I need help - cycle

[Caito]

Tank has been ‘cycling’ for 5 weeks now. 32 gal 3ft
Have sand and dry rock in it from day 1
Added clean up crew per the instruction of my LFS for 19 days now
Havent added any fish yet because my parameters are absolutely shocking. I don’t understand why.
I feed a tiny bit of brine shrimp every second day, have a protein skimmer running and a canister filter and wave pump. Lights are off only natural light
I used Redsea starter kit ‘reef mature’ for the 21 days
Using redsea test kits
Please help I’m over it
ammonia is at 1.2
ph 8.4
KH 6.5
NitrAte 20-50
NitrIte is 0.5

 

[fachatga]

Of you have nitrite your cycle is progressing. Just wait it out. How high did the ammonia get? Shouldn’t be long before you can do a big water change and add some fish. Have you had your protein skimmer tuning the whole time? It should be off when you add the starter bacteria. Might have slowed down the bacteria growth.

 

[Cell]

If your clean up crew is fine, your ammonia level is also fine. I'm not familiar with the Redsea starter kit, but 4-5 weeks with dry rocks and an ammonia source should be sufficent. @brandon429

 

[Reef.]

Not sure why this is an emergency…

Stop adding the food, wait till the ammonia is zero, then If you want to check you are cycled which you should be, you can buy dr Tim’s ammonia dose 2ppm and see if it goes to zero in 24 hours, then you’ll know for sure you are cycled.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tank has been ‘cycling’ for 5 weeks now. 32 gal 3ft
Have sand and dry rock in it from day 1
Added clean up crew per the instruction of my LFS for 19 days now
Havent added any fish yet because my parameters are absolutely shocking. I don’t understand why.
I feed a tiny bit of brine shrimp every second day, have a protein skimmer running and a canister filter and wave pump. Lights are off only natural light
I used Redsea starter kit ‘reef mature’ for the 21 days
Using redsea test kits
Please help I’m over it
ammonia is at 1.2
ph 8.4
KH 6.5
NitrAte 20-50
NitrIte is 0.5

Any chance a snail or two died and caused decay?
Also, are you adding liquid bacteria to the tank ? I would recommend 1.05 ml pert 10 gallons daily for the next 2 weeks.
Lastly, add a pouch of ChemiPure Blue which will get the nitrate down eventually the ammonia.

 

[Idech]

you can buy dr Tim’s ammonia dose 2ppm and see if it goes to zero in 24 hours, then you’ll know for sure you are cycled.

Using ammonia while there are inverts in the tank isn’t a good idea.

I would remove the snails if you want to go that route.

 

[Reef.]

Using ammonia while there are inverts in the tank isn’t a good idea.

I would remove the snails if you want to go that route.

I agree, missed that, saw where he said he didn’t add any fish as his parameters were shocking…I missed where he did add the clean up crew!

Sounds as if the test is wrong if the cuc are all alive sounds to me you are cycled as I can’t see cuc living in 1.2ppm ammonia.

ammonia test kits are not the best, if my tank I would buy some Fritz turbo start add that and then slowly start adding fish.

Maybe take a sample of water to your LFS (a different one that said to add cuc when you thought you weren’t cycled) and get them to double check it.

 

[Caito]

Of you have nitrite your cycle is progressing. Just wait it out. How high did the ammonia get? Shouldn’t be long before you can do a big water change and add some fish. Have you had your protein skimmer tuning the whole time? It should be off when you add the starter bacteria. Might have slowed down the bacteria growth.

I’m not sure how high it got. Did a big water change last week to try and help but no change and yes I had the skimmer on per the instruction of the LFS

 

[Caito]

Not sure why this is an emergency…

Stop adding the food, wait till the ammonia is zero, then If you want to check you are cycled which you should be, you can buy dr Tim’s ammonia dose 2ppm and see if it goes to zero in 24 hours, then you’ll know for sure you are cycled.

Honestly didn’t mean to post as an emergency, first time posting sorry about that!
I’ll try that.

 

[Caito]

Any chance a snail or two died and caused decay?
Also, are you adding liquid bacteria to the tank ? I would recommend 1.05 ml pert 10 gallons daily for the next 2 weeks.
Lastly, add a pouch of ChemiPure Blue which will get the nitrate down eventually the ammonia.

Possibly but I haven’t seen anything in the tank, all snails are moving around and the hermit crabs too
I was per the Red Sea but nothing at the moment.
I’m in Australia so not sure if I can get any of that I’ll have to look into it. Thank you

 

[Caito]

I agree, missed that, saw where he said he didn’t add any fish as his parameters were shocking…I missed where he did add the clean up crew!

Sounds as if the test is wrong if the cuc are all alive sounds to me you are cycled as I can’t see cuc living in 1.2ppm ammonia.

ammonia test kits are not the best, if my tank I would buy some Fritz turbo start add that and then slowly start adding fish.

Maybe take a sample of water to your LFS (a different one that said to add cuc when you thought you weren’t cycled) and get them to double check it.

The CUC all seem fine, all moving around the tank (hermits) snails seem okay and have 2 sand sifting stars which also seem happy. going to try get some turbo or dr Timms bacteria

 

[Jubei2006]

Well I'd say the nitrates got that high by processing ammonia. Stop feeding and see if that ammonia doesnt go down pretty rapidly. Then do a water change and add some of the fish from your list.

 

[Reef.]

The CUC all seem fine, all moving around the tank (hermits) snails seem okay and have 2 sand sifting stars which also seem happy. going to try get some turbo or dr Timms bacteria

yeah near enough certain you are cycled, as a month will cycle most tanks, you have added the Red Sea stuff go that would have helped, adding the bacteria will just be a safety net, you can’t really overdose a tank with bacteria as the extra will just die.

If you have cuc moving around, and they are generally much more sensitive than fish…I do not know why your LFS suggested adding them? Sounds you are cycled though.

Maybe take advice from them with a big pinch of salt in future and get a 2nd opinion before acting on it.

Keep an eye the cuc have enough food as a new tank will probably not have enough so another reason not to have added them first, you may have to feed the bigger ones to keep them alive until your tank starts to produce enough food to support them.

 

[Reef.]

Well I'd say the nitrates got that high by processing ammonia. Stop feeding and see if that ammonia doesnt go down pretty rapidly. Then do a water change and add some of the fish from your list.

any nitrite in a tank will register as nitrate on a test, the nitrite needs to be zero to get an accurate nitrate test result.

 

[Caito]

yeah near enough certain you are cycled, as a month will cycle most tanks, you have added the Red Sea stuff go that would have helped, adding the bacteria will just be a safety net, you can’t really overdose a tank with bacteria as the extra will just die.

If you have cuc moving around, and they are generally much more sensitive than fish…I do not know why your LFS suggested adding them? Sounds you are cycled though.

Maybe take advice from them with a big pinch of salt in future and get a 2nd opinion before acting on it.

Keep an eye the cuc have enough food as a new tank will probably not have enough so another reason not to have added them first, you may have to feed the bigger ones to keep them alive until your tank starts to produce enough food to support them.

Even with the high ammonia?
was under the impression I couldn’t add fish until ammonia is gone. Unless I have a dodgy test kit
Seems like he knows what he’s doing but I’ll definitely do some more research n whatnot before going ahead with anything.
what could I feed them just some salt water vege pellets?

 

[Reef.]

Even with the high ammonia?
was under the impression I couldn’t add fish until ammonia is gone. Unless I have a dodgy test kit
Seems like he knows what he’s doing but I’ll definitely do some more research n whatnot before going ahead with anything.
what could I feed them just some salt water vege pellets?

remember I said ammonia tests are not great, as said if the cuc are alive your ammonia is not 1.2 as they are very sensitive and would be almost certainly dead.

You can either buy a different test and check or take a sample to a store and ask them check it.

If you add the Fritz turbo it will take care of any ammonia that might be in the tank but as said I very much doubt there is any.

 

[Reef.]

I prefer frozen food, so buy octopus and clams etc raw, cut them up and freeze, grate for the fish and also give the cuc some bigger pieces, your crabs will definitely need feeding.

 

[Caito]

remember I said ammonia tests are not great, as said if the cuc are alive your ammonia is not 1.2 as they are very sensitive and would be almost certainly dead.

You can either buy a different test and check or take a sample to a store and ask them check it.

If you add the Fritz turbo it will take care of any ammonia that might be in the tank but as said I very much doubt there is any.

Ahh yes okay. I’ll try get some fritz, if it’s available in Aus.
think I’d be ok to start with 2 clowns and see how they go?

 

[Lancelogan1217]

Ahh yes okay. I’ll try get some fritz, if it’s available in Aus.
think I’d be ok to start with 2 clowns and see how they go?

I've cycled all my tanks with clownfish, and prime.

 

[Lancelogan1217]

If you have starfish living in your tank with ammonia, than I doubt you have ammonia in your tank. Ive had false positives with redseas test kits for ammonia.