Cycle taking for ever ...

[Tomchong22]

Well I'm about 4 weeks into the cycle and I am at a stall. My nitrates and nitrites will not drop. Ammonia is at zero. The raw shrimp I added at the start of the cycle is completely gone. My question is will adding more live rock from a very established tank help bring down nitrate and nitrites? Currently I have about 60 lbs of base rock and 20 lbs of live rock. I'm thinking on adding another 15 lbs of live rock. The tank is 60 gal.

 

[carey]

The nitrates won't go down, you're waiting for the trites to go to zero. How high are your nitrites?

 

[Tomchong22]

My nitrites are 10+ ppm and nitrates Are at
40 ppm. I moved some of the established rock down into my sump to help seed the dsb I have it there.

 

[carey]

I would do a pwc to get those trites a bit lower. trates are good that means you have all 3 bacterias, they just aren't working at full tilt yet.

 

[Tomchong22]

I'm thinking this weekend on doing a 50% water change.I started the cycle with some frozen fish.... That dis not go so well lol my entire room smelled. So I removed the fish and added some shrimp. My gf though it would help so she got a bottle of cycle stuff... I added it to help out and maybe cut the cycle time down. Right now I am just waiting to start adding fish in . What fish should I start with? I was thinking on getting: 2 clown fish. 1 royal gramma. 1 watchmen goby with pistol shrimp. 1 doty back. 1 lawnmower blenny And for the main fish a angel fish or a blue tang(my tank is 4 ft long and I am planning in the next year or so moving it up to a 120 gal). How does this sound for a good set up? Any fish you recommend?

 

[Jara209]

Does anyone know how to tell the sex of my tetra it looks like a female but I just want to make sure...

 

[carey]

Honestly please wait on the fish. Youre in mid cycle I would think if you have nitrites in your tank. You need to have 0 trites and not just by doing pwc's. When you do a water change youre exporting out NITRATES not trites.

Also, sorry but no tang. They require the 6 foot tank not a 4 footer. I'm waiting on my 125g upgrade to get my tangs.

I think your list otherwise is great, I have the exact fish almost. lol

Are you gonna have corals? I believe anglefish aren't reef safe...someone will; chime in...

 

[carey]

oops almost forgot. That cycle stuff in a bottle does not really work. I';ve tried it myself as have many many others. It can help screw with your cycle so I wouldnt add anymore in just to be safe

 

[Jara209]

Can anyone respond please I still need to know what breed my tetra is I want to possibly breed it but I don't know what breed it is please respond

 

[carey]

Can anyone respond please I still need to know what breed my tetra is I want to possibly breed it but I don't know what breed it is please respond

Just start your own thread and more people will be able to help.

 

[Tomchong22]

Yeah I am going to wait till the cycle is completely done b4 I add fish. The tank is going to be a reef. I'm thinking some Xenia green star polyp, leather coral, Hammer coral and some other. As far as the cycle stuff I haven't really used it. I only used half.... So no tang u say? I know they need lots of horizontal room to swim. I was hoping a 4ft tank would be enough.

 

[Purevil21]

You would get more responses if you post it in the appropriate section. Post it in the fw identification section.

 

[Purevil21]

If you put a tang in a four foot tank the tang police will be on you like white on rice, lol. Look into some colorful blennies, you may like a midas. I have one, beautiful fish.

 

[carey]

I have been beyond tempted to put a tang in my 4ft tank but yeah, the tang police are rough. lol I'm just gonna wait til I get my 125g later this year. Blennies rock! I have one and the personality is awesome.

 

[Purevil21]

My XMAS gift from my wife this year is a 180, I can't wait. Until then, my 65 will have to suffice.

 

[Tomchong22]

Looks like I'll have to wait. Lol yeah my plan is to have a tank with lots of fish that have lots of personality I don't want it to be boring. I don't know if u would know the answer or not but.... I know a pistol shrimp needs a pretty good size sand bed to dig it's hole. Is 2 1/2 in deep good enough or should I add some more to make it 4 in deep?

 

[Purevil21]

I have no experience with the pistols, so I couldn't say. I have a 3-4 inch sand bed in my fowlr tank.

 

[Tomchong22]

Ok. I am thinking on adding more sugar size sand to my tank. Prob 30 lbs more. Right now it is a mix of 40 lbs of live sand med size. 20lbs of sugar size sand and 10 lbs of crushed up crushed coral.( I had some crushed coral that I put into a pillow case and smashed with a hammer to it was very small. About the size of the med live sand)