2 week cycle test results.. good or bad?

[darkdancer333]

My tank

 

 

 

 

 

[LEEWINK]

aha that could be it

[LEEWINK]

Hey, i just spotted the tank pics, looking close, doesn't that look sweet for its cycle

 

No algae, beautifully clear, looks like your close to being ready to go then

[LEEWINK]

Tell you one thing that may help a little too, on the cycle front, drop a little flake food in there day to day, give them little chaps something to work on and eat just watch it doesnt all end up in the rear compartment or skimmer, may have to shut the circulation pump off whilst you do it, the pump that runs the whole rear chamber yes, a little tip, hold the pinch of flake under the surface for a few seconds it'll sink then when you let it go

[darkdancer333]

Tell you one thing that may help a little too, on the cycle front, drop a little flake food in there day to day, give them little chaps something to work on and eat just watch it doesnt all end up in the rear compartment or skimmer, may have to shut the circulation pump off whilst you do it, the pump that runs the whole rear chamber yes, a little tip, hold the pinch of flake under the surface for a few seconds it'll sink then when you let it go

Hi I been using 3-4 pellets a day

I'm having a snail problem again I came home from work last night an 11 hours later they were fine. This morning I get up an they are dormant. One was turned on its side and some of his feelers were out. The other is completely in the shell. I assumme they were ok for about 16 hours an now this..

 

Could the diatoms be killing them??

 

Tell you one thing that may help a little too, on the cycle front, drop a little flake food in there day to day, give them little chaps something to work on and eat just watch it doesnt all end up in the rear compartment or skimmer, may have to shut the circulation pump off whilst you do it, the pump that runs the whole rear chamber yes, a little tip, hold the pinch of flake under the surface for a few seconds it'll sink then when you let it go

I give 3-4 pellets a day

Snail problem again, they were fine for about 12 hours an I get up this morning an they are dormant. One was completely in his shell an the other had feelers sticking out..

Could the diatoms be killing them. These guys were active for so long...

[LEEWINK]

Diatoms or blooms you generally get with high nitrates or phosphates, we know your nitrates are coming good. so if anything there may be a "few" so to speak in there, but I cant see them killing your snails, do you have any crabs or anything else in there apart from the snails ? mine get constantly pestered and fought against by my hermits.

 

Do you find also, that your pellets you put in, are the getting nibbled on, or are you just removing them after a time ?

 

A few pointers could be here on this thread ? http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2058106

[darkdancer333]

Diatoms or blooms you generally get with high nitrates or phosphates, we know your nitrates are coming good. so if anything there may be a "few" so to speak in there, but I cant see them killing your snails, do you have any crabs or anything else in there apart from the snails ? mine get constantly pestered and fought against by my hermits.

 

Do you find also, that your pellets you put in, are the getting nibbled on, or are you just removing them after a time ?

 

A few pointers could be here on this thread ? http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2058106

The hermits have been known to knock them over lol One snail is out an about, the other is still dormant some of his skin is out but when I touch with plastic tweezers he doesnt move inside his shell.

 

The pellets break up after in the water for a bit... The hermits go after them..

[darkdancer333]

The hermits have been known to knock them over lol One snail is out an about, the other is still dormant some of his skin is out but when I touch with plastic tweezers he doesnt move inside his shell.

 

The pellets break up after in the water for a bit... The hermits go after them..

good article its difficult to say what the problem is.. I just did salinity check an im at 1024 so thats ok

 

Diatoms or blooms you generally get with high nitrates or phosphates, we know your nitrates are coming good. so if anything there may be a "few" so to speak in there, but I cant see them killing your snails, do you have any crabs or anything else in there apart from the snails ? mine get constantly pestered and fought against by my hermits.

 

Do you find also, that your pellets you put in, are the getting nibbled on, or are you just removing them after a time ?

 

A few pointers could be here on this thread ? http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2058106

second snail came out its odd he didnt move when i touched him.. perhaps the lights need to be on for an hour or so.

[LEEWINK]

Funny little buggers aren't they

 

Yea, your salinity's fine, and yes its terrible to try pin point any problem TBH, your mixing with RO/DI water so it definitely isnt copper or risk of ... but yea, fire your lights up now, run them now as if you had a full stock, see if the snails react to that, I dont know if you have your lights on timers, but this is a great idea for just "switch on - switch off" types

[darkdancer333]

Funny little buggers aren't they

 

Yea, your salinity's fine, and yes its terrible to try pin point any problem TBH, your mixing with RO/DI water so it definitely isnt copper or risk of ... but yea, fire your lights up now, run them now as if you had a full stock, see if the snails react to that, I dont know if you have your lights on timers, but this is a great idea for just "switch on - switch off" types

lights not on timers but it seems they have arisen from the dead...

Still getting diatoms wonder when that will stop... everyday more on the glass an rock

Also I just saw snail fall over it's the current from power head

[LEEWINK]

LOL, good to hear it, I shouldn't worry, diatoms are part of the cycle and setup of any new tank, you'll be fine.

 

Snail gets blown over LOL

[darkdancer333]

LOL, good to hear it, I shouldn't worry, diatoms are part of the cycle and setup of any new tank, you'll be fine.

 

Snail gets blown over LOL

I tried adjusting the power heads angle but still seems strong. Funny how water level affects the flow

[LEEWINK]

Don't know if you can order "an add-on" flow type diffuser, like a "Y" ect ? shame the P/head isn't adjustable ... is it ? LOL

 

Or that or get a "T" and some tube, put it on the end of the outlet, blowing left and right, on top of that mount some tubing on the exits slightly bent to angle at the surface ? (most soft tube has a slight bend anyway) breaking and halving the flow each side effectively

[darkdancer333]

Its adjustable, I tried aiming directly at glass. I just have to find a happy medium. As you see in my pic the 2 snails are up top lol

they need to come off their perch and hit the sand. They are lazy also when knocked on their side they just sit there... I always turn them over lol

[LEEWINK]

mine just scoot everywhere too I had a snail the other day, creeping round the blue weir section, with a hermit hanging off it, little buggers

[darkdancer333]

mine just scoot everywhere too I had a snail the other day, creeping round the blue weir section, with a hermit hanging off it, little buggers

lol thats funny sometimes my hermit is cleaning their shell.. I hope these guys make it.. 24 hours an still alive

[darkdancer333]

I talked to guy at reef store last night. I saw what I thought were aereation bubbles in his tanks and he said that it's not bubbles but that it was particles from sand an rock. I never saw before because the power head wasn't blowing as hard because of the water levels..

[LEEWINK]

http://s740.photobucket.com/user/leewink/media/CIMG0868_zpsff4efe7b.jpg.html'>

 

Just done a nitrate test before I fed them, still looks between 1 and 2

[darkdancer333]

I just did 3 tests an they are all bad

19 days in not sure what to do ammonia is ok

nitrite is .02 and nitrate is 20

Snails dormant again the hermits seem ok although one always in a crevice in a rock

[GTi]

I just did 3 tests an they are all bad

19 days in not sure what to do ammonia is ok

nitrite is .02 and nitrate is 20

Snails dormant again the hermits seem ok although one always in a crevice in a rock

My tank took a month. Sounds like you are almost there. Once the ammonia and nitrite are zero, do a big water change to bring the nitrates down and you can start to gradually add livestock. You need to add gradually so the fish do not produce more ammonia than the bacteria can handle.

[darkdancer333]

kk I hope all ok I did 10% water change I havent added yet

I still have old water in bucket

Should I put old in

Nitrate was red

[GTi]

kk I hope all ok I did 10% water change I havent added yet

I still have old water in bucket

Should I put old in

Nitrate was red

Water change didn't hurt. Most bacteria is on the rock. I would just wait a bit longer. My nitrites were really high for 2 weeks and then overnight they dropped to zero.

[darkdancer333]

Water change didn't hurt. Most bacteria is on the rock. I would just wait a bit longer. My nitrites were really high for 2 weeks and then overnight they dropped to zero.

you mean nitrates?? Because this was red..

Now I know why my snails are dieing they too sensitive

[LEEWINK]

I cant see a nitrate of 20 would kill snails, did you aclimitise them well before introduction ?

 

Your NITRITE is perfect, and your NITRATE is on its way, like I say, a cycle isn't a 2 week definite, I still would not change ANY water yet, but thats your choice, again, there is no hard fast rules in reefing, no corners to be cut or it will all come back at you.

 

Like I say, I used very expensive live rock, extra cured, my little tank was over £160 of rock, or $220+ and then I put in Carib-sea live Oolite live sand (flour fine).

 

The opening results for mine were since january to now, 3 month of testing since new -

 

NITRITE has been zero all through

 

NITRATE - jan and feb were a trace, March was 1, and just earlier between 1 and 2 after adding 2 extra fish a week or so ago.

 

AMMONIA - has been under 0.25, basically a clear square on my test chart, the only one that could mean zero to this

 

Phosphate - all through has been under 0.03, having only added the rowaphos 3 weeks back changing from the scrubber.

 

Again, I seriously doubt snails would die in that level of nitrates.

[GTi]

you mean nitrates?? Because this was red..

Now I know why my snails are dieing they too sensitive

I meant nitrites. I thought ammonia and nitrites were supposed to be zero before adding any livestock as they are the most toxic to the animals.

 

Nitrates can be controlled by water changes, growing macro algae or by chemical means. Nitrate oxidizing bacteria live deep in the rock and I understand it is rare to get much conversion in most home reefs. If your nitrates are very high, yes, that could be the problem with the snails dying. Maybe drain a lot of water out and drip in some new saltwater? If you just do a huge water change, the change in parameters might be too late and cause more casualties; if you add the fresh water back in slowly, it will give them a chance to acclimate to the changes. This much caution may be unnecessary, just a suggestion.

 

Edit - I reread your post and saw the nitrites were 0.02. I misread it before and though it said 0.2. My kit doesn't have close to that level of resolution. I agree with Lee - don't worry about the nitrites! (I'm another Brit but living over here!).