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First Water Cycle-Help


Zorro237

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Hey Reefer!

 

I had a couple questions about the cycle process that I hope you guys could help me out with. I started my first tank (16g) about a week ago. I am using dry rock, live sand, BIO-Spira Start-up Bacteria, and a raw, 2 inch shrimp to get my cycle going. I am only 7 days into the cycle and I have some weird readings that make it look like I am already in the later stages. Take a look:

 

Day 2:

Ammonia 0.4

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 9

 

 

 

Day 7::

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 1

Nitrate 35-45

 

(Using Red Sea Test Kit)

 

 

My Nitrite and Nitrates are really high and my ammonia is really low even with a big chunk of shrimp still visible (and smell able) in the tank. At this point, should i remove the shrimp? Should i dose my ammonia back up? How far along am I in the process?

If i were to guess, I would say I am in the later stages of the cycling process and yet, I am only on day 7. Any insight at all is greatly appreciated.

 

-Chris

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Looks like the biospira gave you a good jump on the cycle. I'd recommend pulling the rest of the shrimp and waiting till nitrites are down, then do a standard 10-20% waterchange. Start by adding a few CUC critters and feed them if there is no algae visible. The little guys are really good indicators of param issues.

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Looks like the biospira gave you a good jump on the cycle. I'd recommend pulling the rest of the shrimp and waiting till nitrites are down, then do a standard 10-20% waterchange. Start by adding a few CUC critters and feed them if there is no algae visible. The little guys are really good indicators of param issues.

 

Yeah do this.

 

If you have nitrates the cycle is working - as apparently you have added the bacteria that's needed by using a starter solution. Now your goal is to get ammonia and nitrite to 0 - since that's keeping you from stocking your tank. So take out the shrimp - that can foul your water if you're not careful. Depending on what kind of dry rock you used it's also possible that there is some dead stuff stuck in there that still needs to decompose. So I would continue to keep an eye on things for a little while longer and make sure that your ammonia and nitrite go down to zero - also your nitrates are still pretty high so the tank is lacking in nitrifying bacteria - don't add livestock until that number is much lower.

 

Also, don't start off with a fish, start off with small inverts like your snails and crabs. After a week or 2 (and confirmed 0 ammonia and nitrite still) then add fish. The idea is to ramp up the bio-load (bio-load is the environmental impact of adding livestock - more food, more poop, more crap that the biofilter has to break down) in such a manner that you never exceed the capacity of the biological filter.

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Well, seems like you are definitely nearing the end of the cycle. :) And like others said, take out the shrimp.

 

Although my explanation is not so much that it will foul the water (which is a good thing atm, as that's good for the bacteria), but because well, it takes forever to decompose (and at varying rates).

 

This is why I generally suggest to puree whatever you put in, so it is distributed all over.

 

Can even take the shrimp out, then add another one in (albeit finely chopped or pureed or whatever, and maybe less than a full shrimp, just about 1/4th of a full shrimp should be fine). That is to continue to provide nutrition to your bacteria.

 

From here on out you have two possibilities. If your biological filtration system has the capacity to grow anaerobic nitrate-reducing bacteria, then you'll see nitrates reducing. Otherwise, you have to consider other methods of nitrate-removal (and your cycle is effectively done).

 

If you want to test it, do a big water change, and then ghost feed the tank. If waste levels go up (as they should) and then (relatively) quickly go down, then you're all set and your cycle is done!

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Yeah do this.

 

If you have nitrates the cycle is working - as apparently you have added the bacteria that's needed by using a starter solution. Now your goal is to get ammonia and nitrite to 0 - since that's keeping you from stocking your tank. So take out the shrimp - that can foul your water if you're not careful. Depending on what kind of dry rock you used it's also possible that there is some dead stuff stuck in there that still needs to decompose. So I would continue to keep an eye on things for a little while longer and make sure that your ammonia and nitrite go down to zero - also your nitrates are still pretty high so the tank is lacking in nitrifying bacteria - don't add livestock until that number is much lower.

 

Also, don't start off with a fish, start off with small inverts like your snails and crabs. After a week or 2 (and confirmed 0 ammonia and nitrite still) then add fish. The idea is to ramp up the bio-load (bio-load is the environmental impact of adding livestock - more food, more poop, more crap that the biofilter has to break down) in such a manner that you never exceed the capacity of the biological filter.

 

 

Thanks guys, this was my conclusion but I wanted to get other opinions. I do not have any viable algae in the tank so i would be worried about adding a CUC with no food source. I will take the shrimp out today and monitor my (hopefully) decreasing nitrites. Once Ammonia and Nitrites read zero, 25% water change and possibly add a CUC. What is good food for a CUC if i do not have algae? Throw in chucks of small shrimp?

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Typical clean up crew stuff... Don't worry about not having algae at the moment, most inverts like that are detrivores - meaning they eat pretty much whatever. They eat dead/dying stuff, they eat algae, or other plant matter, and various small crustaceans and planktons and such. And once you start to add fish they'll feast on what comes out of them.... Haha! I mean I wouldn't go adding hundreds of snails or anything, but add some and maybe some hermits if that's the route you want to go... You can always add more later. You can feed them too if you want...

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