Quick cycle question

[Jrambo88]

I set up a 75 gal. With about 50lb established live rock, (I added 30lb of rock but it was dry.) 80lbs of new live sand and a large bottle of bio spira. I have no detectable levels of any of the 3. The tank has been up fully set up for a week, with also a few days prior of the rocks sitting in the tank filled so I could reclaim my buckets. (Rocks were housed in buckets after the old tank seam blew.) do you think it's safe to move the fish from their temporary holding tank and place them in the new tank now?

[PatW]

I think you would do best to challenge the system with some ammonia. Most of the LFS in my area carry it. You add some and test to see how long it takes to disappear. Then you test to check the resulting nitrate levels. You might have to do a few water changes to lower the nitrates. I think it is worth it to be sure that the system can handle the ammonia produced by the fish.

[anthonys51]

I think you would do best to challenge the system with some ammonia. Most of the LFS in my area carry it. You add some and test to see how long it takes to disappear. Then you test to check the resulting nitrate levels. You might have to do a few water changes to lower the nitrates. I think it is worth it to be sure that the system can handle the ammonia produced by the fish.

+1 to be safe

unless your only moving a few tiny fish.

[boojumsnark25]

Agreed...grab some ammonia from Wally World (50 cents a bottle) and dose to 2-3 PPM...if it cycles through to nitrate in 24 hours you're good to go.

Here's a calculator for how much to dose:

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/AmmoniaCycling.php

Be sure to get 100% ammonia and not the scented kind if you do it

[Jrambo88]

+1 to be safe

unless your only moving a few tiny fish.

Um, two clowns, a flame back and long nose hawk.

I'm just worried they are stressed out in a 14 gal bio cube.

[Jrambo88]

Agreed...grab some ammonia from Wally World (50 cents a bottle) and dose to 2-3 PPM...if it cycles through to nitrate in 24 hours you're good to go.

Here's a calculator for how much to dose:

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/AmmoniaCycling.php

Be sure to get 100% ammonia and not the scented kind if you do it

Thank you!

[anthonys51]

Um, two clowns, a flame back and long nose hawk.

I'm just worried they are stressed out in a 14 gal bio cube.

might be ok, might not. there are only 2 ways to tell. first stated above, second is put them in and see what happens. may not be safe or wise. they should be fine in the cube for a few more days. are you making this a reef tank.

if so my advice is go slow with the fish and dont feed much for first 6 months. i wouldn't say starve the fish, but give your live rock time to grow all the good things that will grow on them. to much nutrients will let the bad things outgrow the good stuff. thats why i didnt add my fish for 2 months in my reef. add cuc and lots of coral. even did sps first month . just a though, not saying its the only way to go though

[homer1475]

I think you would do best to challenge the system with some ammonia. Most of the LFS in my area carry it. You add some and test to see how long it takes to disappear. Then you test to check the resulting nitrate levels. You might have to do a few water changes to lower the nitrates. I think it is worth it to be sure that the system can handle the ammonia produced by the fish.

+2

Unless you added an ammonia source, you wouldn't have seen a spike. Best way to check is to stress test it as mentioned above. Add 2 ppm ammonia, and see if it clears in 24 hours. If it does, do a big water change(to clear the nitrates), match parameters of the biocube, and add them one at a time over the course of a couple weeks. This is how I plan to move my fish over to a new tank.

[WWIII]

Get the ammonia and dose the tank. If it can handle 3ppm in 24 hrs then that takes all the guesswork out of it. Your fish will thank you!