Im Confused Has My Cycle Started.

[MrLiam]

As the title says im a bit confused I added my live rock yesterday and tested the water but done it wrong woops.

So this morning I tested it correctly and what I see is:
Ammonia:0.5 ppm
Nitrite:0 ppm
Nitrate:0 ppm
PH:8.0
Temp:24
Salinity:1.24

 

[woody88]

I agree with your results so just keep testing your tank every 12-24 hours until your ammonia and trite are zero.

Dont add anything to your tank just keep testing until stats are good.
You should get diatoms at some point (brown patches) which is usually an indication that the cycle is at it's end.

You might find your ammonia will rise and then fall and then nitrite will rise.

If the live rock was cured then there must have been some die off at some point so just let things be now and keep testing.

Pet rock watching time! Lol

 

[sorgan]

yep looks like it... the thing is if your live rock didnt die off very much then you may not have a full cycle so dont be to alarmed if nothing happens

 

[MrLiam]

Ok there was probably some die off as on the way back I had to go to the LFS and get ro water. But it was transported in a bucket of water with just a few bits of rock sticking out so thats probably the cause of some die off.


And I will do a test tonight and tomorrow morning and keep it in that pattern.


I forgot to say I have a blue legged hermit hitchiker will he not eat the diatoms.

 

[woody88]

Ok there was probably some die off as on the way back I had to go to the LFS and get ro water. But it was transported in a bucket of water with just a few bits of rock sticking out so thats probably the cause of some die off.


And I will do a test tonight and tomorrow morning and keep it in that pattern.


I forgot to say I have a blue legged hermit hitchiker will he not eat the diatoms.

He will but you will still see some diatoms. Or should do anyway!

Just keep an eye on him as ammonia could kill him and that would only contribute to an ammonia spike!

Sounds like you and the tank are going in the right direction so keep it up.
Before you know it, you'll be ready to add livestock!

 

[MrLiam]

Yay livestock I cant wait But I will take my time as I didn't with my fw tank and there was a lot of reprocutions later down the line.

 

[woody88]

Yay livestock I cant wait But I will take my time as I didn't with my fw tank and there was a lot of reprocutions later down the line.

Yes mate, take your time! Dont go fish crazy and add loads at once!

Patience is the key in this game!

Only bad things happen quickly!

You might find you'll get an algae bloom at the end of the cycle due to all the nutrients in the water so once stats have stabilised, do a large water change, leave for 24 hours and if stats are good then it might be worth thinking about adding your cuc first before fish!

 

[MrLiam]

Yes I knew I had to add the CUC first but its just I have to decide what I need eg what breed of snails and hermits and how many.

 

[woody88]

Yes I knew I had to add the CUC first but its just I have to decide what I need eg what breed of snails and hermits and how many.

How many depends on how many goodies there are in the tank for them to chomp.
I'd start off with 5 hermits and 5 snails to begin with and see how they get on.

 

[fishy55599]

Dont go fish crazy

haha, says you

 

[woody88]

Dont go fish crazy

haha, says you

Haha! Perfect example aren't I! Lol

I put around 5 fish in within the space of 3 days and I had a small ammonia spike which lasted 24 hours.

But I have a large amount of LR for my size tank so I was confident it wouldn't cause much of a problem.
I took a stupid risk tho and I wouldn't do it again.

I may have lost my cleaner shrimp as a result of it but I'm putting it down to coincidence!

 

[fishy55599]

tut tut... im only doing it one at a time apart from clowns, as i dont have a skimmer so it would be better that way.

just need to get some more expensive rock
(cannot wait to get emerald crab in to clear bubble algae, only another 12.2kg rock )

 

[MrLiam]

I think my rock is extremely good quality for the price I paid for It especially as it has every possible coral on it that I pretty much want.

 

[woody88]

I think my rock is extremely good quality for the price I paid for It especially as it has every possible coral on it that I pretty much want.

If you've got coral then you must keep phosphate at zero to reduce coral having growth retarded.

What coral have you got exactly as you might need to upgrade your lighting!

 

[MrLiam]

They all came with the rock and the ones that I have seen are mushrooms, xenia, I think button polyops, a feather duster and a sort small purply moss thing with green tips. I think that there all softies.