Help needed with my cycle

[adept]

Hi all,

 

New to these forums and new to this hobby. This is my first reef tank and it is a 20gallon.

 

I'm wondering what's going on with my cycle and I'm hoping to receive some feedback. For the first three weeks, I was just ghost-feeding the tank with large amounts of flake food. When I went to the local LFS yesterday, he tested my water and didn't see any ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. He suggested that I buy a hardy fish (yellowtail damsel) and try that until I am ready to start with my actual livestock plan. Today I tested and I didn't see any ammonia or nitrite, but I did see a large amount of nitrate. I believe that I shouldn't have that, right?

 

 

Any suggestions on what I should do now?

 

P.S. so far the damsel is happy. I'm planning to write another thread soon with all the details of my tank and all the other questions I have.

 

 

[seabass]

Welcome to Nano-Reef.com.

 

Nitrate is a result of ammonia being converted to nitrite, and the nitrite to nitrate. However, most nano tanks don't support enough denitrifying bacteria to convert it all to nitrogen gas, so you normally have to export some of it (usually through water changes).

[Azedenkae]

Hi all,

 

New to these forums and new to this hobby. This is my first reef tank and it is a 20gallon.

 

I'm wondering what's going on with my cycle and I'm hoping to receive some feedback. For the first three weeks, I was just ghost-feeding the tank with large amounts of flake food. When I went to the local LFS yesterday, he tested my water and didn't see any ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. He suggested that I buy a hardy fish (yellowtail damsel) and try that until I am ready to start with my actual livestock plan. Today I tested and I didn't see any ammonia or nitrite, but I did see a large amount of nitrate. I believe that I shouldn't have that, right?

 

 

Any suggestions on what I should do now?

 

P.S. so far the damsel is happy. I'm planning to write another thread soon with all the details of my tank and all the other questions I have.

 

Hi there, looks like your tank is indeed cycled, if the damsel is in there happy and you've fed it and stuff.

 

As above, most nanos can't support denitrifying bacteria. Either water changes, as above, or you need something else. Algae for example, as a sequester of nitrates (and phosphates). And also as a method of export, when you trim them.

[cju84]

5 to even 20ppm of Nitrates are fine. Your corals/fish won't have any issues. Just keep up with your water changes.

[farkwar]

Your SG is a little high.

 

It doesn't need to be that high. May cause your other chemicals to go wonky.

[markalot]

Looks to me like the bio-spira worked, I'd say you're done but remember to add livestock slowly because for each additional fish the bacteria needs to build up to handle the new load. I like to use Seachem Prime for a few days whenever adding new fish to detox any ammonia that might build up.

[CJJon]

Hi there, looks like your tank is indeed cycled, if the damsel is in there happy and you've fed it and stuff.

 

As above, most nanos can't support denitrifying bacteria. Either water changes, as above, or you need something else. Algae for example, as a sequester of nitrates (and phosphates). And also as a method of export, when you trim them.

 

Most nano tanks can't support denitrifying bacteria? That is not true.

[markalot]

Most nano tanks can't support denitrifying bacteria? That is not true.

 

He means the final step, nitrates to nitrogen gas. With any moderate bioload I think this is a true statement. Hell, I'm having issues on a 150 gallon tank.

[seabass]

Most nano tanks can't support denitrifying bacteria? That is not true.

I actually stated that "most nano tanks don't support enough denitrifying bacteria to convert it [nitrate] all to nitrogen gas." Live rock often supports some, and depending on the grain size and depth of the substrate, the sand bed might support some more.

 

However, if you are talking about nitrifying bacteria (the bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrite, and nitrite into nitrate), then your right that any tank with a working bio-filter has enough nitrifying bacteria. And in this particular case (with ammonia and nitrite being undetectable), this tank has enough nitrifying bacteria for the current bio-load.

[CJJon]

I actually stated that "most nano tanks don't support enough denitrifying bacteria to convert it [nitrate] all to nitrogen gas." Live rock often supports some, and depending on the grain size and depth of the substrate, the sand bed might support some more.

 

However, if you are talking about nitrifying bacteria (the bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrite, and nitrite into nitrate), then your right that any tank with a working bio-filter has enough nitrifying bacteria. And in this particular case (with ammonia and nitrite being undetectable), this tank has enough nitrifying bacteria for the current bio-load.

Ah, got it. I'm a bit slow today!

[adept]

Thanks for the help everyone. I understand it a little more now.

 

So the Nitrate will always climb until I do a water change, even with a well-established tank? I have a cheat-sheet on levels from my LFS that states nitrate should always be less than 0.3ppm. In my case, I went +10ppm in one day with one fish. Should I always expect it to climb, just not as quickly?

 

My ultimate goal is to have about 3-4 fish and 1-2 shrimp. What kind of nitrate climbs should I see there before I do a water change? I was planning on 10% weekly water changes.

[seabass]

So the Nitrate will always climb until I do a water change, even with a well-established tank?

It's pretty common for it to climb unless there is some other export mechanism (like a refugium). A protein skimmer can export organics prior to breaking down into nitrate (so they can help).

 

I have a cheat-sheet on levels from my LFS that states nitrate should always be less than 0.3ppm. In my case, I went +10ppm in one day with one fish. Should I always expect it to climb, just not as quickly?

0.3 ppm is unrealistic. 10 ppm or less should be fine. The jump might have been more a test anomaly than an actual increase of 10 ppm.

 

My ultimate goal is to have about 3-4 fish and 1-2 shrimp. What kind of nitrate climbs should I see there before I do a water change? I was planning on 10% weekly water changes.

You can start with 10% a week, but I'm guessing it might take at least 15% weekly. You can adjust your maintenance as needed.

[Azedenkae]

So the Nitrate will always climb until I do a water change, even with a well-established tank? I have a cheat-sheet on levels from my LFS that states nitrate should always be less than 0.3ppm. In my case, I went +10ppm in one day with one fish. Should I always expect it to climb, just not as quickly?

 

How much are you feeding. If you feed quite a lot, levels can climb very quickly, irrespective of the fish.

 

Also besides what seabass suggested, you can get a product that can and do support plenty of denitrifying bacteria. Like Marine Pure.

[adept]

It's pretty common for it to climb unless there is some other export mechanism (like a refugium). A protein skimmer can export organics prior to breaking down into nitrate (so they can help).

 

0.3 ppm is unrealistic. 10 ppm or less should be fine. The jump might have been more a test anomaly than an actual increase of 10 ppm.

 

You can start with 10% a week, but I'm guessing it might take at least 15% weekly. You can adjust your maintenance as needed.

 

Seabass, I have a refugium now with some Chaeto but I have yet to find a light for it. Could the Chaeto be dying and contributing to my Nitrate climbing? BTW, yesterday I measured 20ppm.

[seabass]

If the algae is dying, it will release it's nutrients (phosphate included, which is arguably much more important than nitrate). I'd just pull the algae out until you get a light. You might have to get some new Chaeto when you are ready.