Still need cycling?

[Imanz0]

Ok, basically, im starting my 14gallon all over, this time im only going to have 1 clown fish in it, and thats it. The rest is going to be all reef. Anyway, right now my tank is up and running, and im planning to take it down. Im going to be taking all the water out, but still keeping my live rock. I was wondering if i can still keep my live sand. I dont want it if the live sand caries nitrates. Anyway, i was wondering if my tank would be needing to cycle agian if it is using same sand and and rock? I was also wondering if its ok if i syphin out the top layer of sand since it has alge on it.

[brians4671]

if you are going to remove all the water i would let it cycle with the new water for a couple weeks b4 adding anything

[Imanz0]

is it going to cycle on its own, or do i start it?

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12264403#post12264403 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Imanz0
is it going to cycle on its own, or do i start it?

why are you draining the tank in the first place?

since the tank was up for 7 months then keep the sand and the live rock--changing out the water will cause little to no cycling if it is the proper temp and salinity level.

again I would do a 50 per cent water change and leave everthing the same--done start adding your corals

[Imanz0]

No no no, the 7month is in another tank, this tank has been set up for 5 and a half weeks now.

[bertoni]

I don't understand the purpose of tearing the tank down, but the live rock needs to be kept in water or it'll start to die. Any time it's taken out of water, there's some risk it'll cause an ammonia spike when put back into a tank.

The sand can adsorb phosphate phosphate and there might be organic debris in it. I'd likely pitch it.

[Imanz0]

Because nitrates have gotten way too out of hand, and would just be easier to start new. The live rock would only be out of the water for 5 minutes max, plus, when people are shipping live rock, you never see them shipping them in bags of water...

[BeesGoneWild]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12265076#post12265076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Imanz0
Because nitrates have gotten way too out of hand, and would just be easier to start new. The live rock would only be out of the water for 5 minutes max, plus, when people are shipping live rock, you never see them shipping them in bags of water...


O rly? serously? i have had most of my rocks packed in somewater. stick with it if you cant lower you nitrates on a 14gallon then you should just quit right now. go play some video games or somthing . I mean are you going to quit that ? its only 14 gallons of water if you cant handle that that i would ask myself if i really wanted to understand this hobby.

[bertoni]

Lots of people have had trouble with small tanks. No need to be so critical.

Ditching the sand might help with the nitrate level by removing some organic debris. You might want to rinse the live rock with some old tank water when you do a water change. Otherwise, tearing down the tank won't help.

[matt880305]

what type of filtration do you have on this tank and how often do you do Maintenance on it?
Matt

[Imanz0]

got a filter cartrege that i change every week, but im starting it over.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12265161#post12265161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
Lots of people have had trouble with small tanks. No need to be so critical.

Ditching the sand might help with the nitrate level by removing some organic debris. You might want to rinse the live rock with some old tank water when you do a water change. Otherwise, tearing down the tank won't help.

I would normally agree Bertoni, but the sand has only in for 7 months---is that enough time to warrant tossing it??

I think it is poor filtration and or flow. You state you are going to change out your filter----as a suggestion it might be good to go to a HOB protein skimmer--they have them designed for nanos

Also how much flow do you have in the nano?

[suzimcmullen]

I am surprised that no one as asked you how often you have been changing your water and what is your water source?

I read with astonishment at how little some people change their water. I change 10% and sometimes 20% per day at least. Both my reef tanks cycled in less than 2 weeks. My nitrates and nitrites are zero. My ph is perfect. There is zero ammonia and with my daily change schedule I doubt I'll ever have an issue. With such small tanks, my salt usage will be around 40 dollars per month. It's more than worth it to not have the constant red slime and hair algae people are constantly complaining about on here.

Suzi

[Imanz0]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12266376#post12266376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I would normally agree Bertoni, but the sand has only in for 7 months---is that enough time to warrant tossing it??

I think it is poor filtration and or flow. You state you are going to change out your filter----as a suggestion it might be good to go to a HOB protein skimmer--they have them designed for nanos

Also how much flow do you have in the nano?

Dude this tank is only 5 weeks old, im just switching it out, because it would be easier for me to just start over while im not too far, it would only cost about 30$ for what im going to do. Just new sand, and buy some water. And i doubt you are supposed to do a water change every day suzimcmullen.

[Imanz0]

And i think a 14 gallon is harder than a 60 gallon tank. the smallest thing would be doing more damage to me than a 60 gallon tank. Think of it like this. Lets say i got 1 cup of water, and i got a 1 gallon bucket on the side. Then i drop 15 drops of red dye in each of them. (Lets say red dye is nitrate). The 14 gallon would be much more diluted than the 60 gallon tank. See where im getting this?

[suzimcmullen]

Well my tanks are happy for it, clean and I'm not having the problems everyone on here talks about. So I'll keep doing them daily. I do the least amount percentage wise in my 14 gallon because the live rock in there is mature rock that had been in the LFS tanks for more than a year. This rock is mature and the numbers would be good with or without the changes. BUT, the new water daily replenishes nutrients that come from the salt and I just LOVE the tag line someone on here has. They say in their signature line that dillution is the sollution to pollution. I'll live my life by that concept.

Not only that, but with daily changes I don't need a skimmer, expensive or complicated reactors and I don't need to worry about overfeeding.

Suzi

[Imanz0]

Yeah, but i thinkn your also taking out all those good bacteria for your tank, and what size is your tank? (And i think if you keep a aquaruim for more than 1 year, its cheaper for a skimmer)

[suzimcmullen]

The problem I have with skimmers is that I am always seeing posts about them breaking down, not working right and people buying yet another bigger better one.

Also, skimming the bad stuff out doesn't mean that we can get away from water changes because of the nutrients and minerals we need to add back in.

As for removing good bacteria, all one has to do is read on here for a few days and see that someone is constantly telling us that the good bacteria grow on the glass, in the filters and in the live rock and sand. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone tells a newbie that the bacteria is not in the water colum to any degree. I'll just have to take their word on that since I don't yet have a nice microscope. That's something on my wish list.

Oh yeah, I have 4 tanks for I believe a total of 55 gallons, but I guess the freshwater doesn't count :) My tanks are listed below.

Suzi

[Imanz0]

So would it be ok if i were to pu plastic over the sand so it wouldnt disturb it?

[suzimcmullen]

I'm sure the medicine would get into the sand. Sounds like you just need to go buy a 20 gallon hospital tank. They are pretty cheap at Walmart.

Suzi

[Imanz0]

?.....

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12267462#post12267462 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Imanz0
Dude this tank is only 5 weeks old, im just switching it out, because it would be easier for me to just start over while im not too far, it would only cost about 30$ for what im going to do. Just new sand, and buy some water. And i doubt you are supposed to do a water change every day suzimcmullen.

Okay I get it now but I don't think you quite do;)

If your tank has been cycling for five weeks then it is not fully cycled yet----the nitrates in your tank will reduce to zero--then your tank is fully cycled.
Starting over at this point will only repeat the process again and upset a level of cycling bacteria that you have established in your tank by now.

Suggestion---let the tank cycle for another week, then if the nitrates haven fallen do a 30 per cent water change.

[Imanz0]

no, it had cycled in 1 week, what happened was that i added everything right, then my shop guy told me to check it in 1 week after setting it up. I checked it after 1 week, and everything was 0 and perfectly fine.

[Imanz0]

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[Imanz0]

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[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12268468#post12268468 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Imanz0
no, it had cycled in 1 week, what happened was that i added everything right, then my shop guy told me to check it in 1 week after setting it up. I checked it after 1 week, and everything was 0 and perfectly fine.

unless all the live rock was fully cured and taken from one established tank directly and immediately to yours I don't think your tank could have cycled in one week.
what gave you the impression that it had?

[Chibils]

Mine cycled in one week with uncured live rock from Dr. Mac. I measured once (sometimes twice) daily for nine days. By the tenth, all my levels hit and stayed at zero for two more weeks.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12271764#post12271764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chibils
Mine cycled in one week with uncured live rock from Dr. Mac. I measured once (sometimes twice) daily for nine days. By the tenth, all my levels hit and stayed at zero for two more weeks.

well there you go I guess anything is possible in this hobby:smokin:
but this is not the norm that is reported by many esp with uncurred live rock.

did you do any water changes in the first 10 days?

[Imanz0]

When i bought the live rock, the man said it was cured, so its a peice of cured live rock, why is everyone saying that its uncured?

[Linina]

I filled my tank with "cured" fiji live rock. I think how much of a cycle you get from the rock can vary widely. It's important to note that you saw the levels rise, peak and then decrease back to 0. I watched my nitrites stay really high for 7 days, now just today finally they are plummeting very fast (yay!).

The nitrates will take time to get rid of. Macro algae and water changes (and a deep sand bed eventually if you go that route) would help.

I would not start all over if I were you, give the tank time to settle down.

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12265140#post12265140 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeesGoneWild
O rly? serously? i have had most of my rocks packed in somewater. stick with it if you cant lower you nitrates on a 14gallon then you should just quit right now. go play some video games or somthing . I mean are you going to quit that ? its only 14 gallons of water if you cant handle that that i would ask myself if i really wanted to understand this hobby.

:confused: Not only was that one of the rudest posts I've seen, you are wrong. Large tanks are much more forgiving than small ones.
And we're in the New to the Hobby forum :confused:

Anyway, if this were my tank, I'd maybe do a 50% water change and save the $30 to buy a good skimmer as soon as I could afford one.

I'm not sure what that filter cartridge is, but that could be the source of your nitrate problem.

I agree with Jonathon, completely tearing down the tank won't help.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12278060#post12278060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angel*Fish
:confused: Not only was that one of the rudest posts I've seen, you are wrong. Large tanks are much more forgiving than small ones.
And we're in the New to the Hobby forum :confused:

Anyway, if this were my tank, I'd maybe do a 50% water change and save the $30 to buy a good skimmer as soon as I could afford one.

I'm not sure what that filter cartridge is, but that could be the source of your nitrate problem.

I agree with Jonathon, completely tearing down the tank won't help.

great points Marie---and I think everyone here is suggesting that rather then take the tank down.