Quick Cycle?

[Foskett96]

Ok so when I first set up my tank 6 and a half weeks ago I put 5kg of live rock in there. I let that cycle for 6 weeks. 3 days ago I added another 7kg of rock. There is still no livestock in the tank. The day after I added the extra 7kg f rock I tested the water and got a result for 0.25 ammonia and 2 nitrates. Today I tested the water again being 3 days after the rock was added now all my waste levels are 0 do yous think that as the tank was cycled for 6 weeks before it could create a quick cycle. The new 7kg of rock are also from a tank that they have been cycling in previously to mine.

 

[mr_X]

It's possible if the ammonia disappeared that quickly that there is a bacteria colony present, but i would check for nitrite and nitrate, and if you want to add livestock, add it very slowly, like 1 fish a week, to give the bacteria colony time to grow to meet the demands of the bio load.

 

[Foskett96]

I did check nitrite and nitrate and everything was at zero here are the results.
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:0
Alkalinity: 8 dkh
Calcium: 400ppm
Salinity: 1.022
Temperature: constantly in a range of 25.0 - 25.2

 

[Foskett96]

And there is a lot of copepods in the new rock that come out at night so I guess that is a good sign.

 

[mr_X]

I would raise the salinity up a bit, but otherwise, you may be ready for livestock.

 

[Foskett96]

Yea but the corals like higher salinity and the fish like lower salinity so it's recommended that u keep it in the middle at 1.022-1.023

 

[mr_X]

That's not true, as far as I know. They all come from the same salinity. Stores keep the salinity lower to keep parasites at bay, but I would keep the salinity the same as their natural habitat.

 

[Marquis]

That's not true, as far as I know. They all come from the same salinity. Stores keep the salinity lower to keep parasites at bay, but I would keep the salinity the same as their natural habitat.

stores also do this bc it lowers the metabolism of the fish so they grow slower eat less therefore produce less waste

 

[mr_X]

I'd love to see some proof to back that up.

 

[Marquis]

I'd love to see some proof to back that up.

when i take marine bio next fall maybe I'll do an experiment to see if its true it was just something i was told when i worked at a fish store and i took my bosses word bc she has a degree it would be an interesting complex experiment with many variables maybe 2 many to provide a result

 

[carey]

I keep my salinity at about 1.0255, leaves me a little wiggle room either way if necessary. keep in mind that corals and fish come from the same ocean water salinity of 1.026 so keeping it like they are used to would seem the best thing to do.

 

[Foskett96]

Yes but my marine supplier keep their salinity at 1.022 and fish cAn not handle a salinity change more than 0.002 per day. So it isn't good to take them from at tank with a salinity of 1.022 and place them in a tank with a salinity of 1.025 all at once even with proper acclimation.

 

[carey]

I guess lucky for me my LFS uses actual seawater then.

On the occasions that I've added fish not from that store i have never once had an acclimation issue due to salinity. I do drip for over an hour on fish and 2 hours on inverts so hopefully that helps. And shrimp they say are the most susceptible to changes in ph and salinity and I've added a dozen over the last year. So not sure how true that all is.

 

[Foskett96]

R redline cleaners and peppermint shrimp hard to care for cause on the Internet it say they are easy to care for.

 

[carey]

I've kept both and they are easy to keep. Just acclimate well and you should be fine. They need good water though, all shrimp are sensitive.