Cycling question

[jeffmr4]

I recently set up a biocube 14 with about 14 lbs. of live rock, aragonite live sand, some invertebrates and two fish. Unfortunately, the fish died of a disease. I also used some Tetra bacteria starter and later one from api. The tetra must not have worked or I added it too early (I added it before adding the fish and invertebrates) because I had a short ammonia increase, a little nitrite and the next day, after doing a 50% water change, was back to 0 with nitrates increasing.

My question is is it ok to do weekly water changes, use filter floss and chemi-pure blue now that the tank has 'cycled' or should I wait until the tank matures for a month? Also, if I should wait, what should I wait for (water changes, filter floss, chemi-pure)?

[vegasgundog]

If the fish died from a disease, you want to stay fishless for at least sixweeks, even 90 days.

[Clown79]

Did your tank finish cycling before adding the fish?

 

How long has the tank run for?

 

What signs of disease did the fish have?

 

It sounds like you set up the tank and added fish and inverts right away. If so, thats probably what killed the fish.

 

Your tank needs to properly cycle before adding livestock. That can take anywhere from 2 -6 weeks.

 

Your ammonia needs to increase- then drop to 0

Then nitrites increase and drop to 0

The nitrates build- this is when you do a 20-50% water change. Continue testing for a week. If there is no ammonia or nitrites present- you can add inverts, start feeding, and start weekly water changes.

 

If all stays stable you can add a fish after this.

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/cycling-a-saltwater-aquarium/

 

This is a very informative article

[brandon429]

that link is invalid for this thread. We cannot make up a 2-6 weeks time frame for rocks that are already cycled.

 

 

If your link was relevant to already cycled rock, then any time I changed the water 100% in my tank a new cycle would come about for 2-6 weeks. Your link is valid only for one type of rocks, not live from the start.

 

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-tank-cycling-tank-bacteria-and-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

 

how does this link compare the key terms stated in the first post? specifics are provided

[Clown79]

Brandon i'm not here to debate or argue.

 

I think the issue with rocks is moot. I think ppl over think cycling and rock use.

 

 

I was answering a simple cycling question and there are methods outlined in the article to cycle an aquarium. Thats all.

 

The person can read the article or continue gettibg confused.

 

I offered my experience and advice as others have but now I am leaving this thread because it seems to be more about being right than helping the op

[jeffmr4]

Thanks for the advice vegasgundog. I am aware of that. Thank you too clown. I guess the 'cycling' period is just the time it takes to establish bacteria. I wondered if I should use things like activated carbon and floss during the maturation period. Usually during the first month, the rock has die off, things grow, pods come and other things grow. I just wondered if I should use those media during this period and if I should do water changes during this period. Would doing those things prevent or slow down the maturation process. There was one place that I read you weren't supposed to do water changes until the first month in a reef tank. That way things are established and you have the beginning of a thriving ecosystem. The system needs waste and food to grow those things and I wondered if I should wait a month or use media and do water changes immediately after the cycle. My tank has cycled.

 

I did add things a little early. But I thought that the bacteria were already present because I had live rock, live sand and bacteria starter. Adding all the things I did at once may have caused a small spike but it was gone the next day. The clown fish seemed fine when I bought them. Some of the parameters were a little bit different than the fish stores'. My salinity was 1.025 whereas the stores was lower, my alkalinity was pretty high. Also, unknowingly, I used some ro water from the grocery store for top off. I found later that it had some ammonia in it. I was still surprised that within four days, the fish were dead. They seemed fine at first. Then in the last day over the course of the day they died. So I guess according to your article, the tank is cycled. It is not mature. But I still wondered if I should do the things I asked about while its maturing.

[Clown79]

cycling and mature is 2 different things.

 

Most consider a mature tank older than 1 yr.

 

Cycling is in regards to the nitrogen cycle.

 

Once a tank has completed its cycle, water changes are part of the maintenance.

 

Pico tanks often undergo more water changes than standard tanks because of the small water volume. How many and size of water changes differs from each system. Each systems needs are different.

 

In my situation, I have 2 nano's of different sizes. I do 1 water change/week of 15% because my bioload is low and have no issues but someone else who has the same size tank with a large bioload may need more frequent or larger water changes.

 

As for media, using floss and carbon is fine. The carbon will help with water clarity, removing toxins etc. The floss will trap debris. I would change out floss regularly 1-2 times a week. Maybe more with a pico. You will get to know quickly how full the floss gets and how often replacing it is needed.

 

 

In the future you may want to run other media but things like phosguard, I'd use as needed.

[Clown79]

The grocery store water may have had ammonia present for a slew of reasons.

 

Many advise against the grocery dispensers because the maintenance is poor on them.

 

A better option if Ro/di is unavailable or hard to get in your area is distilled water.

 

Ok so from what I'm gathering is your tank was cycling and possibly had a spike from adding too much livestock at once and or the ammonia in the water purchased.

 

How is the ammonia level now? All gone?

 

I always suggest after your ammonia and nitrites are at 0- do a water change.

 

the articles that say wait a mnth for water change are generalizing. The common belief is a cycle will be done in 4 weeks but each system is different. All 4 of my tanks have cycled at different paces.

 

Continue testing for a week after the water change. If all is well and numbers are still at 0, add a hermit and snail. Feed the tank with a little food so they have stuff to live on.

 

If you have no ammonia spikes after adding the cuc- a fish can be added.

 

I hope this helped a bit.

[HVani]

When I set up a new tank (mind you I tend to use a lot of dry rock) I tend to go sloooowwww. I add some live rock then wait, then add a couple inverts, then wait a week or so, couple more CUC, then wait another week. Then add a small fish and go from there. I have started with all live rock but even this way still takes a little time. I wouldn't add everything right at once. My rule is one thing at a time with the exception of a small pair of fish.

 

My very first reef was a 14 biocube

[brandon429]

Always be open to alternate offers and proofs clown79, I am. It's ok if you recommend any cycling option it's nbd to add to options I never thought some cycle debating was too harsh. Hobby needs competing views

 

 

The only way you and I differ is when to use ammonia and when not to, it's not personal it's an oxidative state of nitrogen thing lol

[Clown79]

I have no issue with competing views my main concern is a newbies understanding and making it as simple as possible for them.

 

I believe in offering info, support, and experiences. Its up to the op to do more thorough research and decide which method is best for them.

 

Simplicity imo works the best in this hobby. The more complicated the system and the info provided- the more daunting it becomes.

 

 

Every newbie who has been given too much info or the more complex info- generally gets overwhelmed and drops out.

[brandon429]

My take was the same cycling information has been circulated online for twenty years and people still add ammonia to live rock and accept all .25 readings as stalled cycles or extended die offs. Something's not working, the old info leaves people doing self defeating actions it seems. however we fix that up should be easy to grasp agreed.

Any cycling response needs to include test kit details, distinction between rock groups, when to use ammonia and when not, and how to define cycle completion in the very least it seems. I truly think to exclude these details is misleading and when I read links from around the web 2/3 of that is missing, we see new tank cyclers aren't able to have that material answer all their cycling questions in one easy read in my opinion.