Cycle Help

[Dixon21]

Hey Guys,

Still new to the forum...just had a couple of questions. Ive read alot online about cycling my new 10 gal nano. I decided to go with just a live rock cycle. Tanks been going for about 5 days now. Ive been testing it daily and came across something interesting today... Over the past couple of days the ammonia has been steadily declining and is very close to 0ppm. But instead of a nitrite spike, im noticing my nitrites are still at 0ppm and my nitrates have gone up to 20ppm. There is some brown algae accumulating on the rocks and sand. Does this mean the rock was cured and the tank is cycled?

Im new at this and frankly dont wanna f**k it up/ hurt or kill anything in the tank.

I also have a come of snails that came as hitchhikers on the rock...they are doing fine roaming all over the tank

Please let me know what you guys think thanks.
-DIXON21

 

[thirty6]

Welcome

Where did you get the rock from? Was it in Someones system that you know/trust or lfs?
I would wait a few more days and test again. If snails came with rock leave em be but don't add anything else to the tank
Tell us about your system, what equip using ECt....

 

[Dixon21]

Welcome

Where did you get the rock from? Was it in Someones system that you know/trust or lfs?
I would wait a few more days and test again. If snails came with rock leave em be but don't add anything else to the tank
Tell us about your system, what equip using ECt....

The rock was from my LFS. I will leave the snails they seem to be loving the tank lol and heres a bit about the system..

10gal glass tank
1 koralia nano 240gph powerhead
aqueon HOB filer customized to hold 1/2 portion of chemi-pure elite and poly filter
50 watt ti heater
Marineland Reef Capabale LED fixture

 

[albano]

I will leave the snails they seem to be loving the tank

My snails are so emotionless !


:sad2:

 

[Dixon21]

My snails are so emotionless !


:sad2:

lol anyway, i pulled the poly-filter pad out of the filter as it was covered in brown matter

do you guys think my tank is cycled?

what should i do?

 

[albano]

lol anyway, i pulled the poly-filter pad out of the filter as it was covered in brown matter

do you guys think my tank is cycled?

what should i do?

Poly filters are designed to change color, based on what they remove from the water... If it is covered with 'brown matter' I would think its dirt/algae/etc, which is not what a poly filter is used for. To check it, you can cut a piece off and see if it has changed color inside and out

 

[Dixon21]

Poly filters are designed to change color, based on what they remove from the water... If it is covered with 'brown matter' I would think its dirt/algae/etc, which is not what a poly filter is used for. To check it, you can cut a piece off and see if it has changed color inside and out

I checked there website and they say a brown color change means its pulling normal organic load of of the system... which i presume to be good. I will put the pads back in the filter. Thanks!!

Now back to my original question do you think my tank is cycled based on the levels i had provided?

 

[fishless]

Hmm. If it was me, I'd do this:

Pull the poly filter and the purigen for now. Poly filter is great insurance IMO on a little tank because it pulls out ammonia and nitrite (though not nitrate). I use it on my QT. But when you're cycling, you need to get your biological filter up and running and the polyfilter is gonna interfere with you being able to judge how well your rock is doing its job.

Next, if you don't already have an ammonia source, I would just add a little pinch of fish food and let the tank run for a couple days. Then test again. Also, don't worry about the brown algae. It's probably diatoms and normal for a new tank. They are living off the silicate in your sand and rock. Once they eat it all, they'll die off.

Hope that helps.

 

[Dixon21]

Hmm. If it was me, I'd do this:

Pull the poly filter and the purigen for now. Poly filter is great insurance IMO on a little tank because it pulls out ammonia and nitrite (though not nitrate). I use it on my QT. But when you're cycling, you need to get your biological filter up and running and the polyfilter is gonna interfere with you being able to judge how well your rock is doing its job.

Next, if you don't already have an ammonia source, I would just add a little pinch of fish food and let the tank run for a couple days. Then test again. Also, don't worry about the brown algae. It's probably diatoms and normal for a new tank. They are living off the silicate in your sand and rock. Once they eat it all, they'll die off.

Hope that helps.

This might sound stupid, but why would i want to add a source of ammonia if i already saw an ammonia spike?

 

[NYreefNoob]

ok to answer your question. no your tank is not ready, usually takes around 4 weeks or so for a system to cycle, even if you took live rock to start tank, it the rock hit air at all it had some die off. same with sand, your sand still needs to get some beniuficial bacteria. this is a hobby, not a race, quit testing the tank everyday, it isnt going to make it go any faster. give it a few weeks then check to see what the parameters are.
and your amonia didnt spike out and drop in a total of five days of the tank running

 

[lnevo]

To help fed the bacteria that you are trying to establish. Even if you had a small amount to start you need to maintain it until you introduce fish. One week is not enough and bacteria need to be fed to colonize your tank.

 

[fishless]

I would just want to make sure it is the biological filter that was handling your ammonia and nitrite, rather than the poly filter. Then you'll know you're cycled. So you pull the poly filter and add some ammonia and see if the bio filter does its job on its own.

 

[Dixon21]

I would just want to make sure it is the biological filter that was handling your ammonia and nitrite, rather than the poly filter. Then you'll know you're cycled. So you pull the poly filter and add some ammonia and see if the bio filter does its job on its own.

Thanks again for all your help up to this point just trying to do this right the first time!!

Ok so I pulled the poly-filter, and the chemi-pure so the "filter" is now just basically acting as a second "powerhead". I grabbed some fish flakes from the store... Should i add a pinch a day an feed the tank everyday or just have to do it once?

 

[NYreefNoob]

i wouldnt add anything, just let the tank cycle, patience is the biggest key to success in this hobby

 

[fishless]

Well, I don't want to start a cycling war. I'm just saying that's a way to see if your bio filter is working. I suspect it's not actually there yet, but it is possible. So, I'd add a pinch of food, like maybe 1/4 teaspoon or less, test again in 24 hours and see what you get. Won't hurt anything, anyway. Don't plan on feeding the tank more until you get the results after 24 hours. If you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and some nitrate, well, I would try to repeat the test just to be sure, and then again lol. If you do have ammonia and/or nitrate, you're not cycled. You could then add some food every few days to keep feeding the bacteria that are growing, I you want. Actually you could do that even if your readings are 0 until you really feel its safe to add a fish.

Anyway, I don't think you're being impatient. You're just trying to gather data and understand what's going on. There's nothing wrong with that. I'd be very cautious though with a ten gallon. It's not a lot of water to help dilute any mistakes.

 

[Dixon21]

Well, I don't want to start a cycling war. I'm just saying that's a way to see if your bio filter is working. I suspect it's not actually there yet, but it is possible. So, I'd add a pinch of food, like maybe 1/4 teaspoon or less, test again in 24 hours and see what you get. Won't hurt anything, anyway. Don't plan on feeding the tank more until you get the results after 24 hours. If you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and some nitrate, well, I would try to repeat the test just to be sure, and then again lol. If you do have ammonia and/or nitrate, you're not cycled. You could then add some food every few days to keep feeding the bacteria that are growing, I you want. Actually you could do that even if your readings are 0 until you really feel its safe to add a fish.

Anyway, I don't think you're being impatient. You're just trying to gather data and understand what's going on. There's nothing wrong with that. I'd be very cautious though with a ten gallon. It's not a lot of water to help dilute any mistakes.

You seem to understand exactly where im coming from here lol... just fed the tank i will test again tm night and post my results and we will go from there

Thanks for all your help everyone!

 

[drej424]

I'd be concerned about the snails. I wouldn't want to force a spike with them in the tank.

 

[Dixon21]

Aright, i just tested my water again 24 hrs after adding the fish food...

ammonia - 0ppm
nitirite - 0ppm
nitrate - 20ppm

what do you guys think?

 

[NYreefNoob]

not saying fishless doesnt know what they are talking about,but they just joined and have five post. and i see you just want to hear what you want to hear, ive told you twice what to do, but hey what would i know after a decade in the hobby

 

[Jim]

Aright, i just tested my water again 24 hrs after adding the fish food...

ammonia - 0ppm
nitirite - 0ppm
nitrate - 20ppm

what do you guys think?

I don't think your tank cycled in 1 week. It would be miraculous if the nitrogen cycle completed itself in 7 days. I would take advise from the veterans on this site over the the noobs. Just my opinion.