Lots of newbie questions!

[Beengirl]

Alright so my ammonia is at 0. My nitrites are off the chart. Nitrates are 40. Getting there!!!

Yea!! Make sure you add little bit of ammonia every couple days so that the ammonia-eating bacteria don't die off while you're waiting for the nitrite-eating bacteria to grow.

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

I'm just leaving the shrimp in there. That's sufficient, right? Estimation how much longer until the cycle is done? I'm gonna say like 5 days to a week. I'm getting excited.

 

[Sniperhank]

Every cycle is different. My 55 almost lasted 2 months because I accidently overdosed ammonia halfway through the cycle. That'll show me for not going with the shrimp method like I did before. But the other cycle with th shrimp lasted roughly a month...but def looks like you are getting close. It is time for those nitrates to drop like a rock! Keep up the good work and us posted.

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

There is something living on my live rock. It looks like somewhere between a tiny spider web and a snowflake. More like a snowflake. It continuously opens and closes. I tried my best to snap a pic but it didn't come out so well. Will try again. Any guesses as to what it is? It's in the mid left section of the photo.

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

Edit: got a better picture and uploading a video to YouTube. I'm surprised anything could survive these nitrites.

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

 

[obscurereef]

Looks like a small feather duster. When frightened or something moves close by they will retract their radiole or "gills".

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

That's a type of coral, right? Considering that I have cheap fluorescent lights, should I assume it will die?

 

[54seaweed]

dusters are considered to be inverts (type of worm)
they can survive with just about any lighting

 

[woody390]

What do dusters need to survive? What Would be the minimum tank size for one?

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

dusters are considered to be inverts (type of worm)
they can survive with just about any lighting

Could the same be said about anemones?

 

[54seaweed]

they are filter feeders
as for tank size any works

 

[54seaweed]

Could the same be said about anemones?

yup

 

[woody390]

Could the same be said about anemones?

Not for the lighting

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

Just did another water test.

Ammonia 0
Nitrites off the chart
Nitrates 40

I'm going to prepare saltwater when I go home and do a water change in the next day or two. I was hoping my nitrites would've come down at least a little by now. :/

 

[obscurereef]

Feather dusters and anemones are inverts, but are very different from each other. Feather duster worms filter feed catching microorganisms like phytoplankton and such while anemones, like corals, use an algae to carry out the process of photosynthesis and that's what they feed off of. That's why they need the light. Anemones also eat fish, inverts, etc. and some LPS corals will consume meaty foods.

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

So I haven't had a chance to do a WC yet. The water is currently mixing. But I did another water test today and my trites are still off the charts and don't appear to be moving at all. Any thoughts? I will be heading to the lfs tomorrow and was hoping to be able to get some CUC.
When I do finally add them will they eat the leftover shrimp or should I eventually remove it? It's not in a sock. Just stuck to my filter intake and I'm scared of the smell lol.

 

[obscurereef]

If you have nitrites still your CUC prob. won't survive. They are pretty hardy if you have some nitrates, but your cycle has not completed and putting something in there and hoping it lives is not a good strategy. Just be patient and wait, I know it's super difficult, but you'll just find yourself losing money and fish/inverts/corals if you don't.

 

[NicoleIsStoked]

Oh I know. I'm not going to add them. I just don't know why the nitrites are taking so long to drop. Grr.

 

[obscurereef]

Did you say you're doing water changes, and there are still nitrites? If you are, you are delaying your cycle. Only supposed to do a PWC when you have nitrates and 0 ammonia & 0 nitrite.