My tank is 23 days old when i started it i added a 4#live rock never tested figuring i was getting more rock last wed i added 25#and sat another 20 .. The rock is uncured i tested ammonia nitrite and nitrate all at zero .this is a 40 breeder should i see ammonia or should i add a frozen food cube or something to get ammonia.
no amonia yet?
- Thread starter SteveZ15
- Start date
You need to add something to create the ammonia. A raw supermarket shrimp added to the tank inside of a media bag (makes it easier to take back out) for at least a few days will get the ammonia up and the cycle going.
If the live rock you added didnt have any die-off, there is basically nothing to create the cycle.
Granted you may have a little bacteria in the tank but not near enough to begin supporting the things we would add to a new tank.
You also need to remember to feed the growing bacteria by adding a tiny pinch of flake food a couple of times a week.
Don't remove the shrimp until you have an ammonia level of about 1.0.
If the live rock you added didnt have any die-off, there is basically nothing to create the cycle.
Granted you may have a little bacteria in the tank but not near enough to begin supporting the things we would add to a new tank.
You also need to remember to feed the growing bacteria by adding a tiny pinch of flake food a couple of times a week.
Don't remove the shrimp until you have an ammonia level of about 1.0.
- Location
- New Jersey
5 is a lot. You really don't need that many. You really will not get that good flow through a zip lock. You can also use an old stocking and just cut the foot off. My wife wears these little foot stocking things that I have used in the past.
Ill wait till my gf gets home so I can get from her is 3 enough there small shrimp.This cycle is weird for me the tank is 3 weeks and no ammonia yet,no algae the water is crystal clear ..the only sign of life is these little things crawling all over the glass..
- Location
- New Jersey
You need dead things to start the cycle. They need to break down. You probably see little pods on the glass. Again algae growth will not come yet since you are not cycled.
I your post didnt show up when i posted that. I was suprised because there is no ammonia no nitrite or nitrate using brand new salifert test. Not a single algae outbrake no diatoms .. The tank seems way too clean for anything to have happened . I would add a few snails but there is nothing for them to eat.. Im not trying to disregard your answer ..the rock was ordered on line is it possible the rock was not alive as advertised.like it was dry and put it in a pool for a wile then shipped? I was expecting at least a algae bloom.
If you ordered Monando live rock from Premium Aquatics, you got what you paid for. Ask member Psuedo on here. He had corals in his tank from the first day he got the rock lol. It came in clean an provided the nitrogen cycle right away. If this rock was in your tank for 3 weeks and you have no ammonia or nitrite you have completed your nitrogen cycle. As you stock the algae will come. Clean live rock is not a good source of phosphate.
- Location
- Mohegan lake
I believe you can test to see if your cycle is finish by adding pure ammonia to tank then waiting for 24 hours to see if it gets broken down.well at least thats what i read on an article today
Can you point me to that article? I want to trash the author
Steve a better idea would be to try a "feeler" coral. You're welcome to pass by my place. I'll give you a head of frogspawn.
- Location
- Bellmore, NY
I think you'd be better with a few inverts. You can feed some flake or pellets if theres nothing for them to eat
- Location
- Mohegan lake
Can you point me to that article? I want to trash the author
Steve a better idea would be to try a "feeler" coral. You're welcome to pass by my place. I'll give you a head of frogspawn.
lol here you go
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html
- Location
- Mohegan lake
It states "
20. *What should my readings be if my cycle is complete?
In a fully cycled tank, your readings should always be ammonia-0, nitrItes-0 and levels of nitrAtes can vary. If you can add 4ppm of ammonia, and 24 hours later there is no trace of ammonia or nitrItes, your tank is fully cycled with a strong bio-filter. *Note- never try this little experiment once you get fish?because you won?t have live fish anymore after that 24 hour period."
20. *What should my readings be if my cycle is complete?
In a fully cycled tank, your readings should always be ammonia-0, nitrItes-0 and levels of nitrAtes can vary. If you can add 4ppm of ammonia, and 24 hours later there is no trace of ammonia or nitrItes, your tank is fully cycled with a strong bio-filter. *Note- never try this little experiment once you get fish?because you won?t have live fish anymore after that 24 hour period."
- Location
- Bellmore, NY
An important item to note in this article is the cycling with Pure ammonia. If you do use this method, make sure to read the parts about no dyes, no perfumes, no nothing but 100% pure ammonia!
I had a figi rock a few pounds since day one the manado was in there a week. I will wait a week to see ill get a cheap frag. The manado was from p.a .. .I didnt test for two weeks thinking that small rock wasnt gonna have any affect. I tested every day since last week when i added the manado. Thanks for the offer and help.the coral theory store is like 15 min from my house. I can get a zoa frag or something. I just hesitant since this is my first reef i dont want to kill anything if i can avoid it even if its a cheap frag.
Not sure where to start.
1. It would be a good idea to test your system with ammonia.
2. Corals don't create much ammonia so they will not stress your system as long as it has the bacteria to handle ammonia and nitrites. And hopefully it came on the rock.
3. Rock that is out of water for any length of time will have die off. So if the rock did not come from a local source I can't imagine that you don't need to cycle your tank. And if there was not much ammonia then there will be very little bacteria to handle much of a load. Even after a cycle, a tank that is not mature will not be able to handle big changes in the bio load. So add things slowly. If in doubt as to what to do I would listen to Kathy.
1. It would be a good idea to test your system with ammonia.
2. Corals don't create much ammonia so they will not stress your system as long as it has the bacteria to handle ammonia and nitrites. And hopefully it came on the rock.
3. Rock that is out of water for any length of time will have die off. So if the rock did not come from a local source I can't imagine that you don't need to cycle your tank. And if there was not much ammonia then there will be very little bacteria to handle much of a load. Even after a cycle, a tank that is not mature will not be able to handle big changes in the bio load. So add things slowly. If in doubt as to what to do I would listen to Kathy.
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