Questions Re: Cycling

[mykpoz]

Hey all sorry to ask just a vague question...

I have looked around quite a bit, but have yet to see anything that can answer my question.

My tank has been cycling for just over a week. I have @90lbs of LR.com rocks, with a cocktail shrimp, and a few panty hose bags filled with CC from an established tank (was told it would help seed my LS)

After the one week mark, my amonia is still off the scales.... my fasTest kit only goes up to .8 for amonia.

The question is: When should I expect to see any drop in the amonia? I know each tank is different, but if anyone has any rough estimates, I would be happy to hear. Everything looks great in the tank, and I am anxious to see some sort of movement on the chemical front.

TIA

 

[fishfreek]

Honestly with the live rock from LR.com you wouldnt have needed the shrimp as the rock itself would have had enought dieoff to produce the required ammonia. At this point I would suggest a water change of 10% to help lower your ammonia in addition you can remove the shrimp. It should then be another week or so until the ammonia and nitrite are down to zero.

 

[austinsdad]

If anything was alive on yur LR.com rocks, it may die during the high ammonia spike. Are you changing water? How big is your tank? Can't say how long this'll take - at least I can't , but I am curious about what you mean when you say everything in the tank looks great. Any visible life?

 

[mykpoz]

Sorry tank is 75g, and the shrimp is gone ;P

I added the shrimp after many people were told to do the same, when adding LR. I hope my die off was minimal, as I was able to basically pick up the rock Sunday morning (most came directly off the truck from the keys) and have it in my tank @7 hours later. I am not sure how 'much' die off occured in only 7 hours of transit.

I will do a 10% PWC today, and see what that gets me

 

[mykpoz]

ok

July 26th (after 5 days of LR and dead shrimp)

Amonia - 0.8
Nitrite - <0.2
PH - 8.2


July 28th

Amonia - >.8
Nitrite - <0.2
PH - 8.3
Nitrate - 10mg/l

8/1/05
10% pwc to reduce amonia lvls and removed the thing that once was a edible shrimp....

8/2

Amonia - 0.1
nitrite - 1.0
ph - 8.1
nitrate - 6mg/l


My question is, it seems the chemicals really got on board after the pwc, maybe it really did help, but to make sure about what i am looking for, is for the amonia and nitrite to read 0.0 correct?

Should I be concerned about nitrates? Just curious as to what i will want to test on a constant basis.

should be soon i think....

TIA

 

[austinsdad]

Ammonia on the decline and nitrite increased. Everything sounds like its on track. Once they both get to zero, you're done cycling. The nitrates @ anything less than 20 is very tolerable. 6 is good.

Test nitrates more as you add fish and to check your feeding amounts.