Done cycling?

[bizzybeas]

I set up my new reef 23 days ago. It is a 65 gallon set up with 30# live rock only. I plan on adding more rock until I reach 70#. I have been testing the water everyday. My ammonia spiked at 1.5 mg/l (day 15) my nitrite .3mg/l (day 21). Today (day 23) ammonia and nitrites are 0, nitrate is at 1mg/l . No algae yet, my lights are coming this week. The only thing I have added is plankton for the live rock which was partially cured. Am I done? It has been several years since I have cycled a tank. This seems rather quick to me.

 

[sokhamik]

umm.. many will tell you to keep on testing the water for a couple more days to be sure.. sounds like you're done

 

[bizzybeas]

oops. I forgot to add that my salinity is 1.025, temp at 77, ph at 7.7. This is weird to me I set up the tank with tropis marin salt. I tested it with two different kits.

 

[loganj]

Tank is probably cycled...keep testing to be sure though. SG is good. Temp is probably OK although it might be a little on the low side...new lights will probably raise it a few degrees though. pH is low...guess you know that though. I would try to slowly bring it up to at least 8.2-8.4. Have you checked your alkalinity and calcium? I wouldn't be surprised if they were both on the low side. My newest coral prop tanks were at 2.0 meq/l alk and 320ppm calcium after they finished cycling...pH was about 7.9. If you have good LR to start with, the cycle will be shorter. I started a 10g tank with LR from the LFS and it never showed any trace of ammonia or nitrite. Not even after I added a small ocellaris clown. Perhaps your LR was far enough along that it experienced only minor die off and may have already had a good bacterial culture started.

 

[reefrunner69]

I have to say the tank is done, do a water change to help with the nitrates and ph, and you can start slowly adding fish. It should be pointed out that you do not have enough LR to biologically filter a fully stocked tank. When you are ready to add more LR it will either need to be done very slowly, or better yet, cured in another container.

 

[bizzybeas]

I was going to add 40 # of cured live rock next. I am not going to add any fish for six more weeks I want to be patient plus I am going on vacation in July for a week. Should I do a water change before I add the new live rock? Also I have a chiller, so I can set up the temp what ever I want within 2-3 degrees. Right now I have it set at 76-78. Should I raise it a little?

 

[bizzybeas]

oops, one more question, if I am not going to add fish yet, does it matter how fast I add the cured rock? Thanks all of you for your advice!

 

[reefrunner69]

Should I do a water change before I add the new live rock?

I don't think it's necessary, but I probably would.

Right now I have it set at 76-78. Should I raise it a little?

I keep my tank around 82*, maybe a little higher now that summer is here.

, if I am not going to add fish yet, does it matter how fast I add the cured rock?

Nope, I would add it all at one time if possible, let it recycle and off ya go.

 

[loganj]

You might want to leave the chiller where it is until you get your lights running. You may find that they increase the temp some.