Four weeks into cycle, question..

[wintrmte]

Ok.. We've been cycling our 80 Gal. now for four weeks and have a question.
Right now, the parameters are as follows:
Ammonia = 0
ph = 7.0 (too low, how do we raise?)
nitrItes = so high there's no color on the chart that matches the strip
nitrAtes = so high there's no color on the chart that matches the strip.
My question is that it has been reading this way for the past week.
We've been running our filter, but not the skimmer. Should I turn the skimmer on at this point to help things out?
Also, the diatom bloom is out of control, so I've changed our lighting schedule. The cleanup crew will have a hayday when we're ready for them.
Thanks.

 

[dreeves]

What kind of substrate did you use?

 

[cprdnick]

My cycle was taking forever, I finally turned my skimmer back on and it was like someone pushed the play button while my cycle was paused.
I'm new to this, but I would say a water change is in order if your 'trates are so high it doesn't register.

 

[karajay]

The presence of high trites will throw off your test for trates. My test kit will not read trates accurately if the trites are over .1

 

[wintrmte]

Originally posted by dreeves
What kind of substrate did you use?
Ahh sorry. Should have posted that.
We've got a DSB with 60lb of LS at the top.. With about 90lbs. of LR.
We started the cycle by using un-cured LR. Man, what a mess. The ammonia spiked for two weeks straight.
Oh, and the smell? Whew.. lol!

 

[fshhub]

IMO, no do NOT run the skimmer
everything is actually normal, and tehy will come back down. Do NOTHING to interfere at this point and let the cycle ride itself out(not even a water change!!). It wil be high for maybe even a few weeks(or months), but it wil come back down to 0. This is exactly what you wanted to happen

 

[dreeves]

Your cycle is going as it should...one of those things you dont really want sped up...

 

[wintrmte]

Thanks for the reply.
I guess I'm a little confused though, because we cycled our tank using uncured LR and a raw shrimp, the cycle took about four weeks to complete..
I also noticed in some places that our DSB isn't so, DSB.. Meaning, it's not quite 3" in a lot of places..
Should I go ahead and add some more sand at this point, or will it make any difference?
My concern is about adding sand on top of the already present diatom bloom..

 

[beaslbob]

I presume from your post you have not added any fish at this point. You need to let the system run until nitrItes come down.
Your algae bloom i presume was the brown type algae. that is because of phosphates in the system. Phosphates are very common in newly set up tanks and after 3-4 weeks of running there is a brown algae bloom. That brown will go away and be replaced with green algae as the phosphates are reduced.
One way of helping both the cycle and the controling or eliminating the algae problems is to establish a thriving plant growth. Macro algaes or marine plants will consume ammonia, nitrAtes, phosphates, and carbog dioxide as part of the life processes of the plant life. Additionally, it will filter out heavy ions, buffer ph and result in a balanced, stable system. So either in your display or in a refugium plants are extremely benificial.
Finally, If you have added fish, I recommend you not feed them until nitrItes start comming down.

 

[wintrmte]

Cool, thanks.
No fish, we cycled with pure uncured LR.
I'll explore the macro algea option.

 

[dreeves]

Also...if you are intending to add or want to add more sand...do it now while you are still cycling...get it all done from the get go.