Another Cycle question, sorry :$

[chaaban]

Hey guys, I just wanted to see what everyone here thinks, is my cycle done? Can I add my first fish (on its 5th week of QT)?

Heres my specs:

-Tank is 100 Gallon, started on January 23rd, all new equipment, dry rock, and sand. Ive been adding a pinch of fish food every day since setup.

-Feb 20th i added 3 pieces of established live rock with coraline algae into the tank, i also added Cheato to the Refuge.

-Feb 23rd I added CUC, 4 kinds of snails, 2 kinds of hermit crabs.

-Today, CUC is healthy and the live rock still looks great with a piece of GSP that came on it.

Ive only tested for ammonia, since the day of the setup but I didnt notice much of an ammonia spike, test kit being used is the API ammonia kit. I only tested a few times so maybe i missed the cycle?

Thanks for the help.

[nlgill13]

You might have missed the spike in ammonia which normally comes within the first 2 weeks or so. What is your ammonia and nitrite at (numbers)?

As for fish, you don't want to add any fish to tank with any amount of ammonia or nitrite in the it. The reason for a QT is to observe the fish for any signs of illness and to treat the illness before it gets into your DT. If all the fish look fine at the 5-6 week mark (of being in the QT) you can put them into your DT. However, for any new arrive to the QT, the QT count down starts over (ie add a new fish a QT that already has fish in it for 3 weeks, the QT resets to 5-6 weeks)

[chaaban]

Thanks for your reply, as far as QT, i understand how all that works and now at almost at the end of week 5 the his are doing great with zero signs of illness since day one of being in the QT tank, they were also treated with prazi pro twice during these 5 weeks (just in case)...


I dont have a nitrite test kit, and as far as ammonia in numbers, well it shows up yellow which is supposed to be 0 i believe, heres a picture of todays testing.

API Ammonia test:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60806
API Dip stick:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60805

[ReneeF]

Looks like you may still have nitrates so the cycle may not be done. It's hard to tell with the dipstick test. Maybe bring some water to your LFS to get tested?

[acabgd]

Nitrates are not a sign of an ongoing cycle, they are the end product of ammonia - nitrite - nitrate cycle.
Without testing for nitrite you can only guess if your cycle is finished. Furthermore, your cycle might be finished, but without adding anything to the tank your bacteria will starve. You need to ghost feed your tank (and CUC) and test.

[chaaban]

I have been "ghost feeding" every day since the initial fill (Jan 23rd).... So the bacteria shouldnt starve and I always see my CUC busy eating stuff.

I guess I will take some water to a LFS and ask him to test, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and I will report back to you guys.

BTW this is my tank... http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2382969



Thanks

[ReneeF]

Do you have any bioballs in the sump? It's hard to see from the photos in the thread. BTW, beautiful tank! Love the setup.

PS. Try running some Purigen.

[chaaban]

Thanks :) and no bio balls at all...

[chaaban]

Hey guys! I have an update for you....i totally forgot that I purchased a Red Sea Nitrate test kit a few months ago so i tested again and here are my results:

March 2nd

Ammonia- 0
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60817

Nitrate- 0
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60818
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60819

And CUC and GSP seem to be doing great...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60820

[chaaban]

Bump to confirm that I'm cycles and ready to add my fish? :)

[Pife]

I would add them one at a time over the course of a couple weeks so that your tank doesn't have a huge bioload all at once and cycle again.

[GT350pwns]

I would add them one at a time over the course of a couple weeks so that your tank doesn't have a huge bioload all at once and cycle again.

+1 to this. First fish in my tank were 2 clowns and I've had a bit of a nitrate problem going with 2 right off the bat. But, they seem happy and healthy.

[SGT_York]

You should expect a nitrate issue in a recently cycled tank. Nitrates take a much longer time to settle out. Go slow and don't add more food than you have been for a few more weeks and continue to test.

Also Nitrate is not a significant detriment to fish (inverts yes)

FYI API test are great for Fish only tanks, the calcium, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite (arguably) are good enough tests, but if you want to keep corals invest in test that are in a better range for a reef tank. Those main tests are phosphate and nitrate, the API test scales are just too high. Once you get any color at all with phosphates you are already past the stony coral growth inhibitor point.

[arinrb]

You should expect a nitrate issue in a recently cycled tank. Nitrates take a much longer time to settle out. Go slow and don't add more food than you have been for a few more weeks and continue to test.


I second this, I thought I had skipped a cycle after two weeks and added two tiny clowns and a few snails over a three day period and killed a beautiful little clown fish because of it.

[chaaban]

Thanks guys, it's only a pair of clownfish.... Would adding both at once be too much? I don't think I should separate the pair but I'm not sure. Also my tank is 93gallons with about 45 gallons in filtration (sump/refugium).

[chaaban]

You should expect a nitrate issue in a recently cycled tank. Nitrates take a much longer time to settle out. Go slow and don't add more food than you have been for a few more weeks and continue to test.

Also Nitrate is not a significant detriment to fish (inverts yes)

FYI API test are great for Fish only tanks, the calcium, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite (arguably) are good enough tests, but if you want to keep corals invest in test that are in a better range for a reef tank. Those main tests are phosphate and nitrate, the API test scales are just too high. Once you get any color at all with phosphates you are already past the stony coral growth inhibitor point.

I also have the following for testing (still never used at this point):
http://www.f3images.com/IMD/250/RS21510/Red-Sea-Reef-Foundation-Pro-Ca-Alk-Mg-Multi-Test-Kit-99.jpg

http://www.reefconcept.com/catalog/images/imagecache/100x100_Checker_Phosphorus-11.jpg

[hogfanreefer]

How long have they been in QT? I know it's exciting and you want to see them in the DT but they are fine in QT and the last thing you want to do is put them in too quickly and introduce Ich in to your tank.

Beautiful set up. Wish my underneath looked as organized and clean as yours.

[chaaban]

How long have they been in QT? I know it's exciting and you want to see them in the DT but they are fine in QT and the last thing you want to do is put them in too quickly and introduce Ich in to your tank.

Beautiful set up. Wish my underneath looked as organized and clean as yours.


Thanks :) this build took over a year, I wanted to make sure I have everything the way I wanted it, I don't mind waiting if I have to. Although, I must say, the wait for putting the fish in is killing me lol!

The clowns have been in the QT since FEB, 01... Week 1- I observed, week 2- I dosed prazipro, week 3- another dose of prazipro (after water change), week 4- I observed.

Today, March 3rd, fish still seem healthy as always, eating twice a day.

[hogfanreefer]

I know what you mean. The time in QT seems to last forever as you imagine what they will look like in your DT.

My routine is at least 8 weeks if I don't treat for Ich. Even if I treat it usually takes that much or longer to get them eating well, treat with Prazipro X 2 and watch them a while after treatment. You're half way there!

Keep the pictures coming. It's fun to see the transformation from sterile looking dry rock to mature reef!

[chaaban]

Thanks :) I'll wait longer, so what do you recommend I do from here on out? Just observe for 2 or 3 weeks? The fish are healthy and eating well and everything since day 1.

[chaaban]

Also regarding my DT... Should I do a water change now? How many gallons? Thanks

[chaaban]

Today I came home to find my glass covered in algae.... just a really thin layer on the galss. Im just shocked at how fast it happened. Also when i used the MGfloat to clean the glass, it cleared up and within half hour there was some already back on the glass....

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60874

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8802&pictureid=60873

[chaaban]

Bump for some answers :)

[chaaban]

I didnt get any answers regarding the algae on the glass but i decided to keep all lights off for 2 days and it cleared up nicely!

Added a few critters:

- 1x Blood shrimp
- 2x emerald crabs
- 2x porcelain crabs
- 1x pom pom crab

Everything looks good and healthy...... cant wait to add my clown fish!

[chaaban]

Today I tested for ammonia and read 0..... I then tested for Nitrate and now it's reading 0.25 ppm.

Am I ready for my first water change and then add my clownfish pair?

[nlgill13]

Sounds good...what are your nitrites at?

Also take a look at this:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/blog.php?b=702

[chaaban]

Im not sure what my Nitrite is as I dont have a devoted test kit for measuring the Nitrites...

Also, I have read that sticky before along with others, thanks :)

[acabgd]

You should also add some snails as sooner or later you will have to count on having some algae.

[chaaban]

If you read at the beginning you'll notice I added several types of inverts throughout the cycle, heres the list:

-50 Dwarf Cerritos
-16 Nassarius
-26 Florida Ceriths
-18 Nerites
-8 hermit crabs (mixed variety)
-2 emerald crabs
-2 porcelain crabs
-1 pom pom crab
-1 Blood Shrimp