cycling question

jibbittyflibbitt · 04/28/2003, 04:18 PM

hi,

i got the first half of my 15 gallon package on tuesday.. ive seen lots of life come out since then. and its great looking rock.

however, my ammonia still reads as .25 and my nitrites are stuck around 1. ive done 3 15% water changes every other day.. its in a 30 gallon tank, so im probably changing out 4 gallons or so every other day.

im not noticing the levels drop at all.. nor are they climbing? one time when i cylced my 75 gallon freshwater, it seemed like the levels both went down to 0 overnight one time and tada! the cycle was complete..

im just wondering here, though.. since the levels seem stable.

perhaps i need to do a 25% water change.. i think anything over that percentage is too much of a fluctuation for the inhabitants..

lemme know what you think...

David_Winther · 04/28/2003, 11:54 PM

It can take a while sometimes. Just keep at it and they will drop. It takes a while for the natural filtration sysem to get up and running etc etc. My experiance has been that saltwater takes longer then freshwater to level out.

-Dave

ginntonic74 · 04/29/2003, 01:49 PM

I would stop doing water changes until the cycle is done. I think you are disrupting the cycle by changing the water. I could be wrong though. Wont be the first wont be the last.

jibbittyflibbitt · 04/29/2003, 02:15 PM

actually, TBS says specifically to do many water changes to keep the cycle down some, in order to not have the ammonia get too high and kill off the stuff on the rock.

regards
jib

ginntonic74 · 04/29/2003, 02:20 PM

sounds reasonable.

David_Winther · 04/29/2003, 05:39 PM

I agree. I always "assist" my tank in the cycle by doing more frequent water changes, but I always test my tank levels prior to any water change.

-Dave

jibbittyflibbitt · 05/05/2003, 08:07 AM

well, its now been 2 weeks since i got my 15lbs of sand and 15lbs of rock. the ammonia has gone from .25 to 0, but the nitrites are still about 1.0 ppm. ive done about 4 10% water changes and 2 25% water changes to help the rock survive.. and hopefully to bring down the nitrites.. however, even after i did the larger changes, the test kit still said 1.0 ppm. the kit could be bad, its a year old.. but it seems to work ok on my freshwater tank.. its good on both salt and freshwater.

even if its off.. the idea is to have unreadable nitrites..

just ill just have to continue watching until it drops to nothing, then ill be able to order the 2nd half of the package with all the critters and stuff... then ill have a real tank, hah.

regards,
jib

jibbittyflibbitt · 05/05/2003, 08:17 AM

forgot to mention.. about 4 days ago.. day 10.. the diatom brown alage bloom started big time. most of the baserock i put in there (not TBS rock) is now turning brown.

i have the lights on for about 6 hours a day.

although, this is normal for new tanks.. itll eventually turn green, then into hair, if im correct.

regards,
jib

David_Winther · 05/05/2003, 09:14 AM

Not if you have a great cleaner crew!

As far as I am concerned, you can never have enough critters in there eating away. If I learned one thing from Eric when he came to talk to our club, it was to have a lot of critters in there. Says he doesn't have a problem with blooms because of lots of critters in his tank.

-Dave

jibbittyflibbitt · 05/05/2003, 01:19 PM

i know .. i was considering adding a fighting conch or something.. but with the high nitrite levels, itll probably die.

regards,
jib

sobe1 · 05/05/2003, 02:18 PM

Patience jib. It usually takes a new tank a month or so to really fully cycle. As for your algae problems, get some blue legged hermits. They're usually pretty hardy and will withstand the nitrite. They will also help in the cycle process.

David_Winther · 05/05/2003, 03:44 PM

Yup, I agree with the Blue Legs! Just have a few extra shells in there for them to swap around in!

-Dave

jibbittyflibbitt · 05/05/2003, 04:45 PM

arnt the red legs supposed to be better because they are less likely to kill each other and the snails in the tank ?

what i currently have is a diatom alage bloom.. do hermits eat this stuff? only thing that im aware off that eats the diatom kind is the conch

regards,
jib

David_Winther · 05/06/2003, 07:45 AM

I have both, and I see them both working the stuff over. I also have about 3 or 4 varieties of snails.

I recommend one of Dr. Mac's clean up crews. I have looked at a lot of "clean up crews" over the last few years and I am very impressed with his. I think it is one of the best assortments you can get for the money. Jeff's exotic fish has some goods ones as well.

-Dave

jibbittyflibbitt · 05/07/2003, 12:07 PM

i think the reason my cycle is taking longer than the 7-10 days TBS says it would is because i have a 30 gallon tank... and i ordered at 15 gallon package (already got 30lbs of HI rocks ) to save some money. since the 15 gallon package has half the amount of rock and sand, the cycle will probably take twice as long.. heh.

normally id have 30 lbs of rock in there with bacteria.. instead i have 15lbs, but its converting twice the water load.. if that makes sense.

im going to go to a LFS this weekend, and see if i can get a blue or red leg hermit or 2.

if they die, its not too big of a loss.. but they should be ok. im noticing the brown alage starting to slow its expansion.. but now i think theres a patch or two of hair alage.. but it might be something else.. looks like thick patches of grass on 2 of my rocks.

anyway, thanks for the advice, im going to see about the hermits this weekend, and wait out the nitrite part of the cycle.

regards,
jib

04/28/2003, 04:18 PM	#1
jibbittyflibbitt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 147	cycling question hi, i got the first half of my 15 gallon package on tuesday.. ive seen lots of life come out since then. and its great looking rock. however, my ammonia still reads as .25 and my nitrites are stuck around 1. ive done 3 15% water changes every other day.. its in a 30 gallon tank, so im probably changing out 4 gallons or so every other day. im not noticing the levels drop at all.. nor are they climbing? one time when i cylced my 75 gallon freshwater, it seemed like the levels both went down to 0 overnight one time and tada! the cycle was complete.. im just wondering here, though.. since the levels seem stable. perhaps i need to do a 25% water change.. i think anything over that percentage is too much of a fluctuation for the inhabitants.. lemme know what you think...

04/29/2003, 01:49 PM	#3
ginntonic74 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: New Jersey (Yes our governor is gay not that there is anything wrong with that) Posts: 1,055	I would stop doing water changes until the cycle is done. I think you are disrupting the cycle by changing the water. I could be wrong though. Wont be the first wont be the last. __________________ You need only two tools in life: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape. Current Tank Info: 3 gal eclipse, 2 lbs le, blue damsel

04/29/2003, 02:20 PM	#5
ginntonic74 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: New Jersey (Yes our governor is gay not that there is anything wrong with that) Posts: 1,055	sounds reasonable. __________________ You need only two tools in life: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape. Current Tank Info: 3 gal eclipse, 2 lbs le, blue damsel

05/05/2003, 08:07 AM	#7
jibbittyflibbitt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 147	just a update well, its now been 2 weeks since i got my 15lbs of sand and 15lbs of rock. the ammonia has gone from .25 to 0, but the nitrites are still about 1.0 ppm. ive done about 4 10% water changes and 2 25% water changes to help the rock survive.. and hopefully to bring down the nitrites.. however, even after i did the larger changes, the test kit still said 1.0 ppm. the kit could be bad, its a year old.. but it seems to work ok on my freshwater tank.. its good on both salt and freshwater. even if its off.. the idea is to have unreadable nitrites.. just ill just have to continue watching until it drops to nothing, then ill be able to order the 2nd half of the package with all the critters and stuff... then ill have a real tank, hah. regards, jib

05/05/2003, 08:17 AM	#8
jibbittyflibbitt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 147	opps.. forgot to mention.. about 4 days ago.. day 10.. the diatom brown alage bloom started big time. most of the baserock i put in there (not TBS rock) is now turning brown. i have the lights on for about 6 hours a day. although, this is normal for new tanks.. itll eventually turn green, then into hair, if im correct. regards, jib

04/28/2003, 11:54 PM	#2
David_Winther Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 82	It can take a while sometimes. Just keep at it and they will drop. It takes a while for the natural filtration sysem to get up and running etc etc. My experiance has been that saltwater takes longer then freshwater to level out. -Dave

04/29/2003, 02:15 PM	#4
jibbittyflibbitt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 147	actually, TBS says specifically to do many water changes to keep the cycle down some, in order to not have the ammonia get too high and kill off the stuff on the rock. regards jib

04/29/2003, 05:39 PM	#6
David_Winther Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 82	I agree. I always "assist" my tank in the cycle by doing more frequent water changes, but I always test my tank levels prior to any water change. -Dave

05/05/2003, 09:14 AM	#9
David_Winther Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 82	Not if you have a great cleaner crew! As far as I am concerned, you can never have enough critters in there eating away. If I learned one thing from Eric when he came to talk to our club, it was to have a lot of critters in there. Says he doesn't have a problem with blooms because of lots of critters in his tank. -Dave

05/05/2003, 01:19 PM	#10
jibbittyflibbitt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 147	i know .. i was considering adding a fighting conch or something.. but with the high nitrite levels, itll probably die. regards, jib

05/05/2003, 02:18 PM	#11
sobe1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego,CA Posts: 72	Patience jib. It usually takes a new tank a month or so to really fully cycle. As for your algae problems, get some blue legged hermits. They're usually pretty hardy and will withstand the nitrite. They will also help in the cycle process.

05/05/2003, 03:44 PM	#12
David_Winther Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 82	Yup, I agree with the Blue Legs! Just have a few extra shells in there for them to swap around in! -Dave

05/05/2003, 04:45 PM	#13
jibbittyflibbitt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 147	arnt the red legs supposed to be better because they are less likely to kill each other and the snails in the tank ? what i currently have is a diatom alage bloom.. do hermits eat this stuff? only thing that im aware off that eats the diatom kind is the conch regards, jib

05/06/2003, 07:45 AM	#14
David_Winther Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 82	I have both, and I see them both working the stuff over. I also have about 3 or 4 varieties of snails. I recommend one of Dr. Mac's clean up crews. I have looked at a lot of "clean up crews" over the last few years and I am very impressed with his. I think it is one of the best assortments you can get for the money. Jeff's exotic fish has some goods ones as well. -Dave

05/07/2003, 12:07 PM	#15
jibbittyflibbitt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 147	i think the reason my cycle is taking longer than the 7-10 days TBS says it would is because i have a 30 gallon tank... and i ordered at 15 gallon package (already got 30lbs of HI rocks ) to save some money. since the 15 gallon package has half the amount of rock and sand, the cycle will probably take twice as long.. heh. normally id have 30 lbs of rock in there with bacteria.. instead i have 15lbs, but its converting twice the water load.. if that makes sense. im going to go to a LFS this weekend, and see if i can get a blue or red leg hermit or 2. if they die, its not too big of a loss.. but they should be ok. im noticing the brown alage starting to slow its expansion.. but now i think theres a patch or two of hair alage.. but it might be something else.. looks like thick patches of grass on 2 of my rocks. anyway, thanks for the advice, im going to see about the hermits this weekend, and wait out the nitrite part of the cycle. regards, jib