iam i ready for a cuc???

swnewb562

swnewb562

Member
my 29 gallon i set up about a week ago, it has 45 lbs of lr, 30 lbs of ls ...the rock was all pre cured rock which most was cycled for about two weeks...going from my test results it looks like iam ready. what do you guys think....
trites....0
mmonia...0
trates...0
ph....7.8...how can i raise these?...
dont have salinity or alk readings...my water came from my lfs.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
I don't think it's really started. I would put some table shrimp in there... like a 2" log (not too large)... and see what happens to the params.
 
swnewb562

swnewb562

Member
if i do that, wont it kick up a new cycle?...assuming mine was complete. or will my ammonia spike and go back down?
 
D

dennis210

Guest
tank is cycling. wait till at least day 16/18 and add half the clean up crew; then around day 40 add the other half. Test - you need to test not guess
at parameters. Go get something to measure SG and alk. You can't really determine pH without the whole picture.
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
A lot depends on the quality of the lr you used. If it was cycled and transported to your tank under water (I bring a bucket to my lfs when I'm going to get lr), then you tank is already adequately cycled. If the rock had an opportunity to dry out at all, then there will be a die off which will cycle the tank. Like I said, it depends on the lr, but you could be cycled.
 
swnewb562

swnewb562

Member
my first batch ..15 lbs of my lr stayed in a sealed plastic bag for about 4 hrs out of water, which then was put in tank, that rock has been in mt tank for about 2 weeks. then i added another 15 lbs, which was out of water for about 20 minutes, thats been in my tank for about a week. and just recently added 15 more lbs of welll established lr, about 2 days ago, this rock was out of water for about 40 minutes. all my lr was cured stuff from lfs, and last batch came from a local reefer. so i guess my cycle started about 2 1/2 weeks ago with my first batch of lr, since then i just been adding more cured lr. would evertytime i added lr make my cycle start all over again?
 
globaldesigns

globaldesigns

Member
As stated by others, your PH is too low. I would get a DKH (alkalinity) test kit, as PH and DKH are linked in many ways. I would probably leave the tank for another couple weeks, your ph and DKH should stabilize, if not you can dose DKH and over time that will stabilize things.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
A lot does depend on the quality of the rock. You are going to have a LOT of fluctuations in water parameters. Inverts and fish don't do too well with those. What is there to clean up though? Don't add a cleanup crew just yet. There is nothing for them to clean. When you add one, start with a few snails.
 
swnewb562

swnewb562

Member
ran another test today....
amm...0
trates..5.0
trites...0
ph...8.0 ...
my nitrates went up and so did my ph level...its been about 16 days since the start of the cycle.
 
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