new tank cycle question

[Reef257]

Hi all
Hope everyone is doing good

I have 40 gallon tank which I have been running successfully for 3 years .as far as I remember I added the fish too quick and dosed seachem stability. And it worked for me and it's still been working .

I made new 120 gallon tank . Added to freshwater fish for 2 day with little food to check if the water is ok then added red sea salt .left the tank to run for about 1 week .

Added sand and dry rocks .waited 2 days started dosing seachem stability again .its been 3 days test the water the ph ammonia and nitrate have increased. Nit sure if I'm doing it right.

I didn't want to use the rocks in my old tank since the 2 tangs fish in the tank has HLLE currently .

Can I added the Rocks frin the old tank .is HLLE like white spots?

Shall I added few fish and add seachem stability as the seachem team advised

I'm not sure if the current water test if it's safeto add fish and use stability as the seachem team advised.

The picture with ammonia only show the level of ammonia before adding stability .

2nd picture with the current readings

Thanks in advance .

 

[supernanoguy]

I have been seeing similar stuff with my newer tank. I ordered a Hanna checker because I am color blind and those tests are not so accurate down in those levels. Maybe test old tank water and side by side the 2. Or be sure and grab a digital checker.

Good luck.

 

[scabbedwings616]

Adding fish Is up to you as it is a new tank. Having fish will make the cycle quicker but the fish also may not make it. With having no fish and ghost feeding the tank, it will take longer to cycle. API tests are good as a beginner test kit but you will want to invest in a better test kit when and if you add corals.

 

[Reef257]

I have been seeing similar stuff with my newer tank. I ordered a Hanna checker because I am color blind and those tests are not so accurate down in those levels. Maybe test old tank water and side by side the 2. Or be sure and grab a digital checker.

Good luck.

Hi thanks for the support .I check my old tank is show perfectly. Not sure of I could add the rock from my old tank to speed up the process .

 

[Reef257]

Adding fish Is up to you as it is a new tank. Having fish will make the cycle quicker but the fish also may not make it. With having no fish and ghost feeding the tank, it will take longer to cycle. API tests are good as a beginner test kit but you will want to invest in a better test kit when and if you add corals.

I thought of monitoring for another 3 days and adding the fish .if the ammonia level drops a bit.
Can I add my old tank rocks to speed up cycling

Does my current level high for fish ?
.Ihave red testing kit for coral but haven't got any coral yet .
Is it ok to add mushroom coral at the start while the tank is cycling?

 

[NinjaTiLL]

So you say you added water, salt and dry rock and sand. You didn't mention adding any bacteria. You need to add either a bottle of bacteria or some rock and/or sand from your old tank. Wait for ammonia and nitrite to go to zero before you add livestock. Any ammonia is too high for a fish. It might survive. You would probably survive if we locked you in a room with elevated carbon monoxide for a while... but what happens to your body/brain after a few days? (Maybe there's a better analogy than CO but I don't know what.) Sounds like you're trying to rush without understanding the whole process. Slow down. Nothing good happens fast in reefing.

 

[scabbedwings616]

I thought of monitoring for another 3 days and adding the fish .if the ammonia level drops a bit.
Can I add my old tank rocks to speed up cycling

Does my current level high for fish ?
.Ihave red testing kit for coral but haven't got any coral yet .
Is it ok to add mushroom coral at the start while the tank is cycling?

I would look into hardy fish like clowns or even some tangs are very hardy. If the level drops yes you sure can add fish to it and should be fine.

with adding other live rock, you sure can do that to help speed it up, but remember that this hobby is about being patient and to take your time with things. No need to rush as that could bring up other issues.

 

[scabbedwings616]

So you say you added water, salt and dry rock and sand. You didn't mention adding any bacteria. You need to add either a bottle of bacteria or some rock and/or sand from your old tank. Wait for ammonia and nitrite to go to zero before you add livestock. Any ammonia is too high for a fish. It might survive. You would probably survive if we locked you in a room with elevated carbon monoxide for a while... but what happens to your body/brain after a few days? (Maybe there's a better analogy than CO but I don't know what.) Sounds like you're trying to rush without understanding the whole process. Slow down. Nothing good happens fast in reefing.

With adding bacteria it isn’t always true that you need to do it. my fisrtbsalwater tank, I did a fishless and ghost feeding and bacteria came but it did take about three months to achieve. Bacteria speeds this up alot but you are right about taking your time with it. no need to rush it

 

[Tankkeepers]

I'm very confused why did you add freshwater fish then salt? Also 5 days is not really enoff tome for the bacteria to establish and I would not be surprised if you have an increase in ammonia before this starts to drip into nitrites and the only good way to cycle with fish in the tank is to do alot of waterchanges to manually remove most of the ammonia and nitrites letting the bacteria establish over a longer period of time a fishless cycle can take up to a month and with fish can take up to 2 months if done properly

 

[Tankkeepers]

Also bacteria does not have to be added as bacteria will grow anytime there are nutrients present for it to feed on but adding live rock and sand will help diversify the types you have you can cycle a tank thats compleatly sterile to start with and only dose actual ammonia aka not adding anything that would have bacteria once the nutrients are present bacteria will mutate from what's in the air and start growing

 

[Tankkeepers]

When cycling a new sterle tank I always add alittle spit to establish and diversify the bacteria as some will naturally mutate and jump start the cycle but thats just my way of doing things

 

[scabbedwings616]

I'm very confused why did you add freshwater fish then salt? Also 5 days is not really enoff tome for the bacteria to establish and I would not be surprised if you have an increase in ammonia before this starts to drip into nitrites and the only good way to cycle with fish in the tank is to do alot of waterchanges to manually remove most of the ammonia and nitrites letting the bacteria establish over a longer period of time a fishless cycle can take up to a month and with fish can take up to 2 months if done properly

Water changes make it take way longer and doing them while cycling isn’t the best idea. Hardy fish like most clowns and tangs can handle a little ammonia. I would say wait 2 weeks to add fish and let the rock and sand establish better. You can add fish but it is risky.

 

[Tankkeepers]

Better to take way longer then to kill your fish if your cycling the tank with fish in it
nothing is quick in this hobbie and fish should not be subjected to toxic substances

 

[Tankkeepers]

Also changing your water while cycling the tank will make it take longer but also reduces the overall nutrients you end up with having to get rid of once cycling is compleate reducing the dino and cyno part of the cycle and if done right will completely bypass the green stage

 

[Tankkeepers]

And I would disagree on a 2 week time as thats to general you should really only add fish one at a time as each new one will start a mini cycle once you verify 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites but only stating what van be done if you insist on adding fish before the first major cycle is complete edit also lower then 5ppm nitrates

 

[Tankkeepers]

I'm my opinion you should treat your tank as if it has 1 fish in it from the beginning feed that fish every day do waterchanges etc and then once your fist cycle is compleate actually add the fish this will midigate the first mini cycle and overall nutrients in the water when you do add your first fish

 

[Reef257]

I added the bacteria called seachem stability.
Usually they Recommend that we can add fish in the process and the fish would provide nutrients for the bacteria to grow .


While I took the 3 day test I found out the ammonia trace was not sure to add the fish or wait 7 days for the seachem stability course to finish .

I thought of adding my live rock from my old tank which is stable .

 

[Tankkeepers]

Never have I used that product or any other like it so can not say but putting a few small pieces of live rock will help the cycle along with a hand full of sand anytime there is an increase in nutrients in a closed loop system you will go threw a cycle weather it be large or small which is why you should always go slow and try and midigate the ammonia and nitrites portion as much as possible threw added products you trust or an increase in water changes decreasing in amount and how often until it stabilizes

I would never ever ever recommend this to anyone but I cycle my tanks with half of everything including coral that will be in the tank then 6 to 8 months later add the other half with 0 losses which is why I can say it can be done safely if done properly but should never ever ever be attempted by someone without an advanced knowledge of what exactly is happing in their tank so please do not try it

 

[Tankkeepers]

Also water changes durring a cycle is not bad it just extends the cycle but it also decrease the amount of nutrients you have to get rid of after the cycle is complete thus midigating the ugly stage this goes for fishless cycles also as long as you are continuing to add a nutrient source

 

[Tankkeepers]

Everyone has their own way of doing things listen to everyone and the go from there and develop a system that works for you and your tank