Cycling

[Dhiy]

So I have a 55g tank and I am curing my LR and cycling my tank at the same time. I have two heaters and a powerhead on for 3 weeks now. I bought my 90lbs of LR online. My nitrates and nitrite levels are so high I can't read them. Is that good? I do about 2 water changes of 50% every week. I recently added live sand to my tank a few days ago and now there is a thin layer of light brown sludge on my tank. How can I get rid of this? Also my tank water is a light green color when my lights are turned off, any solution to this? Any input helps. Thanks.

 

[David S]

keep your lights off,you will cause algae problems.What ammonia source did you use and how much

 

[Dhiy]

I didn't use any ammonia source. I was told that if I cure LR in the tank I wouldn't need to put ammonia in it

 

[Dhiy]

Can I add a cuc yet?

 

[David S]

you may find all the die off from your LR was the source.dont add any cuc until trites are 0.Are you using liquid test kits?

 

[melosu58]

No CUC yet. The high nitrites will kill them. As mentioned above keep your lights off. Also dont do PWC`s. Let the ammonia and nitrites come down to 0 and then do a 33% PWC and then you`ll be OK for a CUC.

 

[Dhiy]

Ok thanks. And no I'm using a strip test kit. Should I add raw shrimp?

 

[hackteck]

no you dont need to it looks like your cycle is coming along your at the home stretch your nitrites will drop overnight to 0 like mine did it happens rather quickly once they start dropping

 

[Dhiy]

My nitrates and nitrites levels just dropped!!! Now do I add fish first or a cuc?

 

[Henry405]

How did your nitrates drop? ammonia and nitrites are usually the only two that drop during a cycle unless you have some kind of plant growth to take care of the nitrate. I believe on a new tank, the most efficient way to lower nitrate is water changes.

how is your ammonia level? just being curious because I don't want to tell you to add something and have it die

 

[David S]

test for Amm and trites,as soon as these are 0(use a liquid test kit)test for trates,do a 30% pwc and then your good to add your CUC and 1 fish.Dont add more than 1 fish/month

 

[Dhiy]

I took a water sample to petco yesterday and they said my ammonia level was perfect and so was my nitrate level. But my nitrite was still a little to high. But i added 5 hermits and 3 snails yesterday and they are still moving around today. I ordered a clean up crew yesterday at reefcleaners and was thinking of also buying a shrimp today. What do you guys think?

 

[Dhiy]

I was also wondering when I would be able to start putting some corals in?

 

[David S]

I'm not being funny but why ask the questions if your not going to take the advice,the wost thing you can do in this hobby is rush.dont add anything until Amm and trites are both 0,it doesn't matter too much about the trates until the others are 0

 

[carey]

You definitely should not be adding any living creature into a tank that does not have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites.

Please get a test kit and test your own water, it would save you alot of hassle and allow you to keep your fish alive.

 

[Dhiy]

I appreciate your guys advice and I checked my levels again and they were all 0. So the ppl at petco said I could add a few snails and hermits to see if it was Safe. And I have my own test kit. I was just told that b4 I put anything in my tank to bring a sample to Lfs

 

[Henry405]

I have my own api sw test kit and the only reason I still have LFS test my water sometimes is just double check because I know they are pretty horrible at testing. The other day when I tank just finished cycling, I tested my water around 11PM and had like 40-60 nitrate. The next day, I took a bottle of water to the LFS to test it and they said 0-5PPM of nitrate. I tested the water again that same night and found my nitrate at about 20ppm. They did not shake the bottle like the instructions + they did not use a lid, but used their fingers. That just proves how careless they can be sometimes.

You might as why I still go to this LFS, the reason is they have the cleanest tanks and cheapest prices around. LFS will tell you to do something to make money even though it might hurt you.

 

[David S]

I appreciate your guys advice and I checked my levels again and they were all 0. So the ppl at petco said I could add a few snails and hermits to see if it was Safe. And I have my own test kit. I was just told that b4 I put anything in my tank to bring a sample to Lfs

Thats fine,as long as they are 0,whats your nitrate reading this shouldn't be 0 after a cycle unless you've done a big water change
If its around 20 do a small pwc,if its more do a larger 30%-50% pwc then you can start to add your fish slowly,1 at a time/month

 

[David S]

I was also wondering when I would be able to start putting some corals in?

I would wait at least 6 months,let your tank establish itself and so you can get used to all the work needed to be done to a tank,also what lights do you have

 

[Dhiy]

I have a 10k daylight, 420nm actinic with 4 bulbs that are 65w each. Straight pin bulbs