Is My Cycle Complete

[REEFreefLJS85]

So the past 3 or 4 weeks I been have having high nitrites and high nitrates while cycle. Nitrite  was over 5.0 and Nitrate was over 160. It wouldn't go down. I would do small water changes every week and nothing will change, I had high nitrites because in the beginning I had really high ammonia.  I was dosing as well but the good thing after 24 hours my ammonia would be gone, So I didn't have problems with the ammonia 

 

So this past Tuesday I did a big water change. A 90% water change. My nitrites was at .25 and my nitrate 5.0. I did testing all this week and the numbers where the same. So tonight I did testing and now everything is 0.  Does this mean I am done cycling. 

 

Note: I have been cycling almost 8 weeks now. 

[Cavscout263]

In my opinion it definitely sounds like it.  I would do a good cleaning of glass, blow detritus off the rock, clean out filters and do another big water change and add your durable clean up crew. Wait another week to see what happens and test. Then if all good then stock er up slowly. 

 

Did I'd you have an algae bloom or anything like that? 

[REEFreefLJS85]

13 minutes ago, Cavscout263 said:

In my opinion it definitely sounds like it.  I would do a good cleaning of glass, blow detritus off the rock, clean out filters and do another big water change and add your durable clean up crew. Wait another week to see what happens and test. Then if all good then stock er up slowly. 

 

Did I'd you have an algae bloom or anything like that? 

No I didn't have a algae bloom. I didnt have a algae bloom on my other tank either when I cycle that couple of years ago. I cycled with dry sand and dry rock maybe thats why I didnt get a bloom. 

 

So about the CUC would they starve if I dont have any time of algae?  But I do have detristus because I put bottle bacteria when I started. Its on my rock. If I move it the power head blows it off, 

[Cavscout263]

I don't think so necessarily you could get some detritus eating CUC!

fighting conk snails (till,  aerate and eat detritus) highly efficient so might need to supplement food

hermits to crawl over the rock and sand and eat detritus. 

Pistol shrimp( pair up with gobie!) to sift sand and eat algae but also eats frozen foods etc. 

then gobie later to sift sand and pair up with the pistol shrimp. 

Then whatever hardy fish 

 

also make sure you ghost feed (not a lot) so your bacteria can eat until you get livestock that produces waste for bacteria to eat. 

 

 

[REEFreefLJS85]

8 minutes ago, Cavscout263 said:

I don't think so necessarily you could get some detritus eating CUC!

fighting conk snails (till,  aerate and eat detritus) highly efficient so might need to supplement food

hermits to crawl over the rock and sand and eat detritus. 

Pistol shrimp( pair up with gobie!) to sift sand and eat algae but also eats frozen foods etc. 

then gobie later to sift sand and pair up with the pistol shrimp. 

Then whatever hardy fish 

 

also make sure you ghost feed (not a lot) so your bacteria can eat until you get livestock that produces waste for bacteria to eat. 

 

 

Yea I was thinking about putting some frozen shrimp or food in there . I am planning on adding two clown fish when I know everything is done. I feel like a little kid waiting on Christmas :0... I have a 10 gallons Innovative Fusion,do you think a CUC package is to much for that tank or should I just get a couple of hermits and snails 

 

[Cavscout263]

Definitely ghost feed the tank and let it sit for the week and see if it spikes anything in the nitrogen cycle. 

 

I would say say a package might be too much for that size unless you have a definite algae problem.  Just piece together a 2 fighting conks, 2 hermits a pistol shrimp.  That will do the job for now. 

 Wait a few weeks after that , check parameters regularly to make sure it’s stable and add your two clowns from the same tank from LFS. Make sure one is smaller and put them in at the same time. 

[Thrassian Atoll]

Have your lights been off the whole time?  I would think you should be seeing some diatoms at least by now.

[REEFreefLJS85]

11 hours ago, TILTON said:

Have your lights been off the whole time?  I would think you should be seeing some diatoms at least by now.

No my lights wasnt on the whole time. I added lights around week 5. I rocks are turning a slight brown.  Like I said before in my last tank that I cycle a couple of years ago I didnt  see it either, I seen it like 2 months after I started stocking it. 

[Lula_Mae]

31 minutes ago, REEFreefLJS85 said:

No my lights wasnt on the whole time. I added lights around week 5. I rocks are turning a slight brown.  Like I said before in my last tank that I cycle a couple of years ago I didnt  see it either, I seen it like 2 months after I started eating it. 

That's probably your diatom bloom starting.  I'd look at adding a handful of snails (nassarius which are sand stirrers, trochus, astrea, cerith are algae eaters to consider).  I think two fighting conchs might be way too much for a 10 gallon, especially a new one.  If you do hermits (I generally don't because they tend to be punks), try to find scarlets as they're supposed to be pretty docile.

[REEFreefLJS85]

2 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

That's probably your diatom bloom starting.  I'd look at adding a handful of snails (nassarius which are sand stirrers, trochus, astrea, cerith are algae eaters to consider).  I think two fighting conchs might be way too much for a 10 gallon, especially a new one.  If you do hermits (I generally don't because they tend to be punks), try to find scarlets as they're supposed to be pretty docile.

 Would you recommend flakes, pellets or frozen food to feed the tank?

[Lula_Mae]

2 hours ago, REEFreefLJS85 said:

 Would you recommend flakes, pellets or frozen food to feed the tank?

Do you mean feeding the CUC? Maybe try just a little bit of pellets so you can easily clean out uneaten bits... I'm honestly not sure, hopefully someone else can chime in. I usually have the opposite problem, of not enough CUC lol. I'm pretty conservative about adding stuff early on usually.