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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Is my tank done cycling?
As of today my readings are: ammonia: 0 nitrite: 0 nitrate: 40 (I thought it was 20 but two other people say the shade was right on 40, we use the API test kit) pH: 7.8
The tank has only been set up since 04/04/09 and I have never seen the ammonia spike. We added 6 green chromis on 04/11/09 and have been monitoring them for any stress but they seem fine if not a little shy still. So is my tank cycled if the only reading I'm getting is Nitrates? | 
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| have you tested your tap water for nitrates? and what method did you use to cycle the tank? have you really bannged that #2 bottle on a countertop to mix up those hard to mix crystals ? | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| We retested our tank and source water (well water) for nitrates. Our tank still shows 40 PPM and our source water looks to be either 80 or 160 ppm >_> | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| so no you arent cycled  and with that high of nitrates, you will need a really good established tank to eat up those nitrates, if that is even possible, with water changes...do you all drink from your tap? im going to leave this to someone else because it seems with the high readings out of your tap, I think you will need another water source to continue... RO water, spring water from the grocery store. etc.. | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Gonna agree with Shawnie here. If you haven't seen an ammonia spike, you likely haven't cycled yet. (unless you added seeded media, lots of plants, or other things that would carry nitrifying bacteria).
If your tap water is at 80+ nitrates, it's likely not safe for humans either (apparently, humans metabolize nitrates back into ammonia... thank you Wikipedia). Where do you get your water from? If it's a municipal supply, you can usually check the normal PPM of common toxics, including nitrates, online. If your water supply has a much higher ppm than what is listed, you may want to let your utility company know... it may be that something has gone wrong in the area.
If you have a well, cistern, or other private water supply, you may want to look into why it has such a high nitrate reading.
For the time being, RO water or spring water from the grocery store, and a supplement of freshwater minerals ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=4828) will help you drop the nitrate levels. | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| The water we use is well water and we'll look into that further. We'll be using RO water from now on until we can figure out what is wrong. My tank is a saltwater tank with live rock (off topic but while testing my water for the bajillionth time to make sure I'm doing it right, i found a tiny bristleworm poking out of the live rock, yay!)
One thing that puzzles me is why our tank water has significantly less nitrates than the pump water... | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| ty SDS 
im not good with the scientifics of things, but that was source is deffinately scarey! | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| RO is better for marine tanks, anyway. Also, ignore the above link for minerals. Marine salt will add all the minerals you need.
It may be that some dead plant matter or fertilizer from nearby farms (if there are any) has been leaching nitrates into your well water. Depending on what the ground's made out of and how deep the reservoir is, the ground may not be straining these things out as well as it should.
Hooray for the bristleworm! 
As for why there is less nitrates in the tank than the source, there are a few possibilities. First, there are bacteria that process nitrate into gaseous nitrogen. These usually don't live in aquaria (as they're anaerobic), but it's a possibility.
Or, it could be that the nitrates only recently jumped. To give an example, heavy rains late last year washed a ton of fertilizer into the Mississippi river. In the span of a week, there was a high enough nitrate spike that parts of the river turned green with an algae bloom (which also made the water taste fishy). Before heavy filtration, the municipalities drawing tap water from the river had extremely high nitrates.
Last edited by sirdarksol; April 13th, 2009 at 08:42 PM.
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| I shudder to think that I drank a glass of that water before we filled up the tank! Thanks for your input, guys. The live rock we bought was cured at the LFS would this be the "seeded media" you're talking about? Right now there are six green chomis in the tank so if it hasn't cycled... :[ I'm ashamed of myself.
Editing because I don't want to have two posts in a row lol:
We live in North Carolina next to a farm, and it was sorta sprinkling when we went out to get the water. I'll try again tomorrow and have the parents check into it further.
Last edited by Ivyfer; April 13th, 2009 at 08:43 PM.
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| dont be ashamed!! we all learn daily in this amazing hobby...im glad sir is able to help  | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Yes, pre-cured live rock would work very well as seeded media. It comes with all the nitrifying bacteria you need. | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Whoa, speedy replies :O
If someone could clear up something for me, I'll get out of your hair ^^;;
Is my tank safe for the chromis then? With the cured rock, is it considered cycled? I'm already hatching up a plan to find them another safe haven until it is cycled. They're swimming around the tank and every now and then they do this thing with their lips where it looks like they're kissing some invisible fish.
Edit: They're schooling and I've already named them collectively as Gary Jules. I don't want any Gary Jules to die :[
Last edited by Ivyfer; April 13th, 2009 at 09:04 PM.
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| im no salty person and im not sure if in 9 days you are cycled with live rock even if its cured, but your nitrates are from your water source and not from the cycle process....hopefully someone has a better answer but im going to guess that no you are not cycled yet | |
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April 13th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| With pre-cured rock, it is entirely possible that you are cycled now. I have twice cycled salt tanks in less than 2 weeks with UN-cured live rock, pre-cured would be that much faster, if not instant (depends on how long it was out of the water for transport from LFS to your tank). At any rate, I would not move anybody just yet, but continue to monitor ammonia and nitrite daily for the next week or so to ensure you do not get any spikes. Your nitrate situation is interesting, although as has been pointed out, if your source water is loaded to begin with, it is understandable that your tank has high readings. RO water would be a good way to go, especially if you envision keeping coral and/or inverts in addition to fish. | |
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April 14th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Quote:
Originally Posted by sgould  With pre-cured rock, it is entirely possible that you are cycled now. I have twice cycled salt tanks in less than 2 weeks with UN-cured live rock, pre-cured would be that much faster, if not instant (depends on how long it was out of the water for transport from LFS to your tank). At any rate, I would not move anybody just yet, but continue to monitor ammonia and nitrite daily for the next week or so to ensure you do not get any spikes. Your nitrate situation is interesting, although as has been pointed out, if your source water is loaded to begin with, it is understandable that your tank has high readings. RO water would be a good way to go, especially if you envision keeping coral and/or inverts in addition to fish. | +1! Tank can be cycled instantly when have enough well Cured LR, provided reasonable amt of fish are added thus no spikes/reading of Ammonia ( NH3) and nitrite ( NO2).
As far as nitrate, it can be due to Nitrate ( NO3) consuming algae even though you may not see them all over the tank. And depending on what kind of LR, it can also perform denitrification Process where NO3 is reduced to nitrogren Gas (N2).
Continue monitoring and just go easy not to overload system when adding Live Stocks. skimmer running? Any Pics? | |
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April 14th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Thanks, you've given me some peace of mind. My skimmer is running 24/7 and I'll be able to post some pics tomorrow, I need to get some of my sump for my other thread too lol.
I'm already planning on growing some macroalgae in an in-tank refugium sometime in the future, would you suggest doing this sooner to help lower the nitrate? | |
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April 14th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Sooner Ruguge is in line with tank, better off. Refuge is not only to grow macro to reduce NO3 but good place for Pod populations with age which is good, natural and best of all FREE food for fish and Coral (larvae of pods).
As long NH3, NO2 does not spike, all should go well.
Idea is to avoid drastic changes at one time even with slight increases in NH3, NO2. Drastic changes can/may delay establishing/cycling of tank.
In case NH3/NO2 increases to concerned level, Easily controlled via smaller but more frquent partial water changes (pwc, that is if really needed) and amt of food given to fish.
Just avoid adding more fish until tank is slightly older/matured.
Good Luck! | |
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April 14th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Quick update: We tested some saltwater we had premade before today and the nitrate reading was 40 ppm. So I'm guessing that the spike in nitrate in our water source was done after we filled the tank. Phew.
Also, would there be any harm if I got the refugium set up if the tank is still cycling? I'm hoping to have either chaeto or gracilaria (maybe both?) and some copepods. | |
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April 14th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| i never had an ammonia spike in my tank.....i also used R/O water and my rocks were cured......tanks still going strong! | |
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April 14th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| From what I know, plants will only help cycle your tank (they do in freshwater), and protect your fish against damaging nitrogens. Unless one of the SW buffs say otherwise, I think it would be a great idea to set the refugium up. Just don't put any more animals in the tank yet. You don't want to add another ammonia source until you're sure everything's settled in. | |
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April 15th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| I think your live rock might be ok. If you started the tank 10 days ago surely you would have had a spike by now if it wasn't ok. Live rock is also supposed to process nitrates via the anaerobic bacteria that are deep within it. Use high flow to force the water through/around it. I test periodically for nitrates and haven't had a reading in a looong time. I think it's due to the live rock and chaeto in the refugium since my sand bed is not considered deep at about 2 inches. I also have a hang on refugium with chaeto that harbors tons of little pods. Whenever I prune the chaeto every few weeks some of the pods make it into the main tank and the fish go nuts.
Green chromis are awesome and look fantastic in schools. Mine are always out in the open swimming all over the tank. One of my faves.
I'd recommend getting an RO filter too. With a tank that size you will be pumping considerable money into it and an RO filter will definitely help make the aquarium adventure more enjoyable.
When do we get to see some pics?
Last edited by Mike; April 15th, 2009 at 12:21 AM.
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April 15th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| Haha I was resizing the pics while you posted :P Here are a couple! | |
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April 15th, 2009
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| | Fish Bum
| And a couple more... The fish really like that cave, it took awhile for them to get comfortable with the camera, lol. And you can see our $20.00 super rock that we threw in there to seed the coralline algae. On another note, I checked ammonia/nitrite today and both still show 0. Huzzah! | |
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