Cycle Question...

fishytim

fishytim

Member
I filled my 90g tank up last Friday... I added my sand... rinsed off some old rock that was from my old tank (it was dry)... basic stuff...
Now I have been looking/debating on how much live rock I was going to buy to seed my existing base rock (of which I have about 75 pounds).
Here is the thing.. with the holiday I didnt have a chance to get the rock yet..
I figured with the dead rock in there I could wait.... then today I decided to test to the water.. here is what I fould...
Ammonia .5ppm
Nitrite .25 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm
now my question is has my tank already started to cycle? If so, do I need to add live rock to seed my rock? Would adding some live rock disturb thye cycle?
Thanks in advance..
 
robertmathern

robertmathern

Active Member
Well Well looks like the rock you added had become live at one point. YOu dont really need live rock but I would recomend 30-50 lbs depending on what how muc you can fit. Yes you are deffently cycling. Also just a quick question how long was the base rock dry for you said it came from a existing tank. If you took it out then put it straight in your new tank it is live rock beleive it or not.
 
aztec reef

aztec reef

Active Member
Originally Posted by FishyTim
http:///forum/post/2895842
now my question is has my tank already started to cycle? If so, do I need to add live rock to seed my rock? Would adding some live rock disturb thye cycle?
Thanks in advance..
Its cycling yes..
Yes you do need to add some amount of lr in order to get micro-inverts..(infauna)..the more you add at once, the better.
The lr will give u a spike.. you just have to make sure the Ammonia spike doesn't climb higher than 1ppm.or even .25ppm .. If it does? partial Water changes will be required..
 
fishytim

fishytim

Member
I shut down my tank about a year ago. (after a ick breakout that killed all my fish). They have been sitting in the empty tank since then. Before I put it back in I rinsed it off in tap water and then boiled it...
Thanks for the help.
Originally Posted by robertmathern
http:///forum/post/2896063
Well Well looks like the rock you added had become live at one point. YOu dont really need live rock but I would recomend 30-50 lbs depending on what how muc you can fit. Yes you are deffently cycling. Also just a quick question how long was the base rock dry for you said it came from a existing tank. If you took it out then put it straight in your new tank it is live rock beleive it or not.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Excuse me but you are saying you had rock in an empty tank for one year then your rinsed it off and boiled it put it in your tank and you are seeing readings of ammonia ?????????????????????
Was the sand the type that is called live sand
 
aztec reef

aztec reef

Active Member
Instead of wasting money in alot of lr, i would get a detrivore kit from a sea farm...
Personally i breed my own fauna . and make my own lr..
 
fishytim

fishytim

Member
Yep.... I used the same sand that was in my old tank..... It was dry as well... I took it out, rinsed it a bucket and put it back in the tank. I was very surprised when it appears the tank was starting to cycle.
I went to my LFS today to buy some live rock and the guy told me I would be wasting my money....that if the tank was starting to cycle to just let it alone the the bacteria would grow on the rock....
What do you all think?
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2896799
Excuse me but you are saying you had rock in an empty tank for one year then your rinsed it off and boiled it put it in your tank and you are seeing readings of ammonia ?????????????????????
Was the sand the type that is called live sand
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
It sounds like whatever was left on the rock died with the boiling, and is now rotting... so yeah, you're cycling.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
the rock was out of the tank for ONE YEAR I just dont buy any die of from this rock causeing the ammonia
 
fishytim

fishytim

Member
ok...update time...
I walked in the door today, looked at the tank and to my surprise.....diatoms on the rock and sand....
Tested the water and here is what I found..
Temp 79.7
Salinity 1.024
Ammonia .5ppm
Nitrite 1ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm
any thoughts?
 
fishytim

fishytim

Member
So I turned the lights off as soon as I got home....this morning diatoms were way down, in some places they were gone completly
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Still cycling. Diatoms will probably come back with the lights on but this is normal. Not to worry here. Good stuff keep being patient.
 
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