Feedback

[JustKoch]

Howdy folks - so I set up my tank Thursday and have started the cycling process. Right now it is just filled with live rocks and sand in a Innovative Marine AIO 40 gallon tank. I added bacteria spike to the tank as per my LFS recommendation. The salt water also came from the LFS as well it was already pre made. So this morning decided to do a chemical test since it has been 48 hours since set up and the tank is clear. (Looking beautiful) So my pH was showing up at 8.2 which is pretty good. But my ammonia was showing up at .2 So trying to figure out what could have potentially cause a small ammonia in the tank. Would it come from the live rocks or ? Any feedback would greatly be appreciated.

Had thought about adding a clown fish to help with the cycling - but don't want to providing the ammonia is at .2 right now and rather see it at 0.

Thank you and have a great day!

 

[redfishbluefish]

What test kit are you using? If it's API, they are know to give funny numbers.

 

[JustKoch]

Actually Red Sea

 

[anthonygf]

Howdy folks - so I set up my tank Thursday and have started the cycling process. Right now it is just filled with live rocks and sand in a Innovative Marine AIO 40 gallon tank. I added bacteria spike to the tank as per my LFS recommendation. The salt water also came from the LFS as well it was already pre made. So this morning decided to do a chemical test since it has been 48 hours since set up and the tank is clear. (Looking beautiful) So my pH was showing up at 8.2 which is pretty good. But my ammonia was showing up at .2 So trying to figure out what could have potentially cause a small ammonia in the tank. Would it come from the live rocks or ? Any feedback would greatly be appreciated.

Had thought about adding a clown fish to help with the cycling - but don't want to providing the ammonia is at .2 right now and rather see it at 0.

Thank you and have a great day!

If you are using real live rock and sand I would start with a few clowns and keep an eye on amonia with a Salifert test kit. I started my 46g bowfront reef the same way 4 years ago and never had any trouble, never got an amonia spike. I tested all parameters daily because I was new to salt and is the best way to learn the different elements and how they are used.

 

[anthonygf]

Actually Red Sea

I don't see any powerheads in your tank for water movement. Do you have any wave makers? You need water movement around and through the rocks, something small, that is the only way the bacteria in the rocks can get the amonia to feed on.

 

[JustKoch]

I don't see any powerheads in your tank for water movement. Do you have any wave makers? You need water movement around and through the rocks, something small, that is the only way the bacteria in the rocks can get the amonia to feed on.

Actually there is two up on the top in the middle where I see water waves coming through from the water pump. Is that not significant enough? Water is circulating when I look. If you look at the picture of the tank look in the middle at the top.

 

[anthonygf]

Actually there is two up on the top in the middle where I see water waves coming through from the water pump. Is that not significant enough? Water is circulating when I look. If you look at the picture of the tank look in the middle at the top.

Too much reflection, I can't see them. But if you can see particles flowing around through the rocks you are good. You may want to add a small one behind the rockwork to prevent dead spots, I have three, two at the top and one on the right side panel close to the bottom under the Duncan rock. I have no sand behind the rocks for detritus to build up and not have sand blowing around, so I have both bare bottom and sand.

 

[JustKoch]

Too much reflection, I can't see them. But if you can see particles flowing around through the rocks you are good. You may want to add a small one behind the rockwork to prevent dead spots, I have three, two at the top and one on the right side panel close to the bottom under the Duncan rock. I have no sand behind the rocks for detritus to build up and not have sand blowing around, so I have both bare bottom and sand.

I did pick up a Nero 3 - haven't installed it yet so assume I should go ahead and do that?

 

[anthonygf]

I did pick up a Nero 3 - haven't installed it yet so assume I should go ahead and do that?

That will work. I actually have the Duncan rock resting on the pump. I don't usually clean the pumps until they stop working then replace it with a spare and soak the pump in solution of citric acid for a few days, clean thoroughly and check for operation and set aside until needed. I have 2 or 3 spares when I need them. I hate to mess with the tank too often.

 

[anthonygf]

I did pick up a Nero 3 - haven't installed it yet so assume I should go ahead and do that?

WOW! The Nero-3 is expensive. I buy the cheap ones so I can have several and for $60 can still have several speeds and wave functions, but a little bulky and unsightly a little.

 

[rmurken]

I would wait until your ammonia is zero, then add few fish. Chances are you’ll get to 0 in short order since you have the live rock, the bottle bacteria, and the sand. Ammonia is pretty much to be expected in a new tank, and you’re better off giving the biofilter some time to get established before subjecting fish to it. Honestly your ammonia could still go up further before it comes down, and it wouldn’t mean anything is amiss—just that it’s too soon to add livestock.

There’s also plenty written on using fish food, frozen shrimp, and even ammonia or ammonium chloride to get your cycle established. You may have enough organic stuff in there that you don’t need it. But it doesn’t hurt to go the ammonia/ammonium route and see how quickly the system consumes it.

 

[JustKoch]

I would wait until your ammonia is zero, then add few fish. Chances are you’ll get to 0 in short order since you have the live rock, the bottle bacteria, and the sand. Ammonia is pretty much to be expected in a new tank, and you’re better off giving the biofilter some time to get established before subjecting fish to it. Honestly your ammonia could still go up further before it comes down, and it wouldn’t mean anything is amiss—just that it’s too soon to add livestock.

There’s also plenty written on using fish food, frozen shrimp, and even ammonia or ammonium chloride to get your cycle established. You may have enough organic stuff in there that you don’t need it. But it doesn’t hurt to go the ammonia/ammonium route and see how quickly the system consumes it.

Thanks for the feedbacks everyone now I went back to the fish store today to inquire about the ammonia because it was their water I had bought. So they said to me because I had Live Rocks and I had put in Turbo booster (which is what they told me I should do since I had live Rocks and etc) then they were like you're supposed to put a fish in there within 24 hours after putting Turbo boost aka bacteria in the tank. But I was like makes no sense if my ammonia is at .2 - I ain't gonna stress out the fish by doing so. Didn't get the fish but they were like well since you already did it you need to do the quick cycle. ( Bummed by this but I'm learning from this too for future builds so I'm not making the same mistakes).

 

[rmurken]

Good call. I don’t understand why they’d tell you to put a fish in a tank that still has ammonia in it. Bottled bacteria is fine, but it’s not magic pixie dust.