Can't get tank to cycle.

[traderdan]

So I have had my tank setup for a week now. I bought live rock and live sand from tampa bay saltwater. They literally packed it in morning and shipped it to me airmail. I picked it up from Southwest Airlines about five hours after they sent it. About five days ago I didn't have any sign of ammonia so I started ghost feeding mysis and rods reef. Today I came home to brown algae covering about a quarter of my live sand and same on rocks. I tested for phosphate and it showed it at 1. I know this is high so I installed a gfo reactor. Can someone help me understand how I am getting a diatom bloom without ever having any cycle or ammonia.
Thanks!

 

[jstack]

cycle came in and went in a day most likely the point of using Live Rock, lots of die off explains the high phos keep the tank params stable use rodi and bring down the phos with gfo

 

[ericarenee]

how big is the tank how much rock and sand did you get and was it pre cured.

the rock being moved from one system then in bags temp changes then into another system will have die off.


depending on the live rock you got it can take 3-6 weeks to start to become stable. if the live rock is uncured it can be up to 10 weeks.

more info and pics would help

 

[Shanet]

You most likely had a mini cycle as you used live rock and sand to start the tank. Because the rock wasn't out of water for long there probably wasn't much die off and so, not much ammonia. Check if you have Nitrates and no Ammonia or Nitrites, if so your cycled.

 

[traderdan]

Thank you jstack,
That's interesting and awesome if it did cycle in a day. I have had minimal die off luckily so far. I have been using distilled water as all the ro/di units at local stores didn't seem to be maintained on a timely schedule. I have been putting off a water change waiting for ammonia, but already have twenty gallons mixed and ready. Would it help to do a 15-20% water change?

 

[mcgyvr]

Thats the magic of the TBS stuff..
The rock/sand is already live and teaming with bacteria.. They keep it submerged so you have little to no die off.. The existing bacteria is already 100% doing its job..

You really don't cycle with the TBS stuff.

A cycle is just to establish sufficient bacterial population,etc.. to quickly convert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. Thats already there and rocking.. (pun intended)

 

[traderdan]

The tank is 66 gallons. Tampa bay saltwater gets the rock the day before out of the gulf and put it in there holding tank and send out in morning. So I don't think it needs cured. When they shipped it it was in water that was still warm when I opened box and zero bad smell. Nitrite 0 ammonia <.25 nitrate 10. Thanks everyone. I have been out of hobby for years and forgot a lot of things.

 

[mcgyvr]

I have been out of hobby for years and forgot a lot of things.

Don't feel bad.. Tampa Bay Saltwater is in a class of their own (I don't know of any other vendors that do what they do).. You were 100% right on the decision to go with them..

Now post pics

 

[traderdan]

Thanks mcgyvr,
Yes Richard has been awesome to deal with. I have been taking pics every step to do a build thread after I get second shipment. I guess I can email Richard and tell him I'm ready for round two. Awesome day.

 

[anthonys51]

also with tampa live rock i wouldn't ghost feed. so ,uch live stuff on that rock teaming with stuff, i would skip that step

 

[anthonys51]

i would add cuc and no fish for 3 months. dont feed the tank for 3 months, wait for the rocks to die and grow good stuff on it. there will be some die off on the rocks, becuase not everything that lives in the ocean will live in our tanks. then after 3 months you can add fish and be good to go. you can add corals before the 3 months. i normally like to give all my tanks 3 months before i add fish. fish are waste machines

 

[neiltus]

My TBS tank never showed any NH3/4. Only a little NO2.

Dealing with some PO4 and silicates right now. Prob self induced as my DI was down to about 25%, still showing 0ppm, but that will let silicates through. Added a 2nd DI can, and running gfo and changing media is helping with the PO4 and diatoms.

I would bet there is silicates in your water source. Your next purchase should be an RODI.

 

[MarkW64]

You don't need to ghost feed, but if you want to maximize the survival of all the filter feeders that came on your rock, and all the extras that will come with part 2, I would recommend you feed them one way or another. I've had my TBS package in my tank for about a half year now. Started feeding phytoplankton almost right away. My tunicates are all gone , but I still have most of my sea squirts, many of my sponges, all of my gorgonians, many bi valves, and a few barnacles. Oh yeah, and quite a few porcelain crabs.