changes and syphon it up just on that one side of my tank. My Mexican turbo snail doesn’t seem interested in it. How can I get rid of it?

 

[thaitopher]

What kind of algae is this? It has been coming back shortly after I do water changes and syphon it up just on that one side of my tank. My Mexican turbo snail doesn’t seem interested in it. How can I get rid of it?

That coral isn't looking healthy at all. You will probably lose it soon. Skeleton showing which is usually a sign of impending death.

 

[jgoad92]

That’s how I bought it. I just assumed that’s where one was fragged off of

 

[jgoad92]

If there is something wrong with it is there anything I can do to save it? There are several small babies showing on the parts that are alive

 

[thaitopher]

That’s how I bought it. I just assumed that’s where one was fragged off of

I would generally stay away from corals that have a missing head like the one you bought. Probably means it wasn't healthy to begin with. How long have you had it? Best thing to do is just not to move it, make sure wate parameters are fine but don't let algae get anywhere close or it could get brown jelly disease. Did you buy it online or at a local fish store? Is that a frogspawn or hammer? Having some flow around the coral would help in keepinf algae away. If it is frogspawn they are really hard and might recover. I am 1 for 2 on recovering frogspawn when damaged. My first frogspawn had a damaged head during shipping got brown kelly disease and never made it. The second one I boight had a rock fall on it and exposed the skeleton. I put the exposed part under a rock to keep algae away and it eventually recovered.

 

[Invader_Moose]

The algae you're seeing is Cyanobacteria (Red slime algae). Chemiclean can solve that issue but I'd give your corals a bit more time before treating. The frogspawn does have the appearance of having been stressed at some point. Are the polyps extended during the day?

 

[Crreef]

You could put a raw shrimp from the deli section of a grocery store in the tank and wait or you can buy starter kits of bacteria that will cycle your aqarium in 24 hours.

 

[jgoad92]

I would generally stay away from corals that have a missing head like the one you bought. Probably means it wasn't healthy to begin with. How long have you had it? Best thing to do is just not to move it, make sure wate parameters are fine but don't let algae get anywhere close or it could get brown jelly disease. Did you buy it online or at a local fish store? Is that a frogspawn or hammer? Having some flow around the coral would help in keepinf algae away. If it is frogspawn they are really hard and might recover. I am 1 for 2 on recovering frogspawn when damaged. My first frogspawn had a damaged head during shipping got brown kelly disease and never made it. The second one I boight had a rock fall on it and exposed the skeleton. I put the exposed part under a rock to keep algae away and it eventually recovered.

I think it’s a frogspawn and I got it from a local fish store. I didn’t really question it. I probably should have but everything else I got there is doing good. although I do have questions about my Xenia. It looked good at the store but it doesn’t look that great in my tank now. I’ll post a picture of it soon. But my zoas, mushroom and green cabbage leather are doing great

 

[jgoad92]

The algae you're seeing is Cyanobacteria (Red slime algae). Chemiclean can solve that issue but I'd give your corals a bit more time before treating. The frogspawn does have the appearance of having been stressed at some point. Are the polyps extended during the day?

They do extend pretty far during the day but I think they can extend a lot further. Will directing more flow to it help them extend further? How much more time do you think until I can treat the Cyanobacteria?

 

[jgoad92]

Here is the Xenia I have questions about. Part of it looks healthy and the rest isn’t pulsing and doesn’t look as great as the part in the back

 

[Pittsford_Pets]

1. Use pure ammonia in cleaning supplies section from Ace. They are only one with 100% pure ammonia. If un sure shake the bottle, if it foams it's no good. If you find 100% pure ammonia dose to 2 ppm.

2. get a deli shrimp from frozen section and throw it in there in a media sock till Ammonia hits 2ppm.

3. Urinate in the tank a little.

One of those methods will get you to kick-start the nitrogen cycle. Good luck

Did you just say urinate in the tank