PWC during Cycle question

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Serpentman

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
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133
Location
NE Ohio
I realize that doing a PWC during the cycle can prolong the process. However, I am combating an algael bloom very early in the game, even with the lights running 3-4hrs/day. I suspect (although I haven't tested yet) that my PO4 is quite elevated. I am contemplating a 50% PWC with RO/DI water this week and one next week to bring the levels down.

What would you all do? Run the cycle as is and deal with the algae later or try to get a handle on it now?
 
How is your nh3/no2 looking now? If nh3 is over 3 ppm I’d go ahead and do the 50% pwc. Your lr should have enough die-off to sustain the cycle for a while.
 
Is 5 ppm the highest it reads on your test kit? It could be higher and I know most people cycling with lr like to keep it under 3 ppm to keep what life they have. Also if it gets too high it can also cause your cycle to take longer because the tank is overloaded with nh3 which can’t keep up and can crash the bacteria that has built up.

That’s why the fishless cycle article recommends 1 cocktail shrimp per 30 gal or else you will introduce too much nh3 to the tank.

I’d do a 30%-50% pwc to get that number lower IMO.
 
The test kit I have goes to 8ppm. I ran the test again as I wasn't sure I let it sit long enough. It looks to be even higher, closer to the 8ppm range.

I guess that is what I get for using uncured rock.

Unfortunately, I am guessing that whatever was alive on the rock, isn't now?
 
I would do the WC. All NH3 that high is going to do is over cycle and then you will be fighting extreme algae again.
I am guessing that whatever was alive on the rock, isn't now?
prob not.
 
No. Life as in crabs, shrimp etc probably died. You still have worms coralline, sponges etc.
 
I have been battling but after 2 large PWC in the last 2 days, I have finally dropped my ammonia levels below 3ppm. Hopefully, this will allow my Nitrifying bacteria to gain a better foothold.

Current levels:

Ammonia: 2.5-3.0ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
PH: 8.4
 
You're doing fine, probably only a week or two more at this rate. The no3 is kind of high so I think it's all taken a foothold :)
 
I will keep my fingers crossed. Hindsite being 20/20, I am rethinking my choice to use uncured rock. Seems to me, I probably would have been better off with cured. Although there would be die-off, certainly not on the scale I have experienced. I thought there would be a chance of introducing more life. To date, I have not seen a single thing move.

Oh well, what can you do. I will probably buy a couple of pieces of cured stuff from my LFS to seed it with pods, etc. down the road.
 
Cycle is screaming now!

Little update. Things seem to be back on track now as the cycle is moving forward almost daily. Over the past 2 days ammonia has dropped from 2ppm to .25ppm. Nitrite is up from 2ppm to 5ppm and Nitrates have risen from 40ppm to 80ppm.
 
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