cycle

[seashore]

I'm confused and need help!I set up my 75G 2 weeks ago I used living sand from my established tank and also put in some live rock.All looked good I thought that my tank had cycled,but I just did another amonia test and it has spicked.My ? is do I need to do a water change now or should I let it run the coarse.

 

[karajay]

If there is no livestock in your tank, then let it go. Changing water could prolong your cycle.

 

[seashore]

I have 1 damsel in there and Small clean up crabs.Will the life that is in the rock and sand live threw this spike?What if I added water from my estabished tank.

 

[jedininja]

Agreed. if you dont have life in there, let it run its course. But if you have anything in there, run some carbon, add some amquel and do a water change.

 

[seashore]

what is amquel

 

[karajay]

Originally posted by seashore
What if I added water from my estabished tank.
You'd be better off if you could transfer some type of filter material. What exactly is your ammonia reading? Can't really say whether anything would live through a cycle. Could you move the critters to your other tank?

 

[seashore]

amonia reading is 0.50

 

[jedininja]

Amquel is a product that detoxifies ammonia and other things. Great for use in emergencies. Any LFS should carry it. If you have a pice of sponge of something else from the existing tank, that would be great for it as karajay has said.

 

[karajay]

Originally posted by seashore
what is amquel
It aids in de-toxifying the ammonia.

 

[beaslbob]

Forget the additives. Don't feed for a week to allow the system to cycle. And be sure to watch the nitrIte tests. that is more reliable the low ammonia test kits.

 

[jedininja]

Bob, the additives are pretty needed because he has fish and inverts in there. Without something detoxifying the ammonia, everything in the tank will die. Use the amquel and thank us later!

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by jedininja
Bob, the additives are pretty needed because he has fish and inverts in there. Without something detoxifying the ammonia, everything in the tank will die. Use the amquel and thank us later!
Understand. I just don't think additives are the answer.
The reason he has ammonia is he is feeding the fish and has no plant life. The ammonia will drop in hours (if not a false low reading already) if the fish is not fed. My concern is that adding additives to correct a false reading (which should be 0.0) may add to the problem. Plus the nitrIte spike is about to start. Not feeding is also to minimize that spike.
Finally, If he had established thriving plant life, All of this would not have happened.

 

[seashore]

Sorry guys but I'm a female. The rocks I put in were covered with little blue hermet crabs. Will they survive? If they die off in the rocks will that cause a problem? I think that there are probably about 20 of these little guys in the tank.:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

 

[jedininja]

Originally posted by beaslbob
Understand. I just don't think additives are the answer.
The reason he has ammonia is he is feeding the fish and has no plant life. The ammonia will drop in hours (if not a false low reading already) if the fish is not fed. My concern is that adding additives to correct a false reading (which should be 0.0) may add to the problem. Plus the nitrIte spike is about to start. Not feeding is also to minimize that spike.
Finally, If he had established thriving plant life, All of this would not have happened.
No feeding is correct.
The amquel does not try to fix the problem, it just gives relief to the livestock in the tank while the cycle runs its course. no plant life would not fix all of this. Plants are not a magic pill where you put it in and it fixes it right away. Plants take time to work and you dont even want plants in there during a cycle. During the cycle, you want there to be a ammonia spike and if there are plants that suck it out, you will not have the same size bacteria buildup.
Do a 20% water change. I truly suggest adding the amquel so that your fish and crabs dont start sufficating.

 

[olimark]

The cycle of the tank can be brutal to your live stock trust me I lost everything. I did use chems to lower the Ammonia but unfortunately there are other things like mentioned in previous messages such as nitrates and nitrites. When they spike watch out this can also kill your live stock. The only thing that survived in my cycled tank was the hermits and shrimp.

 

[paige]

How do you know for sure if your tank has cycled?

 

[paige]

Tank was set up on 12-28. I added 3 damsels on 12-31. I posted the other night about adding the Tomato Clown. You suggested that I try and take it back to the lfs where I got it. My husband was totally against that so I need to do anything I can to prevent losing it. So far it's doing just fine. I know most people are against chemicals but is there anything that I can do/add to help my situation. The only test kit that I have is the dip strips that was recommended by the sales person who assured me that was all I would need for starting out.

 

[kistheeze]

People, people.... What's the deal? Amquel? waiting?
DO A LARGE WATER CHANGE IF YOU WANT THOSE CRABS (and whatever other life is lurking on and in your rocks...) TO LIVE.
Why make this more complicated than that?
You have life in a tank with ammonia in it. Get the ammonia out - who cares if it slows down the cycle?

 

[debra w-c]

Your tank is cycled when ammonia is 0 and nitrite is 0. Many tanks will never achieve a nitrate of 0.
Really the nitrate is not going to kill the fish or crabs.
The ammonia and the nitrite are dangerous and will quickly kill the fish and crabs.
You should not put these animals in a tank that is not cycled but since you already have you might as well help them out and put some Amquel in the tank. There are many other products that will do the same thing. Also, be aware that when you add these products it will detoxify the ammonia and nitrite but they will still show up on your test kits. Just be sure to add them every few days to prevent them from reaching deadly levels.
I don't advise that you go "chemical free" at this point. Crabs and damsels are pretty hardy and they will probably pull through if you help them out.
Another solution would be that you pull the crabs and fish out of the cycling tank and place in a small bucket with an airline. Mix up some new saltwater and heat it to the same temp as your tank and acclimate them to the water in the bucket. It will be easier for you to manage the ammonia and nitrite in the bucket then in your tank and then you can just let your tank finish cycling with the live sand and live rock. I'm sure there is plenty of ammonia in there for it to finish cycling without the animals in there. I think this idea would be easier to manage then the 75 gallon tank.
Best of Luck:happyfish

 

[kistheeze]

I'm going to disagree. Sorry - but I defintely think a large water change is the best option. I guess it's your tank so it's your decision. Personally, I'd prefer to still have the accuracy of the test kit to work with. As you stated, the amquel will mask the ammonia temporarily but a water change will remove it - or a percentage at least.
Good luck whatever you decide.