HELP!!! I can t get my pH to balance or my nitrogen cycle to start!!!!

[asharp13]

I have a 24g Aquapod that is saltwater and reef ready. I have added 10lbs of live rock and 20lbs of live sand. I have had the tank for almost two months and have just added a couple damsels about 2 weeks ago. Two have died but one has toughed it out. The damsels were added to get the nitrogen cycle started and i have read everywhere that i should see the ammonia start to appear within the first ten days but i have nothing yet any suggestions??? I also believe that two of my green chromis damsels have died because of my pH and its instability. i have gone to my LFS, who are really smart guys, and they have instructed me to add Marine Buffer, and recently Kalk+2. i have done both as instructed and still my pH isn't at the level it should be. please help me i don't know what to do anymore and i want to start adding some more fish and corals.
I have included some photos:
1. Tank pre-fish
2. Tank with fish
3. Algae build up on gravel
4. Marine buffer additive
5. Kalk+2 additive

 

[woody189]

1st, post your current readings: ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and PH.
You're supposed to have 1 lbs of LR per gal minimum, so you need like 15lbs more at least.
You aren't supposed to cycle w/ fish. It works, but the better way is to "ghost feed". that way you don't lose any fish during the cycle. But what's done is done.
What fish did add to your tank, and what do you have left?
Also, how long after you added the fish did they die? If they died immediatley, then you may have acclimated wrong, but if they died after some time, then maybe your ammonia did go up and kill the fish, and then went back down. meaning you may have had a cycle. Did the nitrites or trates go up at all?
The brown algae is a good sign, diatoms.
What is your PH?? Why are you adding the KALK?? you don't have to worry about that stuff because you're not ready for corals, and besides that, you shouldn't add anything like that during the cycle.
IDK if your LFS is as trustworthy as you may think. IDK how many fish you added your tank, but you said you had at least 3 damsels, and some chromis, which is alot to cycle. They shouldn't have sold you that many. (or any at all for that matter).
You say you had the tank for 2 months. What do you mean? It's been running the whole time?
Was the live rock cured or not?
Also, I've never had them, but everyone says that damsels are terrible fish. They are really aggressive. Take them out if you can and return them. THe chromis are good though. A
What type of filtration do you have? Also, you can't get too many fish for a 24 gal. Assuming what you have left lives, you may already be maxed out. I'm not too sure how many though.
Definitely do not add anything else yet, especially corals.
Do you have a clean up crew?? ie. snails/crabs etc.? usually you a couple of them before fish, but that's after it cycles.
I've only been in the hobby for about a year, so I may be a little off on some stuff, but that's what I think. Good luck, and welcome

 

[ophiura]

IMO if you have LR you may never see an ammonia spike at all. That is not unusual, especially if it is cured rock.
I do not necessarily recommend chromis for that size tank, or for a new tank, as they can be quite delicate.
I agree that we need to know specific parameters on the tank.

 

[renogaw]

you've got diatoms and cyano, you probably already bypassed the ammonia/nitrite spikes.
plop a shrimp in there and see if you see any ammonia. if no, then you're past it, if yes, you're not..
and OMG why are you adding kalk AND a pH buffer??
kalk's gonna raise your ph up so high you won't need the other

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3024504
I do not necessarily recommend chromis for that size tank, or for a new tank, as they can be quite delicate.
Chromis are delicate?? I never knew that, I thought they were as hardy as clowns and other damsels... Who knew?

 

[pete159]

like was said, drop a cooked shrimp in there and let it rot, then you'll see the ammonia go up.
24 g is way to small for Chromis, they need room to swim, also no fish should be used for a cycle.
I would not even worry about the ph during the cycle, it's pointless to add buffers or chemicals. Just let nature take its course.

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by pete159
http:///forum/post/3024575
like was said, drop a cooked shrimp in there and let it rot, then you'll see the ammonia go up.
24 g is way to small for Chromis, they need room to swim, also no fish should be used for a cycle.
I would not even worry about the ph during the cycle, it's pointless to add buffers or chemicals. Just let nature take its course.
nah, not a cooked one nothing like rotten raw shrimp decomposing with nothing eating it to cause ammonia

 

[stanlalee]

dont drop anything in there cooked or otherwise. I am assuming the rock you bought is cured because you would have had ammonia the next day if it werent cured and basically just from looking at the diatom bloom, that doesn't tend to happen prior to rock curing (not scientific of course). If it wasn't cure when you started and you still dont have ammonia its cured now. you dont put rock and fish in a tank for 2wks and still require something to spike ammonia.
I just think you overloaded your biofiltration adding fish to start a cycle that didn't need starting. newly cured liverock basically has established just enough biofiltration to maintain itself without ammonia production (you could have added the dead shrimp to beef it up at the beginning but there's no need for that. you've already had fish die and two weeks worth of livestock. the need for more ammonia production is not there). when you start with one fish (or anything that amounts to a low load dependent on the size of the system) the biofiltration (bacteria) proliferation is quick enough to keep up with the added load but you added 3 fish to an aquapod at once which was too much. you would have probably been okay with one fish or maybe two and just waiting.
DO NOT USE the Kalk+2! I have no idea why anyone would sell you that on a new system! If you thought your pH was unstable now its going to really swing using that unless you have an auto top off which clearly is not the case judging from the pics. Kalk is used to restore mild depletion of calcium and carbonates utilized by corals/livestock in an established reef tank (and that particular product adds mg to boot). Mild because it doesn't deliver enough of either to maintain levels in a heavily depleted reef tank. It has NO use in a new set up and if your salt is already sufficient in calcium and carbonates its going to needlessly elevate both slightly because you dont have anything utilizing it. It raises pH temperarily but is not a fix or your issue. you dont have an issue. pH isn't stable for 90% of people with tanks especially those without sumps on an opposite light cycle or some sort of pH controller. If its always between 7.8-8.4 there is no grounds for action. if its 7.6-7.7 point the circulation to the surface or leave the top up for a while (likely unneccessary). All you need to do is a get a dKH test kit and make sure dKH is in the 8-10 range. If it is dont do anything. If its below 8dKH then use the seachem buffer (highly unlikely you will need it anytime soon). you can test calcium too. not because you need it just so that alk and calcium are in balance (target 8-10dKH, calcium 380-450ppm).