I have an 85 gal w/65lbs of cured live rock, 5" sand/aragonite mixed substrate. The tank has been set up for approximately 3 weeks. I have a canister filter running 24/7. I have a Bak-pac protein skimmer that I have not fired up on the advice of the LFS. Weekly tests showed no levels of ammonia or nitrate...expectedly so. On Saturday, June 5, 2004, I began to dose the tank with 1 oz of ammonia I got at LFS. Sunday and Monday tests showed no measurable ammonia. Today's results were .25 ppm ammonia and trace of nitrite and no nitrate. All looks to be cylcing ok. (Prior to set up I have read no less than 11 books, pamphlets and other materials on reef aquariums, in an effort to not mistreat any helpless animal that may one day find its way to my home.) On Sunday I noticed a ton of little "bugs" (pods) all over the glass of my tank. ..a good sign I think. My problem is with diatoms. My whold tank is brown with the stuff. It's all over the live rock.....this live rock was encrusted with corraline and had lots of great colors, purple, red, yellow....now everything is brown. QUESTION: should I now add some detritavours, snails and hermits....should I run the skimmer...should I be running the skimmer? SHould I do nothing until such time as the ammonia and nitrite reach 0. Thanks in advance...sorry about the long post.
New to the "Sport" - Question
- Thread starter Derek Hall
- Start date
You should run a skimmer without question.
Once the ammiona starts to go away the diatom will stop growing as it completes the "cycle" from to nitrate to nitrite to diatom food etc.
As to the clean up crew, the jury is still out.
Some people, myself included, add clean up criters as soon as nitrate is gone even when some ammonia is present. Others prefer to wait until all signs of both are gone.
The other topic still debated is water changes during cycle. Some people, especially those that add critters early like me, like to start doing 10% water changes weekly. While this will actually slow down the cycle it will also allow a greater amount of the fauna (worms, pods, et al) to survive the cycle. Definatetly no fish or corals until all traces of ammonia and nitrate are gone. Usually a minimum of 4 to 5 weeks. Hope that helps. resist the urge to rush and it will pay off. Your off to a great start with all that reading. Have fun!
Once the ammiona starts to go away the diatom will stop growing as it completes the "cycle" from to nitrate to nitrite to diatom food etc.
As to the clean up crew, the jury is still out.
Some people, myself included, add clean up criters as soon as nitrate is gone even when some ammonia is present. Others prefer to wait until all signs of both are gone.
The other topic still debated is water changes during cycle. Some people, especially those that add critters early like me, like to start doing 10% water changes weekly. While this will actually slow down the cycle it will also allow a greater amount of the fauna (worms, pods, et al) to survive the cycle. Definatetly no fish or corals until all traces of ammonia and nitrate are gone. Usually a minimum of 4 to 5 weeks. Hope that helps. resist the urge to rush and it will pay off. Your off to a great start with all that reading. Have fun!
Thanks for the information. I just went home - I am like a kid with a new toy....but many years from childhood... the ammonia level is back to 0 and the nitrite at 0 as well. I am definitely not putting any fish or coral until at least 2nd week of July...I will be away for a few days and don't want to be away at all with any new additions. Thank you for the information...the brownish looking diatoms are just plain ugly.
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