Hello again

[Bigdon]

Hi

My cycling tank is starting to go brown. I think this is right isn't it. How long does this last. Also I have tiny white things about 1 to 2 mm swimming about. What are these.

Thanks

 

[ff.rice]

How long has it been running/cycling? And what kind of water did you use?

 

[DIZZLE808]

The brown is probably diatoms and the little white things swimming about are probably pods. Can't be sure without more info from you. Pics help too

 

[Bigdon]

It's been cycling 17 days now and I used home mixed treated tap water

 

[Bigdon]

Sorry and the white things are to small to get on camera

 

[DIZZLE808]

What's your water params? Also I meant pics of the brown stuff

 

[Bigdon]

Params on 15-12 were ph 8.4 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 0-5 kh 5 calcium 500 and I'll have to get a pic tomorrow

 

[Bigdon]

Also I wanted to introduce a couple of critters on Christmas Eve

 

[DIZZLE808]

Looks ok to me. How did you cycle the tank? What size is the tank? What are you using for filtration?

 

[Bigdon]

I've cycled the tank using 27 kg of live rock 7kg of live sand a protien skimmer and a power head. It's 190l so about 50 g

 

[Bigdon]

Also I have lots of zoans and other softies starting to appear. Is this a good sign

 

[DIZZLE808]

So aside from the die off from the LR you didn't have any other source of ammonia? Have you done any water changes during the cycle? I ask because the Nitrate reading should be more than 5 if you didn't.

 

[Bigdon]

Not major water changes just a small bit when I was sorting the salt out. The nitrate was at 5 a week ago but has dropped a bit also for 1st 10 days I had a cycled filter running but that got a leak so got rid of it coz I have skimmer and live rock

 

[ff.rice]

I still consider myself new at this...... But I had the same thing happen to me while cycling my tank..... The brown is diatom but it's worse when you use tap water..... I now use bottled water from Crystal just because I have not been able to purchase a RODI unit yet..... The brown eventually went away, but left quicker once I started with the filtered/bottled water..... The other things growing and swimming IMO is a good sign because it shoes that your tank is supporting life! Just be cautious with some of the hitchhiker anemones and chorales..... Some of them will take over your tank..... Quickly!!! (aptasia for example)

 

[ff.rice]

Good looking setup!

 

[TheTodd]

It is tough to tell what is going on...with live rock and live sand, you might avoid big spikes and it could have only taken a couple weeks...but did you ever get any ammonia and nitrite readings? I agree that the low nitrates seems odd.

Ideally, to be sure you are cycled, you could add pure ammonia to about 3-4 ppm and see how quickly it drops to zero. If it is cycled properly , it should be back to zero within a day (24 hrs). That shows you have sufficient beneficial bacteria to handle the ammonia produced with fish waste.

 

[DIZZLE808]

I agree nice set up. One way to see if your tank is cycled is add pure ammonia to the tank to bring it up to 4ppm. If it goes away in 24-48 hours you are good to go and can start slowly adding your critters.

 

[Bigdon]

My ammonia was at 2 a week ago I will be doing another test tomorrow night or Friday

 

[Bigdon]

And nitrite was 0.25

 

[Bigdon]

Also where can I get pure ammonia