EVERYTHING HAS SPIKED!! WATER CYCLING

[drogrant]

Hi Everyone,
I need help with next steps for my new 55 gallon reef tank. Currently, it is not stocked and has 60lbs of oolite sand, and 50lbs of base rock I also have a 20 gallon sump with live rock rubble, bag of carbon, deep sand bed, and a huge piece of live rock.
I started the tank on March1 and their were no changes in the water levels (ammonia, nit, nitra, and ph) until I added the live sand and a few dead shrimp on 3/30/13. I tested the tank on 3/31/13 and the levels were ammonia-4.0, nitrite-1.0, ph- 8.0, salinity- 1.023, and nitrate-40. I removed the shrimp after this spike but some goo that came from the shrimp decaying fell back into the tank and I was unable to get it out (about 1/4 cup). The shrimp was in a little bag and was only in the tank for 24 hours.
Today the levels are: ammonia-8.0, nitrite-5.0, nitrate-160, ph-8.0, and salinity- 1.023. I thought that each level was suppose to spike individually...how can all of them be spiked at the same time? Should I do a water change?
What do I do next? I've orders some chateo which should arrive by the end of the week, but can I put it in with all of these spikes? I know I'm suppose to be waiting for a brown out...what else should I be doing? Any helpful suggestions or advice are welcomed!!!
Olivia

 

[mr. limpid]

Wet base rock or dry base? Live sand in a bag? Take out carbon for now. Correct do not add chateo. Just wait keep testing when ammonia hit 0 start ghost feeding tank as if there is 1 small fish in there. Wait till nitrates and nitrites hit 0. Then you can add 1 fish.

 

[spanko]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid http:///t/395170/everything-has-spiked-water-cycling#post_3517648
Wet base rock or dry base? Live sand in a bag? Take out carbon for now.WHY? Correct do not add chateo.WHY? Just wait keep testing when ammonia hit 0 start ghost feeding tank as if there is 1 small fish in there. Wait till nitrates and nitrites hit 0. Then you can add 1 fish.
I would leave the carbon in. I would also go ahead and add the algae to the sump. Then I would leave it alone and let it cycle.

 

[drogrant]

It was dry base rock and live sand in a bag! Ok..a little confused...two completely different answer.....

 

[spanko]

Okay here is my take. But please before you act on it wait a tad and see what some others throw in as suggestions and do some research on your own then make the best decision you can for your particular needs.
You have listed your testing results of which I question the nitrate reading and would ask that you go back, read the instruction for doing the testing and follow them explicitly. However the bacteria that have as a by product nitrite appear to be on board now and these bacteria will increase their populations more quickly than the bacteria that are producing the nitrates (i.e. consuming the ammonia). I would let this process continue unabated. The addition of the chaeto to the sump will help to reduce the amount of ammonia and of phosphates that are present as they use these things as "fertilizer" to aid in the growth of the algae. Make sure you also supply a light source to the sump for your chaeto. (light plus fertilizer = growth)
These are the reasons for my input here.

 

[mr. limpid]

Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///t/395170/everything-has-spiked-water-cycling#post_3517686
Okay here is my take. But please before you act on it wait a tad and see what some others throw in as suggestions and do some research on your own then make the best decision you can for your particular needs.
You have listed your testing results of which I question the nitrate reading and would ask that you go back, read the instruction for doing the testing and follow them explicitly. However the bacteria that have as a by product nitrite appear to be on board now and these bacteria will increase their populations more quickly than the bacteria that are producing the nitrates (i.e. consuming the ammonia). I would let this process continue unabated. The addition of the chaeto to the sump will help to reduce the amount of ammonia this is why I would add chaeto, you want the bacteria to multiply with out any help. Same goes for the carbon it doesn't remove ammonia directly put remove organics that will become ammonia. and of phosphates that are present as they use these things as "fertilizer" to aid in the growth of the algae. Make sure you also supply a light source to the sump for your chaeto. (light plus fertilizer = growth)
These are the reasons for my input here.
Basically you want the tank to get as bad as it can at first, this cause bacteria to flourish.