I started too early...help!

CoastieFlo

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Dear reefers, I started my reef tank about 2 weeks ago using start smart complete and added a clown from the old tank. Since then I was advised by my LFS after testing that we were clear to add more to "increase the bioload". So now I have 2 zoas, 1 GSP and a toadstool mushroom and along with the other clown. I know I started too early because now my ammonia is at .25 and nitrites almost at 1.0 ppm. I added seachem prime to try as a temp fix and it hasn't helped much and I know it's going to produce funky results with the locked ammonia and nitrites. Anyways, now I am biting my nails wondering if I should do a water change nearly 2 weeks into cycling or give the bacteria chance to do their job. Nitrates are at 5.0 ppm, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 

CMMorgan

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Dear reefers, I started my reef tank about 2 weeks ago using start smart complete and added a clown from the old tank. Since then I was advised by my LFS after testing that we were clear to add more to "increase the bioload". So now I have 2 zoas, 1 GSP and a toadstool mushroom and along with the other clown. I know I started too early because now my ammonia is at .25 and nitrites almost at 1.0 ppm. I added seachem prime to try as a temp fix and it hasn't helped much and I know it's going to produce funky results with the locked ammonia and nitrites. Anyways, now I am biting my nails wondering if I should do a water change nearly 2 weeks into cycling or give the bacteria chance to do their job. Nitrates are at 5.0 ppm, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
What is in the tank for filtration? Did you transfer any live rock from the old tank? What is handling the bioload?
 

Jekyl

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What did you use to test the ammonia? Nitrates at 5 in no problem. I run mine between 10 and 20
 

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It wouldn't hurt to do a small water change. I'm not a fan of API test kits, so would at least have your results verified at your LFS.
 

Jekyl

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The API test is probably wrong and your ammonia is zero. Who ever that works at your LFS that recommended coral should be fired. Usually want to give it a month after fish.
 

CMMorgan

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API is iffy.... not always accurate.
Your numbers are not alarming yet.
That said, the rock is far from live yet. The water isn't moving "through" the sand, so that is not going to carry all of the load.
I'd say that yes, you started early but I would not panic just yet. Give us the big picture ... hang on back? sump? protein skimmer? Tank Size?
What you do can vary widely depending on what the big picture is. The more volume you have, the more forgiving. If this is a little nano, things can turn on you.
Can you give us a broader view of your situation?
 
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CoastieFlo

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API is iffy.... not always accurate.
Your numbers are not alarming yet.
That said, the rock is far from live yet. The water isn't moving "through" the sand, so that is not going to carry all of the load.
I'd say that yes, you started early but I would not panic just yet. Give us the big picture ... hang on back? sump? protein skimmer? Tank Size?
What you do can vary widely depending on what the big picture is. The more volume you have, the more forgiving. If this is a little nano, things can turn on you.
Can you give us a broader view of your situation?
I have a Red Sea Max e-170...45 gallons total AIO, protein skimmer up and running with bag of carbon and a sponge media. I probably have about 40 gallons* total with all the rock...which was pretty much dried out real reef rock I got from BRS. Haven't fed a lot either.
 

CMMorgan

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So not huge but not tiny either. A small water change never hurts. You can also consider adding some additional biological media like Marine Pure if you have room in your overflow. Keep going with the supplemental bio additive. Watch the health of the inhabitants first and foremost. Sometimes we get so hyperfocused on numbers that we fail to notice that everything is actually ok. If the inhabitants are not succeeding, then respond accordingly.
 

Azedenkae

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Dear reefers, I started my reef tank about 2 weeks ago using start smart complete and added a clown from the old tank. Since then I was advised by my LFS after testing that we were clear to add more to "increase the bioload". So now I have 2 zoas, 1 GSP and a toadstool mushroom and along with the other clown. I know I started too early because now my ammonia is at .25 and nitrites almost at 1.0 ppm. I added seachem prime to try as a temp fix and it hasn't helped much and I know it's going to produce funky results with the locked ammonia and nitrites. Anyways, now I am biting my nails wondering if I should do a water change nearly 2 weeks into cycling or give the bacteria chance to do their job. Nitrates are at 5.0 ppm, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
If you are using the API test kit, ammonia can read as 0.25, especially initially when your nitrifiers are still a bit slower with oxidizing all the ammonia. At least that's my theory. So long as it is not increasing beyond 0.25, I think you should be fine.

Nitrite is not toxic to marine fish until it reach much higher levels. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php

Your tank is not fully cycled (according to my personal definition of cycling), and nitrite may still increase. I think you should monitor nitrite, and so long as it is not like, hitting 10 ppm or whatever, you should be fine and can just wait it out.

I don't think you should be adding more fish to increase the bioload though. I mean, from experience I think you should be fine, but personally I like to err on the side of caution with this kinda thing.
 
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CoastieFlo

CoastieFlo

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Thank you for all the advice, fish and corals seem to be doing just fine so far, no death rolls or sluggishness for now. Added some more bacteria and cranked up the ro and plan on doing a water change tomorrow if ammonia and nitrites spike even more. Also forgot to add I have 2 turbos and 2 emerald crabs in there. Too much too fast, I'm pretty upset with my LFS, followed advice from a guy that I normally don't see much, when the owner came in yesterday and I told him the situation he was pretty alarmed his employee gave the go ahead to start so fast, but looking back I should have known better too.
 

Jekyl

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I wouldn't worry too much. The fish should be fine either way. Little soon for the coral, they won't thrive but may survive until they do.
 

Jedi1199

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If the livestock is happy, healthy and eating normally, I would simply wait it out. Knee jerk reactions have caused many more issues than they have solved. Give it a few weeks to let everything stabilize. Keep calm and reef on!!
 

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