au01st

And wow! Rotten eggs has got nothing on that smell... It was a thick black liquid that took about 3 days to fill half the collection cup, does that sound about right? I feel like I need another shower after cleaning that thing out...

Anyways, I think the cycle is officially over. This morning's readings show ammonia 0, nitrite 0, and nitrates reading <5 PPM. Had the ammonia spike when I introduced the live rock, then a nitrite spike, then a nitrate spike (up to 80ppm!) and I turned the skimmer on this past Monday and took a day to get it adjusted. I ordered my CUC and they should be here today or tomorrow, and I hope they will make short work of my diatom bloom (I can see snail trails through the diatoms on the back glass from the few that I got, but it's not enough).

I really hope to get pics up soon...

sgould

Charming isn't it? Seeing that gunk come out of the water really hammers home why skimmers are used.

Peterpiper

You got to love the skimmer, think about that stuff still being in the tank, braking down and ending up as nitrates.
Why smell it? I have done it.. You know its gunk that the skimmer has pulled out of the water, and you know it wont smell like a rose.. Your mind tells you that its not going to be nice and we still stick our noise in it and take a wiff!! wonder what it tast like??

Hypnox

Be sure to fill me in on that one if you live through it. :P

au01st

I didn't stick my nose in and smell it, when I took the lid off to pour it out, the stench wafted up to me...