Tank Cycling

[RobbyF]

Our aquarium was started on the 25th of April. We never saw any peaks. The Ammonia is now 0, the Nitrates are <10 the Nitrites are <0.2, the PH seems to be dropping and is now 8.0, and the Alkalinity is 4.0 which seems to be fairly constant. All these results have been achieved using an Instant Ocean Master test kit.
We just got this test kit last Saturday, we were taking a sample of our water to Houston once a week to have it tested, and the lady at the store said that we most likely missed the peaks. Since getting the kit we've been testing every day prior to adding calcium (1 tsp) and water.
We have purchased an RO unit and have been adding approx. 1 gallon of water a day.
We're just a little concerned that we've never seen any real high peaks. We have a 55 gallon tank with 78lbs of rock as you can see in our photos.
Do we need to wait longer?
Although the sand and rocks are turning brown....
When do we need to try and get the PH up and the Alkalinity to come down a little?? Or are we ok for now?

[Bill S]

Welcome to MAAST!

Now for my oft-repeated quote:

Rule #1: "Bad things happen in this hobby to those that are not patient".

Wait a minimum of 6 weeks - 8 or 10 would be better.

Rule #2: Don't always believe folks that are trying to sell you something. We here at MAAST have nothing to sell you - we have no hidden agenda. We WANT you to succeed.

Rule #99 (or something like that): There's a reason why test kits from Salifert are $25 a piece and they don't sell an "all in one" test kit: They WORK. The only thing worse than the all-in-one kits is a swing arm hydrometer. So, go ahead and throw that away too. ;-) ("Swing-arm hydrometers don't work is Rule #5 - or something like that - they are singularly responsible for more tank crashes than any other instrument - they gradually fail over time).

Robby, what I'm saying is that if you will just resist the urge to stock your tank, you'll have a much greater chance of being successful. We've lost way too many folks in this hobby, because they rushed things.

I've been in the hobby for 35 (gulp) years. I tore my 215 80% down the week before Xmas. It's now been 5 MONTHS, and I'm just now adding livestock back to it.

Patience, Grasshopper, patience. OK, I'm showing my age.

Again, welcome to MAAST.

[ballardjr2000]

some good info its short and sweet you can always try to recyclic the tank as well. since everytime you add bio load the tank can cycle again, hense you don't want to add a large bio load at one time. i hope this helps you,

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/bio...a/aa042403.htm

about ph

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...e2002/chem.htm

[serazol]

As mentioned before in your other thread, use Holey Rock with caution.

If you're just cycling the tank currently, I don't think dosing calcium is necessary; there's not much in the tank that is using it up, I don't think.

Also, get a calcium test kit. It's really recommended to not dose anything to the tank that you don't test for.

[moe]

"Rule #99 (or something like that): There's a reason why test kits from Salifert are $25 a piece and they don't sell an "all in one" test kit: They WORK. The only thing worse than the all-in-one kits is a swing arm hydrometer. So, go ahead and throw that away too. ;-) ("Swing-arm hydrometers don't work is Rule #5 - or something like that - they are singularly responsible for more tank crashes than any other instrument - they gradually fail over time). "

What do u recommend for reading SG?

[Third Coast Tropical]

What do u recommend for reading SG?[/quote]


refractometer, probes

[Third Coast Tropical]

those aforementioned gadgets generally measure salintity directly in parts per thousand (ppt) and not specific gravity

[ErikH]

Alk is at 4meq/L? If so that is ok. Normal alk should be between 3-4 meq/L or 8-12 dkh, and your PH should be 8.3. Raising your alk will also help raise your PH, and since it is at 4, try and raise it but use the dkH reading for now and make sure not to pass 12....... CA should be between 400-480. If you dose for alk and ca, use B-IONIC, or homemade 2 part and strive to keep those levels in their respective ranges. BIONIC is the BEST bang for your buck, and is the most widely used 2 part product that is not home made. KEEP A LOG OF YOUR LEVELS! Keeping a log is extremely beneficial to understanding how much CA and Alk is being used by your tank, and it's inhabitants. Once you figure out those amounts, you can adjust your dosing regimen to keep them perfect all the time. That tends to be the hardest thing for people to do.

The brown is from diatomatic algae, which is a normal part of the tank's cycle. You can add some hermits and snails now, they will help keep your tank clean, and are necessary to help eat excess foods that would normally go uneaten. At some point copepods will take off, and they eat poop. Don't buy a mandarin or scooter blenny because they will eat your pods. If you still want a mandarin after about a year, then get one. After that time your tank should have enough copepods to support them.

Oh, and just about everyone goes coral. So buy your lights accordingly!

[Bill S]

I ONLY use a large floating glass hydrometer. While refractometers work just fine, if you neglect to correctly calibrate them on a REGULAR basis, you will regret it... While the glass hydrometers can/do break, they are never out of calibration - and are completely repeatable.

[hobogato]

...The Ammonia is now 0, the Nitrates are <10 the Nitrites are <0.2.....

the ammonia spike is usually fairly quick and goes away pretty fast as well. the nitrite comes next and takes a little longer. many people never actually test at the right time to catch the ammonia spike. the nitrite will slowly decrease as the nitrate increases. this can take around 2 weeks. nitrite is almost as toxic to inverts and fish as ammonia so you really shouldnt add fish or cleanup crew until it reads 0. nitrate will increase and then take much longer to decrease. it is less toxic to fish and inverts in general, so it does not have to be zero.