Cycle questions

[mrmoses]

Hello,
I am cycling my 72 gallon bow front tank and my ammonia is super high, 8.0 at least. Should I just let my tank be or should I do a water change to help it along?
I am running a G2 Skimmer in my sump and I do not have a refugium because there is no room in my sump for one I wish I had gotten the bigger sump but I guess I can upgrade later.
I have a pump that is rated for 1200 gph that climbs about 5 feet then splits into two outputs and inside the tank I put a Koralia 4 power head that is suppose to do around 1200 gph. I have done the turkey basting thing.
Do any of you have any advice? Anything I can do to help my tank cycle?

 

[natclanwy]

Yes you need to do a water change and you will have to do a couple of very large (50%) water changes to reduce your ammonia down to acceptable levels. This is only really critical if you are cycling with live rock or with fish anything above 2 will kill any live critters in your tank. 8 is extremely high you might verify your results with a different test kit.

 

[mrmoses]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2999013
Yes you need to do a water change and you will have to do a couple of very large (50%) water changes to reduce your ammonia down to acceptable levels. This is only really critical if you are cycling with live rock or with fish anything above 2 will kill any live critters in your tank. 8 is extremely high you might verify your results with a different test kit.
How periodically should I do these water changes during the cycle and what %?

 

[t316]

Just do a 10-20% water change for now. Then test in another day or two.

 

[bizzmoneyb]

have you added anything to the tank to get the bacteria going? like a piece of shrimp or something?

 

[mrmoses]

Originally Posted by BizzMoneyB
http:///forum/post/2999106
have you added anything to the tank to get the bacteria going? like a piece of shrimp or something?
Would a piece of shrimp do any good since there is uncured live rock already in there?

 

[jpa0741]

Originally Posted by MrMoses
http:///forum/post/2999124
Would a piece of shrimp do any good since there is uncured live rock already in there?
Nope. No need for shrimp. You have plently of stuff rotting already if you have uncured LR. I would do some large water changes if your AM is really that high. I would maybe have that double checked by a LFS.

 

[natclanwy]

Originally Posted by MrMoses
http:///forum/post/2999074
How periodically should I do these water changes during the cycle and what %?
One right after another until the ammonia is under 2, the ammonia is worse than any change in temperature or PH caused by the water changes.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by BizzMoneyB
http:///forum/post/2999106
have you added anything to the tank to get the bacteria going? like a piece of shrimp or something?
With ammonia that high; he could have Jimmy Hoffa floating in there.
Water is cheap and that isn't where the bacteria lives. Change as much as you need to; your ammonia may be high enough to kill the bacteria you're trying to culture. As natclanwy said; Ph & temp aren't big concerns at this point, its just smart to avoid huge swings in either. (Only said because I have no idea how bacteria would be affected.)

 

[natclanwy]

The bacteria will recover from any losses caused by PH and temp swings if there is any, but ammonia levels that High will essentially cook the LR and you will have base rock by the time you finish your cycle.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/3000492
The bacteria will recover from any losses caused by PH and temp swings if there is any, but ammonia levels that High will essentially cook the LR and you will have base rock by the time you finish your cycle.
........and with the bacteria all dead; the tank can't really cycle.

 

[natclanwy]

I highly doubt unless you really screw up your salt mix that you will change the PH enough to kill any bacteria, and as long as the temp is within 10 deg of your DT it won't bother the bacteria.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/3000684
I highly doubt unless you really screw up your salt mix that you will change the PH enough to kill any bacteria, and as long as the temp is within 10 deg of your DT it won't bother the bacteria.
Sure, but extremely high ammonia will kill the bacteria. (My last post was a little fuzzy) The common misconception that the water is cycled, not the tank, leads to a lot of confusion.