I'm getting wet :)

[jerl77]

and your welcome

 

[strgazr27]

This is a FTS from this morning. Still a LITTLE cloudy but I also need to swap socks.

 

[strgazr27]

Looks like the cycle is fully up and running. As of this morning the parameters look like this:

Temp: 79
PH: 8.3
Salinity 1.024
Amm: 2.0
Nitrite: 1.0
Nitrate: 20
Cal: 480
Dk: 11

Looking to do a water change later today. Tank is getting that nice "Reef Tank" smell to it. The sock on the other hand with the shrimp in it....HOLY C*** does it stink Lol.

 

[marrone]

No, don't do a water change. You want to let it go through the full cycle, Ammonia up, then down, Nitrite up then down, then you're left with just Nitrates. At this point you'll do a water change to bring the nitrates down.

 

[strgazr27]

I thought it would be easier doing a few small water changes as the cycle completes than doing one big one to bring the nitrates down. I figured it would be less of a drastic change and easier to keep dialed in as far as salinity and that goes.

 

[marrone]

No, by doing water changes now you're interrupting the cycle. You want to let it run it course, and then do the water change. At that point you can adjust the SG & Ph too, so don't worry about them now. As for the Cal and Alk, well those aren't important until you start to put in corals, so don't even worry about those until you start with corals.

 

[strgazr27]

As of this morning....

Temp: 79
PH: 8.3
Salinity 1.024
Amm: 1.0
Nitrite: 1.0
Nitrate: 40
Cal: 460
Dk: 11

I elected to not do a WC. ammonia seems to be dropping and Nitrates still climbing. Water is now nice and clear. The shrimps are almost gone. Should I add 2 more fresh ones or just let the tank finish out it's cycle from this point on without them?

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Waterchanges aren't going to do anything as long as you have the rotting shrimp in there except prolong the process by slowing the break down. You're better off leaving it alone like Mike said, and letting it run it's course. Patience now will pay off long term.

 

[strgazr27]

Yeah that's why I didn't do the water change. Should I add 1 or 2 more shrimp or just let it finish out at this point?

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Just let it do it's thing right for now. You should be set once it's done and then just stock the tank slowly like you normally would.

 

[strgazr27]

Just let it do it's thing right for now. You should be set once it's done and then just stock the tank slowly like you normally would.

Thanks! That was my plan at this point.

 

[masterswimmer]

Bobby, the cycle your tank is going through is just setting your tank up with the necessary bacteria (officially known as nitrosomonas bacteria) the system needs to break down waste and detritus your future critters will excrete and you will add (in the form of excess, uneaten food). Picture the bacteria as 'animals' in your tank, they can only survive by being fed. When you added the original shrimp to decompose and jump start your cycle, you fed the bacteria. You do need to continue to feed the bacteria or they will die off. If you were to feed them another entire shrimp or two you would be severely overfeeding the present bacterial colonies and causing them to multiply even more.

Now consider this, you are past your cycle and are adding fish, inverts, and coral to your system. Those new animal additions aren't going to generate enough waste to support all the bacterial colonies your system generated during the cycle. The excess bacteria will begin to die off and settle back to a level that the waste in your tank can support.

Russ

 

[bigbris1]

I think what Russ said is part of what I was trying to say with my tank. You cycle your tank now and every time you add something new you go thru another (mini) cycle. So just throw everything in now and let the bacteria do it's thing. But while doing so, do frequent water changes and monitor your inhabitant's health and water quality. The bacteria you want live on the surfaces of your tank and not in the water. So do as many WCs as you'd like, as long as you're feeding the bacteria they'll proliferate.

 

[jerl77]

All I have to say its about time its about time bobby lol

 

[strgazr27]

Time for an update..... I actually have the start of a reef tank Lol. I need to thank a few members here as without a few "Donations" and some REALLY good advice I would never have made it this far. So thanks to Bob (BYU) Tom (FMF0331) and especially Jeremy (Jerl77). The tank is currently housing several zoo's, and some softies and other than a slight case of new tank browning it looks pretty good. Tank parameters as of tonight are:

Amm: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10
Temp: 79
Salinity: 1.024
Cal: 480
dKh: 9

I'll have a few pics up later tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks again boys!

 

[jerl77]

Anytime buddy

Sent from my DROIDX using Reefs

 

[strgazr27]

You know you created a monster

 

[jerl77]

I know wait until I give you spa ha ha ha

You know you created a monster

Sent from my DROIDX using Reefs

 

[BYU]

no prob
time to post some pix

 

[masterswimmer]

Amm: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10
Temp: 79
Salinity: 1.024
Cal: 480
dKh: 9

Those are some nice numbers you've got there.

I personally like 1.0255-1.026, but that's my preference.
What about Mg?

Good luck

Russ