New 46 Gallon Bowfront! Suggestions Please!!

[Jingleheimer]

Just acquired a used tank that already had live rock and sand in it.
It was pretty dirty so I cleaned the tank up pretty nicely and added new water.
I did keep the rock in the water as I transported it as well as I kept a layer of water over the sand during this process.

So with that said I have since added all new water and got everything set up.

My current readings as of last night were as follows:

Ammonia - 1.5
Nitrite - .25
Nitrate - 5-10
Need a new PH kit as that wasn't included in what I got today.

Picture should be below, I hope!

Thanks in advance for the help and suggestions!

[Jingleheimer]

Hopefully that works?!

[Jingleheimer]

Ok, just did all my tests again.. And it look s like they all went down about half. Hopefully good news?

Ammonia - 1.0
Nitrite - 0-0.25
Nitrate - 5

Remind you my fresh water isn't even a full 24 hours old yet.




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[Jingleheimer]

I did about 15% water change or so to get my ammonia levels down..
After a bit or letting it circulate my new readings are

Salinity - 1.020
PH - 7.8
Ammonia - .25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10
Temperature - 80

[Sniperhank]

Well, your salinity is low now. You want to aim between 1.024-1.026. If you are cycling and there is no livestock in the tank, why do water changes? Just let it run it's course.


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[Jingleheimer]

I can bump the salinity up no problem.
And I was told to do a water change because my ammonia was high and they didn't want it to kill off my live rock


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[Sniperhank]

Live rock is in reference to the bacteria on the rock that consumes the ammonia and nitrites in your nitrate cycle. Can too much food kill? Maybe, but that's a pretty big sandwich.
Just toss a cocktail shrimp in the tank and let nature take its course. Don't waste your money on water changes during a cycle UNLESS there is livestock in the tank...and rock doesn't count.


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[Jingleheimer]

So did the water change basically start the cycle over?

Curious, as I'm learning as I go as well..

Because there's ammonia in there already, and nitrites were high. Now they're low. Nitrates were up near 40 now 10.

Thanks for answering!


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[Jingleheimer]

And I understand the it's the bacteria on the rock not the rock itself is alive! LOL

Also the rock and sand were in an established tank already? Idk if I mentioned that or not? Does that play a factor?


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[Sniperhank]

It can play a factor if it was kept wet and used quickly.
The bacteria lives in the rock and sand, not water.
The fact that you are seeing the ammonia is turning into nitrite and them seeing into the nitrate means you are seeing it cycle and that the rock didn't keep the bacteria in it alive.


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[Jingleheimer]

The lady I got it from had an engineer goby and a clown fish in the tank and moved them when I picked up the setup.

[Jingleheimer]

Yes. I transported the rock in the water she had in her tank. Used a big ice chest. It was out of water for maybe 30 minutes as I was aqua scaping. Sorry was writing the previous message as you wrote your last response!
Thanks!

[Sniperhank]

30 min shouldn't have been enough to kill everything off... But seeing ammonia and nitrite means things aren't cycled. So, can't argue with the facts. Raise the salinity and cycle away. I'd suggest the cocktail shrimp method with how easy it is. Once you can't detect ammonia or nitrite you're ready to go after a big water change to get the nitrates down.


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[Jingleheimer]

Just did morning test because I have nothing else to do before work and this is what I got:

PH - 7.8
Ammonia - >.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10

Posted the test below for nitrite and ammonia..
[IMG][/IMG]

[Jingleheimer]

Put in a new PH 900gph before work today! Got my flow to around 1600gph. Hope that's sufficient!

It's so crystal clear tonight! Makes me want to put snails or something in to have something else to watch besides bristle worms! Hahaha

[Jingleheimer]

Found this random snail in the tank this morning!

Any idea what it is?

[IMG][/IMG]

[Waynage01]

Looks like a sand sifting snail. Can't remember the proper name for them but a good member of clean up crew. You don't often see them as they live in the sand bed


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[Jingleheimer]

Originally Posted by Waynage01

Looks like a sand sifting snail. Can't remember the proper name for them but a good member of clean up crew. You don't often see them as they live in the sand bed


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Thanks! He's been crusin around! Seems happy! Idk he's just a snail though haha!

Did my tests for today
PH - 8.0
Ammonia - was barely above 0 almost wanna call it 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20

[BigRedsReefs10]

Nassarius snail

[Jingleheimer]

Originally Posted by BigRedsReefs10

Nassarius snail

Thanks man! I'll take it! Nothing like watching a snail cruise around! Lol

So after my ammonias hit zero do a water change and I'm ready to go?

Also, mushroom and fish acclimation. What is the best way to do this?