Almost done with cycling after first week?

[Antec]

So the first week of cycling will be completed tommorrow. Here are my parameters using 2 different test kits( API and salifert)

API:

Ph-8.0
Ammonia-1.0ppm
Nitrite-5ppm
Nitrate-20ppm

Salifert:
Ph-8.0
Ammonia-0ppm
Nitrite-1ppm
Nitrate-100ppm

What do you guys think?

 

[Antec]

Anyone?

 

[kdpuffer]

Well I would say your close to being done the cycle.

 

[scottayy]

Pretty fast cycle.

 

[kdpuffer]

We meet again Scott lol, the nice thing with getting live rock is it usually means a short cycle time. I figure in a couple days your params will be good to start SLOWLY adding your stock. Start with some of your clean up crew. What size tank and what are you planning for stock?

 

[Antec]

90g tank. I know it sounds dumb but I haven't really put too much thought into stock. I've been too caught up in starting up the tank lol

Pair of clowns, yellow tang,torch, bubbletip eventually, frogspawn, greenstar polyp, toadstool mushroom after that I don't really know. Any recommendations?

And I went to reefcleaners.com and I submitted a form and this was the crew they suggested:

50 Dwarf Ceriths
29 Nassarius
30 Florida Ceriths
8 Limpets
25 Assorted Hermits
19 Large Nerite and 10 Small to Medium Nerites

 

[kdpuffer]

Looks like a good clean up crew. Your stock list looks good but be prepared that alot of people will tell you the tang doesn't belong. I would suggest researching your stock before adding anything other than the CUC that is. A good starting point I found is liveaquaria, browse through the coral and fish and determine your "must have" coral and fish and plan around that. The nice thing is that site also provides all the care requirements right there.

 

[Schism]

Looks like your cycle is close however do not add anything until it over and you have removed all those nitrates. 10ppm or less will put you where you want to be. Will require some large water changes. Also be sure nitrite is gone. Recheck all parameters before buying any stock and add slow.

Best of luck

 

[Antec]

Ok, thank you everybody!

 

[Antec]

Another question, can I add the whole cuc at the same time? and how long do i have to wait to add tem after the cycle is complete?

 

[kdpuffer]

Once the cycle is complete and you do a water change or two to bring nitrates down you can add them. I would only add half personally then add the other half a couple or three weeks later.

 

[Antec]

What would you consider a major water change?

 

[Schism]

What would you consider a major water change?

50-100%

Think about it this way. In order to get 100ppm nitrates down to 10ppm. It will take slightly more than 3 50% water changes.

50% WC from 100 to 50ppm
50% WC from 50-25ppm
50% WC from 25-12.5ppm

Also

50% WC from 100-50ppm
80% WC from 50-10ppm works as well

Hope that gives you an idea.

 

[Antec]

Ok, thanks man. And do you have any ideas on te discrepancies I'm having between nitrites and trates between the salifert and API? I actually have to of the same API kits and they both read the same thing

 

[Schism]

Ok, thanks man. And do you have any ideas on te discrepancies I'm having between nitrites and trates between the salifert and API? I actually have to of the same API kits and they both read the same thing

Api are known to be inaccurate. I would trust the salifert all the way. API kits are nearly always off on something in my experience.

When you see no more ammonia and no more nitrite your good to go with some big water changes to lower nitrates.

 

[Antec]

Ok will do, thanks for everything