Reef Mature Starter Kit

[alexandre]

Hi everyone! 

 

I set up a 20g Red Sea Max Nano a 1month and 18 days ago using Reef Mature Starter Kit from Red Sea. 

The tank have about 8kg CaribSea Life Rock, 9kg CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Sand and the Red Sea Carbon Reef Spec. I removed as well the big black sponge who come with the tank. 

My problem is the tank is not cycle in 7 weeks. I didn't know when I bought the starter kit that it is mainly aim for system with live rocks. But what I later reed is, it will work just will need a bit more time. 

I did follow the instructions of the kit. Just the last week I stopped Nopox because I started to get a bacterial bloom. 

So here are the results of the water tests of the last few weeks. Using Salifert test kits.

 

02/06-  NH4=0.15  NH2=2   NO3=100

08/06-  NH4=0.25  NH2=0.25  NO3=50

13/06-  NH4=0.25  NH2=0.25  NO3=50

19/06-  NH4=0.25   NH2=0   NO3=25

25/06-  NH4=0.5   NH2=0   NO3=25

03/07-  NH4=0.25  NH2=0   NO3=50

 

So my questions are:

Are those results normal? 

Should I dose again Bacto-Start and Nitro Bac? And if so, shall I remove the carbon? 

Shall I put a raw shrimp to start a "new" cycle? 

Or shall I just wait longer and let it be? 

 

Thanks for your help. 

[specore]

Just wait it out.  The only reason you would put a raw shrimp in is for an ammonia source, however you already have ammonia.  

[Oldsalt01]

Yep. Ya gotta wait it out. It's trying to cycle but you may still be having some die-off from the LR. Definitely no to the No-Pox. Give it some time. It'll get there. Nothing good happens fast in reefing.

[alexandre]

Thanks, for the replies. 

But I got a little confused. I keeped fresh water aquariums for 30 years, discus (breeding) too hight tech planted aquariums and what ever. And I had 20 years ago a 360l reef as well. But at the time was just, get good quality live rock, the biggest skimmer you can get and for the light I had 250kw MH 10000k and some actinic tubes. So I am not new to the hobby. Just wondering and questioning myself since lot change very fast. I mean like not using live rock... 

[specore]

Just now, alexandre said:

Thanks, for the replies. 

But I got a little confused. I keeped fresh water aquariums for 30 years, discus (breeding) too hight tech planted aquariums and what ever. And I had 20 years ago a 360l reef as well. But at the time was just, get good quality live rock, the biggest skimmer you can get and for the light I had 250kw MH 10000k and some actinic tubes. So I am not new to the hobby. Just wondering and questioning myself since lot change very fast. I mean like not using live rock... 

It's not really changes much.  The tried and true techniques still work just as well today as they did 20 years ago.  

[alexandre]

5 hours ago, specore said:

It's not really changes much.  The tried and true techniques still work just as well today as they did 20 years ago.  

Yes but, with live rocks was no brainer 🙂

[alexandre]

But Should I dose again Bacto-Start and Nitro Bac?

[Oldsalt01]

 

1 hour ago, alexandre said:

But Should I dose again Bacto-Start and Nitro Bac?

You can, but it may not speed anything up. My best advice, and it's only MHO, is: open a bottle of wine, sit back, and relax. The tank will cycle in it's own time, in it's own way. Trying to rush the process can only end in tears. You have the chemistry basics happening, so let it play itself out.

[alexandre]

5 hours ago, Oldsalt01 said:

 

You can, but it may not speed anything up. My best advice, and it's only MHO, is: open a bottle of wine, sit back, and relax. The tank will cycle in it's own time, in it's own way. Trying to rush the process can only end in tears. You have the chemistry basics happening, so let it play itself out.

Thanks for the reply.

I am not trying to rush anything, I am OK with waiting. Was just wondering if it is normal. Or if I made a mistake some where using this maturing kit without live rock and not go for an other option. 

And really I still didn't find a good place where I can get corals or any other live stock around. So I am defenly not in a rush. 

And I don't really drink wine lol. Just beers and schnaps 😉