New -cloudy water in marine tank

[Rmckoy]

Nice I'd get a black background on the tank and add some more rock. But this time wait till the cycle is over so maybe you can get some free bees

So there is 1 Molly floating around that is partially decomposed .
And 2 shrimp .
How high should I let the level get before I remove them ?
Or is it natural to leave what bacteria growing to consume the fish and shrimp ?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

So there is 1 Molly floating around that is partially decomposed .
And 2 shrimp .
How high should I let the level get before I remove them ?
Or is it natural to leave what bacteria growing to consume the fish and shrimp ?

When it gets close to 4ppm you'll want to take them out. I would put them in a bag and take them outside because they normally stick bad. When it starts to drop around 1 add new shrimp.

 

[Kuddos 2 U]

To the Forum!!!

 

[Rmckoy]

When it gets close to 4ppm you'll want to take them out. I would put them in a bag and take them outside because they normally stick bad. When it starts to drop around 1 add new shrimp.

4 ppm ?

 

[Rmckoy]

When it gets close to 4ppm you'll want to take them out. I would put them in a bag and take them outside because they normally stick bad. When it starts to drop around 1 add new shrimp.

Just checked levels .
Ammonia : 3 ppm
Nitrate 80ppm
Nitrite : 0
Ph : 8.5
Is this cycle further along then I thought ?
I'm wondering if nitrifying bacteria added is effecting the natural cycle ?
What would you recommend ?
Thanks again Andy

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Just checked levels .
Ammonia : 3 ppm
Nitrate 80ppm
Nitrite : 0
Ph : 8.5
Is this cycle further along then I thought ?
I'm wondering if nitrifying bacteria added is effecting the natural cycle ?
What would you recommend ?
Thanks again Andy

It looks like it going along good so I'd say that bacteria is working for you. If it can take the ammonia down to 0 and you only show nitrate in a 24 hour period. Then you should be good to go.

 

[Rmckoy]

It looks like it going along good so I'd say that bacteria is working for you. If it can take the ammonia down to 0 and you only show nitrate in a 24 hour period. Then you should be good to go.

As long as the shrimps are in there decomposing and the coral is still dying off should I leave it or remove the shrimp ?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

As long as the shrimps are in there decomposing and the coral is still dying off should I leave it or remove the shrimp ?

Leave it and test again sometime today. That way we know where your at.

 

[Rmckoy]

Leave it and test again sometime today. That way we know where your at.

I did remove the shrimp before I went to work this morning at 5:30 .
Almost 12 hours later
Ammonia : .5 ppm
Nitrate : 40 ppm
Nitrite : 0
PH : 8.0
This is the confusing part though .
The instruction for the ammonia strips say
1) dip in aquarium for 5 seconds .
2) remove and hold strip level for 60 seconds pad up .
3) do not shake
4) compare to chart .
If I read it after 60 seconds it now reads .5
And the longer you wait it get darker meaning higher ammonia .
What is actually right ?
Is the high nitrate a good sign at this time of the cycle or should I throw shrimp in again?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I did remove the shrimp before I went to work this morning at 5:30 .
Almost 12 hours later
Ammonia : .5 ppm
Nitrate : 40 ppm
Nitrite : 0
PH : 8.0
This is the confusing part though .
The instruction for the ammonia strips say
1) dip in aquarium for 5 seconds .
2) remove and hold strip level for 60 seconds pad up .
3) do not shake
4) compare to chart .
If I read it after 60 seconds it now reads .5
And the longer you wait it get darker meaning higher ammonia .
What is actually right ?
Is the high nitrate a good sign at this time of the cycle or should I throw shrimp in again?

It looks to me like your almost done. Nitrates don't make a difference what we are looking at is ammonia and nitrite. Add the shrimp back in and do yourself a favor and get a liquid test kit like the Api. Those strips are junk it's it's only going to make things harder to read.

Any kit you buy you'll have to wait for however long it says then that's the color. As it sits out it will keep getting different colors.

 

[Rmckoy]

It looks to me like your almost done. Nitrates don't make a difference what we are looking at is ammonia and nitrite. Add the shrimp back in and do yourself a favor and get a liquid test kit like the Api. Those strips are junk it's it's only going to make things harder to read.

Any kit you buy you'll have to wait for however long it says then that's the color. As it sits out it will keep getting different colors.

Thanks Andy .
This kit I have is API but it is strips instead of liquid .
There is still coral dying off and find it hard to believe but I guess I have established bacteria to start doing its job .
Why do you suggest putting shrimp back in ?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Thanks Andy .
This kit I have is API but it is strips instead of liquid .
There is still coral dying off and find it hard to believe but I guess I have established bacteria to start doing its job .
Why do you suggest putting shrimp back in ?

Just to raise it back up to be safe that it can bring it back down again. Mostly Just double checking. But it be.nice if you had a better.test kit to do it with. I would hate for you to add fish and what not and ammonia comes back.

 

[Rmckoy]

Just to raise it back up to be safe that it can bring it back down again. Mostly Just double checking. But it be.nice if you had a better.test kit to do it with. I would hate for you to add fish and what not and ammonia comes back.

The pictures I posted yesterday with the one coral on the rock that is blowing around my tank In the current from dying shouldn't that provide enough ammonia to raise the level if it was to spike again ?
I don't plan on adding fish for atleast another week , but if the cycle isn't almost finished I don't want to take the ammonia source away and have to start over .

 

[Andrew McFadden]

The pictures I posted yesterday with the one coral on the rock that is blowing around my tank In the current from dying shouldn't that provide enough ammonia to raise the level if it was to spike again ?
I don't plan on adding fish for atleast another week , but if the cycle isn't almost finished I don't want to take the ammonia source away and have to start over .

Yes but maybe not enough. I would remove it before it falsely apart and add more fresh shrimp. Another reason now that you said you wasn't adding more fish FOR ANOTHER WEEK. bacteria can only live so long without a source to feed on. So you'll want to continue adding till the day before you get fish anyways. It won't hurt anything only make it stronger. The day before you get fish you'll want to remove all ammonia sources and do a big water change. Don't clean anything because it could set it back.

 

[Rmckoy]

Yes but maybe not enough. I would remove it before it falsely apart and add more fresh shrimp. Another reason now that you said you wasn't adding more fish FOR ANOTHER WEEK. bacteria can only live so long without a source to feed on. So you'll want to continue adding till the day before you get fish anyways. It won't hurt anything only make it stronger. The day before you get fish you'll want to remove all ammonia sources and do a big water change. Don't clean anything because it could set it back.

I'm going to take the shrimp out in the morning again and see if the ammonia goes to 0 in less 24 hrs .
But I think I should empty the canister to rid the nitrate ?
Or do not touch anything yet ?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I'm going to take the shrimp out in the morning again and see if the ammonia goes to 0 in less 24 hrs .
But I think I should empty the canister to rid the nitrate ?
Or do not touch anything yet ?

Don't touch anything
The nitrate you can lower by doing water changes. But like I said your going to want an ammonia source in the tank all week till you get new fish. So your not in any hurry. I'd just leave the shrimp in there and take it out every few days to control the smell. You can start doing water changes just replace it don't clean. You want to make sure the bacteria builds up good and stays.

 

[Rmckoy]

Don't touch anything
The nitrate you can lower by doing water changes. But like I said your going to want an ammonia source in the tank all week till you get new fish. So your not in any hurry. I'd just leave the shrimp in there and take it out every few days to control the smell. You can start doing water changes just replace it don't clean. You want to make sure the bacteria builds up good and stays.

Instead of fish would a CUC be a smarter choice to start with ?
I was thinking of a few crabs , cleaner shrimp , maybe a few snails .

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Instead of fish would a CUC be a smarter choice to start with ?
I was thinking of a few crabs , cleaner shrimp , maybe a few snails .

What exactly are you planning on doing with stock, how many and what fish?

 

[Rmckoy]

What exactly are you planning on doing with stock, how many and what fish?

This is the funny part .
I have a 7 year old daughter that asked me to set up a fish tank . When it comes time to put fish I think she gets the ultimate decision . Lol
I know she likes nemo ( clowns ) I was thinking a tang of some kind ,
I like cleaner shrimp , hermit crabs .
Butterflies are nice but they need a bigger tank ?
I plan on a nice reef setup eventually .
As for corals or what fish to start off with I am open for suggestions .
What's first CUC or fish ?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

You could add the clean up crew along with the clowns. The other stuff I'd wait a little while on and do the corals last.