the non scientificness of cycling a tank
- Thread starter hwttdz1
- Start date
d0 thy d3w
Member
yeah..i use the api test kit as well...it always always no matter what, always says .25 amonia..its nothing to worry about..test ur other levels to see if ur tank is done cycling..ur algae problem is due to using water from the tap instead of R.O water...and leaving the lights on..tap water is filled with impurities tht grow into algae with the proper amount of light...go out and get an R.O unit, make urself some R.O water and do a water change...also since u have no livestock in ur tank..leave the lights out..get an algae scraper or a few snails and youll be good to go!
nick76
Active Member
Originally Posted by hwttdz1
I just wanted to complain about my tank cycling, it's been going since july 11, and the ammonia has never read anything other than 0.25. But on the bright side I'm a total pro at growing algae.
Did you happen to use already cured LR and put it into a new tank? This can cause barely a cycle or no cycle at all.
I just wanted to complain about my tank cycling, it's been going since july 11, and the ammonia has never read anything other than 0.25. But on the bright side I'm a total pro at growing algae.
Did you happen to use already cured LR and put it into a new tank? This can cause barely a cycle or no cycle at all.
renogaw
Active Member
Originally Posted by Brandan
How do you know that he uses tap water? I use RO/DI water and I still have algae, it is simply part of owning an aquarium. . .
actually, no it is not part of owning an aquarium. it is part of starting one, but with the proper clean up crew, with the proper flow, lighting and feeding, and waterchanges to reduce nitrates and phosphates, you should not have algae in your tank. there's always the algae you scrape off the glass, but hair algae, diatoms, and cyanobacteria should not be bothering you after a few months.
How do you know that he uses tap water? I use RO/DI water and I still have algae, it is simply part of owning an aquarium. . .
actually, no it is not part of owning an aquarium. it is part of starting one, but with the proper clean up crew, with the proper flow, lighting and feeding, and waterchanges to reduce nitrates and phosphates, you should not have algae in your tank. there's always the algae you scrape off the glass, but hair algae, diatoms, and cyanobacteria should not be bothering you after a few months.
earlybird
Active Member
Even if it is at 0.25 that's enough of a spike to start the colonization of bacteria. My tank never went above 0.25 either, I kept expecting a large spike but it just didn't happen. Nothing to worry about but I suspect a faulty test kit. Bring a sample of your water to your LFS. What are your nitrites and nitrates?
srfisher17
Active Member
Originally Posted by hwttdz1
I just wanted to complain about my tank cycling, it's been going since july 11, and the ammonia has never read anything other than 0.25. But on the bright side I'm a total pro at growing algae.
A new tank can often take as long as 6 weeks to cycle. Have you seen any rise in nitrites or nitrates?
I just wanted to complain about my tank cycling, it's been going since july 11, and the ammonia has never read anything other than 0.25. But on the bright side I'm a total pro at growing algae.
A new tank can often take as long as 6 weeks to cycle. Have you seen any rise in nitrites or nitrates?
browniebuck
Active Member
If you used cured LR, you are probably already cycled. I agree regarding the LFS test, take them a sample and see what their results are (then look to see what type of test they use and get that one for yourself!).
My first tank took at least a month to cycle, while our other tank cycled with cured LR, which took a couple of days (29 gallon tank, over 40LBS of LR along with 20LBS of LS).
My first tank took at least a month to cycle, while our other tank cycled with cured LR, which took a couple of days (29 gallon tank, over 40LBS of LR along with 20LBS of LS).
ophiura
Active Member
I don't think it is worth too much discussion without knowing more details of the setup and what has been tried. ALL water parameters are also required, including pH and alkalinity. We also need to know about LR, about what you used to start the cycled, etc.
You could be cycled, you could not be. But we can't answer with the current information.
You could be cycled, you could not be. But we can't answer with the current information.
hwttdz1
Member
Wow, I don't think I've ever seen so many replies. Ophiura (as in the echinoderm genus?), the tank is a 30 gallon, which has 10 lbs live rock, added in various stages of curing. My lfs puts the live rock in a curing vat as soon as they get it, but it's one huge curing vat, so it's all varying degrees of cured. There is also 20-30 lbs reef base rock (too cheap/poor to get all live rock). 30 lbs live sand. I've been lighting too long daily with 192 watts actinic only. I'll go get all those test results right now. Going with the between 0 and 0.25 is not that high I've actually added some hermits and snails, hope I'm not a bad person and sentencing them all to death for doing this (one of the snails kicked it acclimating 
).
Edit: "cycle" was started with a piece of flounder. Getting test results now, let me know if there's anything else you're curious about.
).Edit: "cycle" was started with a piece of flounder. Getting test results now, let me know if there's anything else you're curious about.
lesleybird
Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
I don't think it is worth too much discussion without knowing more details of the setup and what has been tried. ALL water parameters are also required, including pH and alkalinity. We also need to know about LR, about what you used to start the cycled, etc.
You could be cycled, you could not be. But we can't answer with the current information.
I agree with you totally...just said that they wanted to complain but no details. Shouldn't bother trying to help someone who won't tell us anything....
I don't think it is worth too much discussion without knowing more details of the setup and what has been tried. ALL water parameters are also required, including pH and alkalinity. We also need to know about LR, about what you used to start the cycled, etc.
You could be cycled, you could not be. But we can't answer with the current information.
I agree with you totally...just said that they wanted to complain but no details. Shouldn't bother trying to help someone who won't tell us anything....
renogaw
Active Member
temp is right on.
signs of nitrite means your cycle is not complete. so the ammonia may or may not be present.
and, buying baserock is not considered being cheap gotta save money where you can in this hobby! i just recently traded 4 liters of phyto for a 5 gal bucket of baserock and am adding it to my tank
and of course... the real questions... where's the pics??
signs of nitrite means your cycle is not complete. so the ammonia may or may not be present.
and, buying baserock is not considered being cheap
gotta save money where you can in this hobby! i just recently traded 4 liters of phyto for a 5 gal bucket of baserock and am adding it to my tank and of course... the real questions... where's the pics??
hwttdz1
Member
Code:
[pre]Nitrite 0.1-0.2
Ammonia 0-0.25
Nitrate 10
pH 8.0-8.2
Alk 2.9-3.6
Calcium: titration? really? guess I'm doing it eventually
Temperature 79.0
Phosphate 0-0.1[/pre]
Pictures aren't looking good now, "my camera" a relic that was given to me, seems to be AWOL. The tests are all red sea, the saltwater is premixed from the lfs (mixed in house), the fresh water is sometimes lfs ro/di sometimes steam distilled. How many hours a day should I be lighting? Also if you could pick a perfect temperature what would it be?
[pre]Nitrite 0.1-0.2
Ammonia 0-0.25
Nitrate 10
pH 8.0-8.2
Alk 2.9-3.6
Calcium: titration? really? guess I'm doing it eventually
Temperature 79.0
Phosphate 0-0.1[/pre]
Pictures aren't looking good now, "my camera" a relic that was given to me, seems to be AWOL. The tests are all red sea, the saltwater is premixed from the lfs (mixed in house), the fresh water is sometimes lfs ro/di sometimes steam distilled. How many hours a day should I be lighting? Also if you could pick a perfect temperature what would it be?
renogaw
Active Member
ok, what people sometimes do with your lights is run the actinics for most of the time, then cycle on the hqi to simulate a bright afternoon.
personally (since i have pc's) i run actinics and 10k's all day from 6am-630pm, but i also leave at 630am and get home at 6pm and want to feed the fish and see the tank a tad under lights. also, my timer stinks.
if you get individual timers you can really mess around with the lights, but generally 8-10 hrs a day is good.
personally (since i have pc's) i run actinics and 10k's all day from 6am-630pm, but i also leave at 630am and get home at 6pm and want to feed the fish and see the tank a tad under lights. also, my timer stinks.
if you get individual timers you can really mess around with the lights, but generally 8-10 hrs a day is good.
brandan
Member
Originally Posted by renogaw
actually, no it is not part of owning an aquarium. it is part of starting one, but with the proper clean up crew, with the proper flow, lighting and feeding, and waterchanges to reduce nitrates and phosphates, you should not have algae in your tank. there's always the algae you scrape off the glass, but hair algae, diatoms, and cyanobacteria should not be bothering you after a few months.
Sorry for the confusion, I was referring to the glass, not the other types you were referring to. . . Sorry
actually, no it is not part of owning an aquarium. it is part of starting one, but with the proper clean up crew, with the proper flow, lighting and feeding, and waterchanges to reduce nitrates and phosphates, you should not have algae in your tank. there's always the algae you scrape off the glass, but hair algae, diatoms, and cyanobacteria should not be bothering you after a few months.
Sorry for the confusion, I was referring to the glass, not the other types you were referring to. . . Sorry