Nitrates Crazy High after cycle!

[Daniel91]

Hello hello,

 

It's now 21 days since I started my cycle and it looks to be complete. Ammonia has zeroed out along with Nitrites and now we're looking at around 80 ppm in Nitrates.

 

What are recommendations with the water change(s)? One large, multiple "smaller"?

IM Fusion N10 - 

 

 

I will be introducing my a light to the aquarium as well now. Any good routines? I do not want to overdo it, if I do not have to.

 

I'll be browsing for a small CUC as well (only a few soldiers, cannot be much to eat at this point)

 

Thanks!

[1891Bro]

Get a fresh start, change all of it if you can. 

[Nano Nano Boo Boo]

I would do a 20% water change and introduce the lights. Do another 20% change next week. 

[Aurortpa]

If you do a smaller water change, for example 25%, that will effectively only remove 20 ppm so you’ll be at 60 ppm. If you wait a week to do another water change, it may have already risen to back up an additional 20 ppm or possibly more.  

 

On the other hand a big water change, like a 75% change will bring you down to the 20 ppm.

 

You can add chemical filtration, skimmer, vacuum your sandbed/chambers, increase flow, get a balanced number of CUC, and/or add macros to help export potential nitrates.

[Aurortpa]

Oops this othter post was wrong thread 

[Daniel91]

Good notes people. Aurortpa, your last one? Haha.

[Clown79]

You want your nitrates below 20ppm. Preferably no higher than 10ppm

 

I'd do 50-80%.

 

This will not harm anything regarding the cycle. The rock is your biological filter, not your water.

 

It will reduce your nitrates.

 

50% waterchange drops the nitrates by 50%

[seabass]

3 hours ago, 1891Bro said:

Get a fresh start, change all of it if you can. 

This^

 

You'll end up leaving nearly 10% in the sand.  That would take the level down from 80 to 8 (which is arguably still not low).  This will also export out most of the dissolved organics and phosphate in the water.

[Daniel91]

Hi All,

 

80% water change done - still looking like 20ppm Nitrates left.

 

Any suggestions? 3 gallon water change?

 

 

 

[seabass]

For the sake of argument, let's say it's closer to 40 ppm.  Then if you change another 80%, the level should drop to 8 (which is acceptable).

[Daniel91]

@sea bass - another 80% following the 80% I just did?

[seabass]

That's what I'd do.

[BrentSA]

On Fri Jul 20 2018 at 2:58 AM, Daniel91 said:

@sea bass - another 80% following the 80% I just did?

Best advise you could be given ! It's the best solution there is but I would also like to add , don't add anything to your tank just yet , 21 days is very quick for a cycle, even if you bought live rocks and cycled water . Bacteria still needs to grow in your filtration media and sand bed if you have one. There is one saying you really need to take to heart when busy with a reef tank and that is , patience is a virtue ! Let it cycle for at least 3 months to be safe and then slowly start adding two fish at a time or two frags at a time to allow more bacteria to grow to manage a bio-load . 

[Clown79]

31 minutes ago, BrentSA said:

Best advise you could be given ! It's the best solution there is but I would also like to add , don't add anything to your tank just yet , 21 days is very quick for a cycle, even if you bought live rocks and cycled water . Bacteria still needs to grow in your filtration media and sand bed if you have one. There is one saying you really need to take to heart when busy with a reef tank and that is , patience is a virtue ! Let it cycle for at least 3 months to be safe and then slowly start adding two fish at a time or two frags at a time to allow more bacteria to grow to manage a bio-load . 

Wait 3 months? 

 

Most people don't wait 3 mnths and it's really not necessary to do that.

 

Going slow and being patient is being responsible and starting off on the right path- cycle the tank properly, don't stock your tank full in a month, choose livestock wisely etc etc. 

 

 

Starting out with a cuc and then a fish is pretty realistic. Or vice versa.

 

How many of us have actually sat watching a tank with rocks for 3 months?

 

I'll be the first to say after 7 reef tanks I have never waited 3 mnths.

[seabass]

@Clown79, while I agree with you, there is still something to be said about letting the fauna colonize and spread before you add predators (fish, coral, and even some cleanup crew members).  Most of us are too impatient for three months; but some waiting is essentially a good thing.  Maybe even dose a little phyto for the pods and filter feeders.  Herbivorous snails should be fine to add up front.

[banasophia]

Oh my... I would have moved on to a different hobby if I had waited three months. 😳 I’d probably be knitting sweaters by now haha. I agree with slow and steady after you are cycled, but not a standstill. Start with cleanup crew of snails. I recommend checking out Reef Cleaners. 

[1891Bro]

On 7/16/2018 at 7:25 PM, 1891Bro said:

Get a fresh start, change all of it if you can. 

Oh my! Looks like I had given some decent advice. 

[lpsouth1978]

I agree, while 3 months may be ideal, it is pretty unrealistic. Add things slowly, let your bacterial load catch up, add more. I added a couple of clowns after my cycle and then waited 2 weeks before adding anything else. Keep up on water changes and regular testing and things will go well. I also added a ball of chaeto to my fuge to help combat the nitrates. With a quality light for the chaeto, my nitrates remain undetectable from one water change to the next.

[BrentSA]

Lol am I abnormal.... for me, i always wait 2 too 3 months . 🙈 im actually in the middle stages of a new set up and just added 4 zoa frags 4 days ago after my 3 month cycle lol , been watching one Molly and a few rocks for 2 months , which feels like it been for years now.  It can be painful to look at sometimes , with out adding anything , I admit. 

My reasoning being is that in the past, I have done tanks and put fish in after a month of cycling but I would end up with nitrate levels creaping up and having to monitor my water parameters like a hawk .  I know a water change can quickly deal with things taking swings for the worst but I'd rather try my best to avoid any problems all together and the less work you have to do the more enjoyable the tank ,  plus the better your water , the quicker you coral will settle in and show off for you .

[Clown79]

17 hours ago, seabass said:

@Clown79, while I agree with you, there is still something to be said about letting the fauna colonize and spread before you add predators (fish, coral, and even some cleanup crew members).  Most of us are too impatient for three months; but some waiting is essentially a good thing.  Maybe even dose a little phyto for the pods and filter feeders.  Herbivorous snails should be fine to add up front.

Oh ya, it's great to let the fauna colonize but the vast majority would lose interest, not maintain the tank, and move on to another hobby if we waited 3 mnths.

 

[KW NANOREEF]

I have a no fish cycling tank going right now. Let alone its only been 3 days, but the only high level right now is my ammonia at .25ppm. I have read in other forums and articles that the best thing to do is a cycle with a fish in the tank. Any thoughts?

[Clown79]

6 hours ago, KW NANOREEF said:

I have a no fish cycling tank going right now. Let alone its only been 3 days, but the only high level right now is my ammonia at .25ppm. I have read in other forums and articles that the best thing to do is a cycle with a fish in the tank. Any thoughts?

Cycling a tank with fish is cruel to the fish and not something most of us would recommend.

 

The length of cycle time will depend on if you are Using liverock vs dry Rock and either will determine how to cycle the tank. 

[banasophia]

Ammonia is toxic to fish, so I think most people don’t recommend cycling with a fish these days... there are lots of things you can do to speed up your cycle using something like Biospira, Nutri-Seawater, live sand, live rock. (I did all of those so my cycle only took about a week.) 

[BrentSA]

3 hours ago, KW NANOREEF said:

 I have read in other forums and articles that the best thing to do is a cycle with a fish in the tank. Any thoughts?

No bud,  don't do that , like banasophia said , there are lots of ways of getting bacteria into your tank. You can purchase live bacteria liquid from a pet store aswel or if you not looking to spend loads of money on live sand , rock or liquids . You can just throw some fish food into the tank , make a mini fish food slushy and dump it in or if you have shrimps or prawns one night,  cut a small piece off and chuck it into the tank .