ktsdad
Member
Last week I thought I started my cycle on my new 250.
I put in all the dead rock and sand, got the salinity and temp stable.
Then put in 80lbs of live rock from my current reef.
I put in a large chunk of raw salmon to start the cycle.
I tested the water every other day for that last week.
I thought the ammonia got up to .25, but never higher.
The nitrites never got above 0. 3 different test kits, same results - no nitrites.
Now tonight I am reading trace nitrates - 0.2 with 2 differnt kits, 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia.
It has been awhile since I did a first time cycle, but I know it should have taken longer than 1 week.
Is one (2"x2") chunk of raw fish enough to start a cycle on such a big tank?
Once I started reading ammonia, I removed the chunk of fish.
Should I try to start the cycle again? With more raw shrimp?
Did the live rock take care of the small ammonia reading I saw?
I would hate to start adding by softies and reef fish and then have it start the cycle again......
Opinions???? Thoughts?????
I put in all the dead rock and sand, got the salinity and temp stable.
Then put in 80lbs of live rock from my current reef.
I put in a large chunk of raw salmon to start the cycle.
I tested the water every other day for that last week.
I thought the ammonia got up to .25, but never higher.
The nitrites never got above 0. 3 different test kits, same results - no nitrites.
Now tonight I am reading trace nitrates - 0.2 with 2 differnt kits, 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia.
It has been awhile since I did a first time cycle, but I know it should have taken longer than 1 week.
Is one (2"x2") chunk of raw fish enough to start a cycle on such a big tank?
Once I started reading ammonia, I removed the chunk of fish.
Should I try to start the cycle again? With more raw shrimp?
Did the live rock take care of the small ammonia reading I saw?
I would hate to start adding by softies and reef fish and then have it start the cycle again......
Opinions???? Thoughts?????