New tank, added LR and are tests good or bad?

theshadowwrx

theshadowwrx

Member
Hey guys,
Today I put in all 135lbs of live rock into my 92 gallon AGA Corner tank.
Before the tests I added:
Kent Marine Tech CB Calcium Buffer Part A and Part B
Kent Marine Tech M Magnesium Supplement
Kent Marine Tech I Iodine Supplement
Kent Marine Strontium and Molybdenum Mineral Supplement
About 5 minutes after adding all that I did a test and got these results:
Water Temp = 82
AIK = in the normal bracket but high in it
PH = 8.4
N02 = 1 & Above
NO3 = 40 P.P.M.
Ammonia = 5 P.P.M.
Could all the stuff we added before the test have messed things up or does that sound about right.
The LR has been in for about 5 hours.
Thanks,
Mike
 
nas19320

nas19320

Active Member
How long has the tank been setup? I assume by those results that it is cycling right. Also if nothing is in the tank I wouldn't think you would need to add all those supplements.
 
cboyfan2020

cboyfan2020

Active Member
tank looks like it is in the throws of cycling. Dont need to add anything until after you get some critters. just let it ride and when all tests come back goo(NO3=0, NH4=0) then you can start slowly adding inhabitants. No need for the dosing right now.
 
theshadowwrx

theshadowwrx

Member
Arg we shouldn't have listened to the LFS again, he said to put all that in to get good colors out of the live rock.
The tank has only been setup for about 6 hours.
Is this a good speed for cycling, fast or too slow?
Thanks,
Mike
 
cboyfan2020

cboyfan2020

Active Member
Speed will vary depending on the media used to start the cycle. 135lbs of LR is a very good start. Just let it go and test it every couple of days and see where you are. Cycle usually takes 1-2 months. Patience is key.;)
 
theshadowwrx

theshadowwrx

Member
Damn patience isn't my cup of tea :D :D
So just check it and make sure everything is ok, don't do any water changes just let it come down on its own?
Mike
 
nas19320

nas19320

Active Member
You definetly need a lot of patience in this hobby. Everything takes time. Your levels will eventually fall on their own.
 
cboyfan2020

cboyfan2020

Active Member
yes, when nitrite and ammonia read zero you will do your first major water change which will bring down the nitrates. I didnt have any patience either till I got into this hobby/addiction but it is worth it in the end ...trust me;)
 
theshadowwrx

theshadowwrx

Member
Ok great thanks.
Also,
are all my 7 damsels going to die or will they be ok.
And also was i suppose to make a big cave with the LR or just pile it up, once I get it clearer ill take some pics of it.
Thanks,
Mike
 
noaquariumyet

noaquariumyet

Member
as my name suggests i dont have an aquarium yet...but i have learned this much so far....u shouldnt put so many fish in your tank to start a cycle..the fish produce ammonia and that kills the fish...7 fish i would think that is too much ammonia build up...id say they will die...
 
dattong

dattong

Member
Mike,
If you've read tons of post on here before, you'd probably know that damsels could be very agressive later on and it's very hard to catch them. You don't really need them to have your tank cycled. I use grocery shrimps to cycled my tank and it worked well. You don't have to do any test while your tank is still in its cycling time except that make sure you have an amonia spike. Do tests on NH3, NO3, NO2, Ph, ... about a month later. Most likely your tank will have completed its cycle by that time based on the LR you have. After that you can stock slowly or stock as your preference (not recommended if this is your first time ever have a SW tank) Good luck.
BTW, make some caves so your tank looks nicer and your fish have something to swim around when they chase each other :D or even for protection.
 
califishdude

califishdude

Member
the only i have added to my tank is coral-vite from kents one capful a week and i added someof marc weiss coral vital(?) once a day(capful) till the bottle was gone then i ran out and only add the kents now and two months later i added 50lbs of HI baserock and within two weeks everything is purple and green. so i believe your tank will turn in time but it has taken my tank almost 2 years to reach the poin it is at now. i think that is patience. now i just want to add everything but i need to do resedarch before i start to buying my corals
 
cboyfan2020

cboyfan2020

Active Member
I used 6 damsels to cycle my 55. this was before I knew of "the boards" and 3 of them died. The other three were an absolute PIA to remove. Aquascaping is up to you. The "wall" method is becoming less popular because of dead flow spots that can occur behind the rocks, not to mention detritus build up. although these can be solved through PH's behind the rocks I personally dont like the look. I like a more open reef with caves and bridges and such. Look at alot of peoples tanks and do what you like the most. If you have a sump, I am using a Kent Nautilus TE skimmer for my 120. It is rated for a 300g tank but I got it brand new for $120 which is a great deal. If no sump, a dual CPR Bakpak is a good choice. they both run around 200 bucks.
 
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