Beginners talk cycling etc...

[Noobreefer90]

So my tank has be up and running for over a week 14g biotope have had live rock and live sand added a bottle of bio spira.  I’ve had a fish in the tank for about 4-5 days she the fish seems happy it’s a yellow tail damsel. I know it’s a bad idea to add fish

yeaterday  did my water tests and there is some ammonia and the nitrates are off the chart but no nitrite all I have in my filter atm is just polyfill and I have a water pump to circulate water gonna get wave maker soon 

 

I did a 15-20% wc last night but no change 

what should I do.    Not running a slimmer or anything the temp is around 83

[specore]

I would do a complete water change, or series of 50% changes.  Those levels of nitrate are toxic, as is the .25-.5 ammonia.   Nitrates need to be under 40ppm to be safe.  

[seabass]

At least the level of nitrates shows you have a decent amount of nitrifying bacteria.  I agree, do a HUGE water change to help bring down the levels of nitrate.  I might pick up a bottle of Prime to help detoxify the ammonia until your biofilter can catch up.

[Noobreefer90]

Will adding coral help with any of this or so I just have to wait till my levels are down to add corals

 

my fish seems super happy in the tank tho chases me around the tank for food etc never hiding always out playing 

 

[LogicalReefs]

20 minutes ago, Noobreefer90 said:

Will adding coral help with any of this or so I just have to wait till my levels are down to add corals

 

my fish seems super happy in the tank tho chases me around the tank for food etc never hiding always out playing 

 

Don’t add coral. Get everything under control and then start to add corals later.

[Noobreefer90]

46 minutes ago, LogicalReefs said:

Don’t add coral. Get everything under control and then start to add corals later.

Just did a 50%+ wc I’ll test again tomorrow 

[Jrill]

I wouldn't go crazy about the ammonia. That's a common result for that brand when it is  zero.

[Lula_Mae]

So I'm gonna be that person and just ask... if you knew adding a fish was a bad idea, why'd you do it? I don't mean to be harsh, but you're the fourth or fifth person I've seen in recent weeks who is cycling with a fish in the tank, and this practice was no longer recommended when I started in the hobby a decade ago. I'm puzzled why suddenly so many are doing it. 

 

Please follow the suggestions above to get Seachem Prime (helps neutralize and detoxify ammonia until you can do a water change) and do a huge water change, like 90%. Do not under any circumstances add coral. Wait till a month after your cycle ends and you've got a good maintenance routine down. When your levels of nitrate or anything are toxic, the solution is NOT to add more livestock to the tank. Get parameters under control and then you can start thinking about it. 

 

Also, 83 is pretty warm for a reef tank. It doesn't give you much wiggle room if it's a hot day or whatever. Try to get it down closer to 79-80. Figure out what's keeping it warm. 

[Noobreefer90]

When I do the water change after I let the water clear do I need to change the polyfill should I add the white scrubby looking filter peace back and put polyfil in the very front right where water goes in the tank 

 

[Clown79]

13 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

So I'm gonna be that person and just ask... if you knew adding a fish was a bad idea, why'd you do it? I don't mean to be harsh, but you're the fourth or fifth person I've seen in recent weeks who is cycling with a fish in the tank, and this practice was no longer recommended when I started in the hobby a decade ago. I'm puzzled why suddenly so many are doing it. 

 

Please follow the suggestions above to get Seachem Prime (helps neutralize and detoxify ammonia until you can do a water change) and do a huge water change, like 90%. Do not under any circumstances add coral. Wait till a month after your cycle ends and you've got a good maintenance routine down. When your levels of nitrate or anything are toxic, the solution is NOT to add more livestock to the tank. Get parameters under control and then you can start thinking about it. 

 

Also, 83 is pretty warm for a reef tank. It doesn't give you much wiggle room if it's a hot day or whatever. Try to get it down closer to 79-80. Figure out what's keeping it warm. 

I think the problem is people getting their advice from lfs rather than doing research before starting a tank.

They sell tanks and with the advice of cycling with a fish.

 

Seen this happening in stores with ppl starting Sw, FW, even lizards...its sad. People have no idea what they are getting into and it's made "easy" by sales people.

 

Then you have the various websites still offering fish cycling as a method

 

Or the reason is lack of patience.

 

 

[Tamberav]

It's a fish...it can't tell you it's gills are being burned by ammonia. Fish have a will to survive and it can be swimming and eating and still suffering. 

 

Now you have to do all this extra work for a damsel...a fish that is aggressive and should not be added as the first fish which limits your stock or you have to try and catch it. 

 

Only thing I would add to a tank with ammonia is macroalgae.

[Jrill]

I think the op is hoseing us.

Troll?

[Noobreefer90]

Going to build a diy protein skimmer today going to add it to my sump that’s build on back of tank 

[Perthreefer]

On 11/9/2018 at 10:41 AM, Jrill said:

I think the op is hoseing us.

Troll?

You'd hope so! I really hope no one would set up a reef system with that little knowledge of what they're getting into.

Having said that the point made about lfs offering bad advice to make a sale is a valid one and for inpatient hobbyists it's all too easy to take that advice.

[Gourami Swami]

To play devil's advocate: coming from somebody who currently works at a fish retailer, and has worked for different LFS's over many years- It is incredibly difficult to explain the nitrogen cycle completely to 95% of the customers I encounter. I think part of the problem is that so many people- not the true hobbyists, but most of the customers- don't care to educate themselves on the complexities of the tank's ecosystem, and want "dumbed down" information. Surely there is some blame on the lazy or uneducated LFS employees who don't ever bother to give the right advice. But a large part of it, is that for every one person who wants, and is able, to understand the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling- there are 9 others who don't even want to hear it. When I help customers, I gauge their level of comprehension and interest on what they say. Occasionally I get people who are willing to buy a test kit, add cocktail shrimp or dose ammonia, and do it the "right way". But more often, I get blank stares, and people who just say "that's too much work- just catch me the fish please. I had a tank 5 years ago and didn't know any of this, so I don't need to know it now" or something along those lines. For these people, the most practical thing to do is tell them they can't add more than a couple small hardy fish at once, sell them stability or another similar product, and tell them to bring us their water in a week to test it, and also to watch for signs of stress and do a water change if they see it. If we tell these people - No, we won't sell you a fish, come back in a month after you have completed a full fishless cycle"- the LFS would probably go out of business. Lfs's are having a hard time as it is with the prevalence of online shopping.

 

That is mostly for freshwater customers though, I do find that most people who set up marine tanks are more willing to have an understanding of it and put the work in, since there are higher costs and entry barriers to a saltwater tank. Not defending OP here- sounds like they put a fish in a few days after setting the tank up, which is obviously a bad idea. Just offering my perspective on the issue being discussed.