View Full Version : A question about adding some cleanning or scrubing crew to a one week old aquarium
AYGurgies
04/24/2012, 07:36 PM
Hi guys,
One question and I need your help. I have 125g tank that's been setup and running for a week now. I noticed that I have some Brown and hair algae on the live rock that I purchased, and I was wondering if it's ok to add some cleanning crew to the tank to start cleanning? My water quality and parameters are exelent, and I only use RO/DI water. Please let me know if it's ok and what else should I do. Thanks in advance
redfishblewfish
04/24/2012, 08:30 PM
Your tank is cycling and the ammonia spike will potentially kill any CUC that's added to the tank. Don't suggest adding a CUC yet.
Turn your lights off...that might help....sit back and relax for about a month.
SushiGirl
04/24/2012, 08:42 PM
Define "excellent" in numbers, please.
calk me Q
04/25/2012, 12:18 AM
thats ok…
Jocko
04/25/2012, 07:16 AM
If your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are reading 0, then you can add an initial cleanup crew. If they are not zero yet, then wait it out. Be careful not to add too big of a cleanup crew. Watch out for those cleanup crew packs. They are notorious for being WAY oversized.
rgauvin
04/25/2012, 07:30 AM
without knowing the water parameters, there is no way to know for sure.
AYGurgies
04/25/2012, 10:15 AM
PH 8.3, Amonia 0.0, Nitrite 0.0, Nitrate 0.20 Cal. 380, Phosphate between 0.0-0.25, and Alkalinity 12. Let me know if you need any more info. Thanks for the help
Your ammonia will not spike yet---that comes after about 3 weeks.
Go up to the stickies atop this forum and read the one on What to do while you're cycling...
It'll make sure you're not bored in the interval!
rgauvin
04/25/2012, 10:30 AM
if the live rock was well cured before you put it in, the water numbers certainly make it look like it may have cycled. Mine cycled ridiculously fast (about a week) with very well cured live rock but everyone told me to wait longer, so I did, but nothign changed as it was already cycled.
Did you notice an ammonia spike? or did you do like me, and not test it for the first little while because everyone makes it sound like cycles always take a month long?
gweston
04/25/2012, 12:49 PM
I had a tank cycle in about 2 weeks with rock/sand cycled 8 weeks in a separate bin. Stuff growing on the rocks is normal when cycling. It will get uglier before it gets prettier.
The tank DID have a cycle, but a small one. I tested one to two times a day and kept a log (I'll post if I can find it). Still, even after the fast cycle, I went very slow to add any livestock. Added CUC, waited a week. Added a few corals, waited a week. Added a single fish, waited a week, etc.
A cycled tank doesn't mean it can handle a full livestock load. It just means the tank is ready to start increasing the load. Slowly. Keep testing! When nitrates are rising while ammonia and nitrites remain at 0, you are most likely cycled. When it looks finished, do a water change to nudge the nitrates down, and then add the first of the livestock.
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