Cycle in progress

[Aztlan]

Latest readings

PH: 8.6
temp: 80
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 2
Nitrates: 100

2 Shrimps added on 2/14/2004
Live Rock added on 2/24/2004

Do I need to do any water changes yet?

 

[Biggen]

How far are you in on the cycle? Personally, I would change the water every other day until ammonia and nitrite are zero. I did it this way and my tank cycled in under a week.

Why did you put the shrimps in? With a nitrate level that high I doubt they will make it through.

 

[ReefRaff]

personaly i say don't change any water and let the levels come down on there own. impatiants is not a good vertue in this hobby.

 

[sumphead]

If by shrimp you meant dead raw shrimp to kick off the cycle, great. This being the case then your LR added later had beneficial bacteria that extremely shortened your ammonia spike, which is actually a good thing. Again, if this is the case and you saw an ammonia spike (how high was it?) and it has now returned to zero then yes it is time for a water change to lower your ites and ates. I am lovin' the high Ph.

R-

 

[SquishyFish]

personaly i say don't change any water and let the levels come down on there own. impatiants is not a good vertue in this hobby.

I havent read down the rest of the thread, so forgive me if someone has already pointed this out, but one of the major reasons for doing water changes is to preserve the infauna and other life that is in the LR. Excessively high Ammonia and Trites will kill them just as like it would a fish. Its not impatience...its smart husbandry.

 

[ReefRaff]

I am trying to understand. and assuming this is a DSB, which i don't know, but if it is, and you were trying to collinate some bacteria to consume nitrates and turn that into nitrogyn gas, wouldn't you be removing it's sorce of food, trats, thru water changes, and therby increasing the length of what appears to be the final stages of the cycle?

 

[Aztlan]

Sorry I left some info out. Yes those are dead raw shrimp to start the cycle. I have 90 lbs of aragonite sand + 1lb of live sand. DSB of around 4 inches I think. Cycle has been going for about 3 weeks. My ammonia has never gone above 0.5. Currently my ammonia has been at zero since three days ago.

reefnewb: Is having the PH that high, bad? Since the tank is still cycling
PH reading is really not that important. PH after cycle is done would be more accurate? right?

 

[reefrunner69]

wouldn't you be removing it's sorce of food, trats, thru water changes, and therby increasing the length of what appears to be the final stages of the cycle?

No it's a renewable resource in an aquarium. In a sterile tank, I do not recommend water changes for the cycle bt when using LR (There is no need for the shrimp, I would remove it) I recommend them to preserve life. The bacteria will come, the nutrients will be plenty high, even with the water changes.

 

[Aztlan]

How much water should I change 1/3? Would it hurt if I left the raw shrimp in there? I can't locate one of them. It's somewhere between the rocks. The other one is decaying away. It's got some white stuff all over it.

 

[reefrunner69]

How much water should I change 1/3?

I recommend 50% every other day, but that can get expensive and time consuming, so you'll have to come up with a schedule that will both fit into your lifestyle as well as work with your wallet.

Would it hurt if I left the raw shrimp in there?

It will simply draw the cycle out a little longer and increase the ammonia level.