Almost done cycle, can I put on my skimmer now?

[wintercool97]

All right! I have had 0 Ammonia, .25 Nitrites, 10 Nitrates, and pH 8.2 now. The Nitrites are between the 0 and .25, do I do a water change yet? Or add the skimmer yet? Or just wait another week or 2 or 3 The algae in there is starting to get bad..... I want to get a crew in soon. Do I have to wait until I have 0 Nitrites first?

I am not anxious at all can you tell??

I have been searching for the skimmer Q, but must not have found the right post yet.

 

Thanks!

[Korbin]

If you add a cleanup crew, you run the risk of them getting hurt by the 'trites and 'trates.

 

I'd wait just a little while longer. The bacteria are doing their job and converting 'trites, so its definitely still cycling, and you're almost in the clear. When the nitrites are all cycled out and the algae have used up a bunch of the nitrates, then you will know you have a good bacterial culture and cycled tank.

[ebin]

how big of a tank? how much lr and ls? how long have you been cycling? with levels that low and if you dident start cycling like yesterday (yes people think a day is a sufficent cycle period) i would throw some hermits in there just to keep the tank from getting too out of controll maby a turbo but they dont like alot of nitrates witch is probly what is left to spike high in your cycle. its your call personally i would go with the hermits and keep on waiting (they are like cockroaches they can survive anything)

and please always read up good on fish and livestock in books or with a thread search here before getting stuff in your tank. dont be afraid to ask the dumb question!!! it saves time and pulling dead ###### from your tank

good luck to you

[SeaSide]

wintercool97, I remember that you recently purchased your LR. So, I think you should wait a little more. Wait till your nitrite goes down to zero + 1 week to be safe. Then do a WC, add some clean up crew. BTW, how's it look now?

[wintercool97]

Oh it looks great if I could see though the alge No really it not all that bad, I just have been reading some algae horror stories and don't want to be one! Yep it has only been 2 weeks so anther week or two can't kill me:P I have TONS of pods and there must be some kind of worm in the sand. I keep seeing his trail in the sand bed by the glass. I have a couple of 1 or 1 1/2 cm dusters, and saw a tiny snail last week but no sign of him since. My algae is a little hairy but kind of a rusty brown color. Not the green or red I have seen in my searches. I am hoping my future crew will like it! I think I would like some Mexican hermits. Just where to order... I was planning on getting my crew from Dr. Mac he said he would help me with a "custom" crew. It is such a great hobby! Even my hubby (who at first was not as thrilled as me) has taken to it, he told me just the other day "I don't care how much it costs for your tank, do what you like, I think its cool" :woot: I don't think he know what he is saying!! And I am not about to tell him