Help understanding cycle

[91Atrac]

So I never followed rules and chemistry. If I didn't have ammonia I would add fish and things went good.

Now.. I'm in a business and need to understand this to a T so I can confront my clients and for self knowledge.

I have a 150g at :

0-.25ppm ammonia
50- + nitrates
1 - + nitrites

Also have a 15g at:

0 ammonia
5 nitrates
0 Nitrites

So.... Next steps I should take on the 150g are to water change to drop nitrates and nitrites? Or add chemicals like prime?

Educate me please

 

[NanaReefer]

How long has the 150 been running? The 15g you could do a small water change to lower NO3.

 

[91Atrac]

How long has the 150 been running? The 15g you could do a small water change to lower NO3.

150g has been.... Two weeks or so. Doesn't have much LR in it. Was originally dry pukani but I've been dosing Seachems stability to get the bacteria cultures growing.

Will the bacteria end up breaking down into lower numbers or will I need to keep up with water changes to drop the parameters? :/

 

[Untamedrose]

Its more biology then chemistry...if that helps.
Something eats everything............

Fish poop....food decays.....this makes ammonia.
Ammonia is the food for types of bacteria that live in our live rocks...............those bacteria poop out nitrates..... which feed another type of bacterial.......which poop out nitrites......which another type will eat.........

You need in both these tanks to build up the bacteria population to handle the bio load from fish poop and over feeding....

 

[NanaReefer]

Two weeks really isn't that long. Especially inna tank that size with little rock. I would give it another week or two. Allowing the bacteria to multiply thus bringing the ammonia & nitrites down. The bacteria will not break down as long as there is a food source. Which you have [emoji2]
Here's a good read on The Nitrogen Cycle.
http://saltwateraquariumhobby.com/saltwater-aquarium-cycling/nitrogen-cycle/

 

[91Atrac]

Thanks for helping and not mocking guys. Just new to the "biology" of "cycle". I'll give it a week and see what the readings are.

I'll be cycling another 150g soon and it'll have tons of food for the bacteria to munch on. Rock has lots of die off so yea. It'll take some time but I never thought the ammonia would turn into nitrates and nitrites tho. Blows my mind hahaha.

 

[Untamedrose]

This isnt a tada week thing....month at least.... 6 weeks is average. Make sure you have good surface flow...surface to air helps.

 

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

 

[brandon429]

Your stated numbers need to be a range and a time frame to be helpful

as a snapshot set of readings, seeing no pics of rock (to look for benthic life) or knowing the param ranges from 24 hours ago after an ammonia boost we can't pinpoint where you are at.

 

[91Atrac]

K well we have little to no ammonia. I'll check for sure in the AM when it's cycled another day. Give another shot at the parameters. The 150g is priority as I know the nano is done its cycle cuz the amount of rock in the tank is a great volume for the gallons it is.

Alright. So 150g is being run by dried pukani from Fijijirock.com or something like that here in Canada.

 

[91Atrac]

Also today I did a 60% water change and nitrates did not drop!

 

[brandon429]

91atrac
if your rocks are group A from the example thread then it's easy to cycle them with dr tims

 

[91Atrac]

Help me understand this or don't comment. Simple as that.

 

[91Atrac]

we still do not know if your rocks are group a or group b

Going back to edit 90% of my earlier post leaving only the link based on your follow up

I'll read over the thread links in the morning. No intention of adding anything to he tank of course so tank will be fine overnight.

Now on a solid note not pointing gingers to anyone as of yet except the first shot k took at someone.

I've kept several very healthy tanks on and off in my entire reef keeping career.I'm doing this for education purposes.

 

[brandon429]

Yes but this is like a locker room at times towel snaps happen

My post seemed like it would be confusing.

nobody got out the icy hot :) nice shove back it's the proper action. Anyone who posts a firm opinion is doing their part in the aquarium universe from that we take the tidbits and sometimes there are none we just marvel

 

[91Atrac]

Yes but this is like a locker room towel snaps happen

nobody got out the icy hot :) nice shove back it's the proper action.

Hahhahahaa! Yea those people will come about. Still standing my ground tho. Will not tolerate any bashery

 

[Untamedrose]

This does help...you dont know fish...even at a basic bare bones noobie level.....dont screw other people it will get you in trouble.

 

[91Atrac]

Well I know basics and water changes have been my best friend in the past. Saved me many times. So figured a large water change would drop the nitrates... Clearly it did nothing so I'll wait it out longer. Simple as that.

Just use to think of ammonia wasn't there then it was safe and it never harmed me in the past. Just want to do better from now on is all man.

 

[brandon429]

I had to read Randy's nitrate in the reef tank article three times to understand some of it. I took away that storing detritus was known bad even in 2004 but the masses still do this anyway


Having nitrate at all can be traced back to known submersion time frames for your rock though you haven't said how long they've been underwater.

 

[91Atrac]

True brandon249

They've been first soaked in freshwater to rinse out tons of the dead matter and then after that dried, then now in the 150g. So they've been all over the place.