Additional live rock

[David Moyer]

I have a biocube 14 that has been cycling for 3 months. I have one blue damsel, one xenia, one Kenya tree, and a couple of mushrooms and zoas, plus a clean up crew. Everything seems to be running good. Water parameters are great except nitrates are at 30. I'm thinking its the end of the cycling period. I do have some green hair algae on the top rock.

I was wondering if it would be alright to get another live rock or two to place on the top of my already live rock. I want to do this so my xenia and Kenya can climb up this rock. Would this be alright to do, or does this start the cycling period all over again?

Thanx,
Dave

 

[Bectan01]

3 months is an awfully long cycle. Did you test throughout? For such a small system I probably wouldn't add more, can you find cured live rock? Or cure it yourself? That would be safer. Do a big PWC to bring hose nitrates down, how often are you feeding?

 

[Rutrag]

If it's uncured live rock, you may have a mini cycle. if it's base rock or cured live rock, you should be fine.

If your ammonia and nitrites are both zero, but your nitrates are that high, I suggest you do a water change to try and bring them down. In a reef, anything higher than 10 ppm is ause for concern. Soft corals will tolerate nitrates better than other corals, but 30 is pretty high. I'd strive for 5 ppm or less.

 

[David Moyer]

Nitrates

Yeah, I tested throughout, since day one. This is the highest for my nitrates. And I did remove the bio lass in chamber 2. I have been doing about 2water changes a week--30 percent changes. With distilled water.
I feed my damsel 4-5 flakes a day. I feed the corals brine shrimp. Maybe to many of them die. Would that effect my nitrates.

Any advice to bring the nitrates down.

Thanx