Tank Set up + Cycling help please

[hugosantos]

Hi Guys, so this is were I am at at this stage


11/Fev - filled the tank with my Pre-mixed salt water (bough from store, made with RO water ofcourse) , + Fiji Sand
I let it settle for almost a full day , after that it was getting clear (photo attached)

for the next 3 days I used Fluval Organic Water Additive to bring in good bacteria to boost the start of the cycle (followed the instryctions on the bottle)
for about 3 to 5 days everything was measuring corretly (salt, PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate)
After that I decided to put the Dry rock into the aquarium to keep the cycle going with the rocks in place.
After I placed the rocks maybe in the second day the water parameters started to spike
I am now getting Ph 7.8 to 8.0 , 0.05Ppm Ammonia , 0.25/0.50 Nitrite and about 5.0ppm

I have been getting high reading for about a week now
In the mean time I have done some small water changes ( 10% everyday for 2 days now ), also I keep adding some benificial bacteria hopping this will improve the water parameter)

let me know what I am doing wrong and what I should be doing please.
I will probably update the post tomorow the updated Water parameters and also some other days records (I have a log of the water parameters)

please also let me know if I should change the filtration or not (photo attached of the set up)

 

[lapin]

You are doing just fine. I would not do water changes. The bacteria you are trying to grow live in the rock and sand. In your case on the bio balls and ceramic rings also. On average it takes 30 days to establish a good colony that will support a fish. You will see ammonia and nitrate. In the end it will all be converted to nitrate.

 

[jblasi]

As @lapin stated. You are off to a great start. I definitely wait a minimum of 21 days before your next change. I know it is frustrating because your ready to get rolling and add all the fun stuff. But patience definitely pays off. I would monitor all your parameters for another few weeks. Once your ammonia is gone and your other parameters are where you want them. Then go ahead and start start adding your fish.

 

[pancholt1z28]

I'd wait on the water changes and let the cycle take its course. You can add livestock after nitrite and ammonia are both at 0ppm.

 

[hugosantos]

awesome guys, glad I am doing things 'right' , and ill be more pacient and stop with the small water changes that I have been doing

thanks guys

 

[hugosantos]

just a updated on the water Parameters
also I have bough a metal shed so I can put my water making station in it as I dont have space inside the house
I will post more pics when I am done sorting things out

 

[K7BMG]

Doing good.
The best artical for tank cycling is here on R2R.

What are you using for your ammonia source by the way?

Your API Ammonia test is fairly unreliable below 1.0 in my experience.
So I watch the Nitrite to Nitrate ratio.
When your Nitrites drop to 0 and your nitrate rises.
Wait another few days, do the 50% water change and you should test.
Nitrate and if its low your good to go.

Just dont play with it until then.
Dont add ammonia or a shrimp if thats how you started it.

 

[hugosantos]

I have no fish in there or Shrimp, I also didnt add any ammonia
its just how it is since I started cycling the tank.

the only thing I used was the Fluval Organic Water Additive and the Seachem Prime Water Conditioner
both should put good bacteria and

• Removes chlorine, chloramine (Seachem)
• Detoxifies ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate ( Fluval Organic Water Additive + Seachem)

where am I getting my Ammonia from? should it not drop lower when I added that Additives?

 

[hugosantos]

I have no fish in there or Shrimp, I also didnt add any ammonia
its just how it is since I started cycling the tank.

the only thing I used was the Fluval Organic Water Additive and the Seachem Prime Water Conditioner
both should put good bacteria and

• Removes chlorine, chloramine (Seachem)
• Detoxifies ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate ( Fluval Organic Water Additive + Seachem)

where am I getting my Ammonia from? should it not drop lower when I added that Additives?

THis just arrived as well (Quantum LR Nitrate Remover <15ppm Marine Reef Treatment Additive Aquarium Fish )

I will probably just let the cycle play itself out , but i wanted to have this at Home just in case in the future if i might need it in a emergency if I already have fish in there.

 

[K7BMG]

Interesting start.
I really suguest you study up on the nitrogen cycle and cycling thread. Here on R2R.

Your test results look ok,
There are many ways to cycle a tank.
I have not come across the method your choosing, that does not mean it wrong or wont work.
But its not the more common way.
Prime is a good product but it slows down and can mess with the cycling process.
It is used more for an ammonia spike in quarantine or established tanks that spike ammonia.
YMMV.

More traditional cycling starts with all your media, rock, and sand in place.
Add proper saltwater, Ammonia source, beneficial bacteria, and a heater.
Then let the nitrogen cycle do its thing. Top off the water as it evaporates and test every few days. In two or three weeks you should be through the cycle and a 50% or more water change should be done to reduce the nitrates.

 

[K7BMG]

I had issues with my first tank cycle. I did not pay attention and kept replacing the shrimp every four or five days.
For six weeks my tests were all over the place.
Finally I read the thread and found out I was the problem, thinking I need to continuously add shrimp. I was told to stop adding shrimp, in fact take out the ones I had in there.
Miraculously the tank cycled in a week.
I have set up two more since then and was ready for inhabitents in three weeks time on each.

 

[K7BMG]

THis just arrived as well (Quantum LR Nitrate Remover <15ppm Marine Reef Treatment Additive Aquarium Fish )

I will probably just let the cycle play itself out , but i wanted to have this at Home just in case in the future if i might need it in a emergency if I already have fish in there.

Water changes will do this work for you.
Before you use a product research it here.
Some products have adverse effects.

 

[hugosantos]

Water changes will do this work for you.
Before you use a product research it here.
Some products have adverse effects.

will do thank you

 

[hugosantos]

Why is my ammonia levels keep going up if there are no fish or food inside the tank?
Is this normal, its been quite a long time and I don't see lots of changes
( I do see the rocks getting red markings in it and the filtration tubes now seem to have stuff in it)

 

[K7BMG]

So your API Ammonia test shows dark green now.

Tell me / us everything about the DRY ROCK you added a few days later.
Was it previously cured to remove all organics?
Was it new dry rock from LFS.
Was it used dry rock from friend or bought off internet.

Sounds to me like it had some organics on it and now they are rotting/dissolving and creating the ammonia spike.

At this point I would let it run its course though.
The only thing I might consider is adding Dr. Tim's one and only or Bio-Spira.
Do not add Prime, as this will slow the process down.
Eventually the good bacteria will come into play and consume the ammonia and become Nitrite.
Your Nitrite test will get dark purple at an ammonia of 4.0 when it blooms.
Then the Nitrate will start a rocking and things should settle down from there.

 

[hugosantos]

I bought this from the Internet.

The guy said that it was out of water for more then 6month and parasite free
But it was right after I placed the rock thay the water started to changw.


I didn't cure the rock as this was dry rock and saw on the Internet thay I didn't have to :$
Wish I did now

 

[hugosantos]

I just bough Dr. Tim's one and only , so I will start using it from tomorow Onwards
thank you

ps: photos of some 'Red' appering on the rock and dry coral ornament

 

[K7BMG]

Yes it would be parasite free but not organic free.
What ever the rock had on in it is decaying and causing the ammonia spike. imo.

I dont know what the red is, kinda soon to be Cyano.
Take a turkey baster and see if it easily blows off the rock.
Cyano comes off easily.
Dose the Dr. Tims and test in a week.
You might want to consider only having your lights on for two hours a day for now.

 

[hugosantos]

No changes yet. I'll give it another week. If nothing happens should I just change water and clean the rocks? Start all over again :%

 

[hugosantos]

I added the Dr. Tims on the 6th , I measured again yesterday and the only thing that changed was the Nitrite (2.0)

any ideias on time frame that things should improve?