Hello,
I am newly registered on ReefCentral and a new would-be reefer. I have been keeping freshwater aquariums for about 40 years. Recently I started setting up a standard 55-gallon tank for saltwater with the intention of building a reef aquarium.
Here is the history so far:
1. day 1 - purchased 35 pounds of Pukani dry rock, put it in a 32 gallon Brute trash can with 20 gallons of saltwater (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals mixed to 32 ppt). Added a small power head with venturi pulling air.
2. day 4 - checked ammonia level, it was off the charts (> 8 ppm). Took a water sample to LFS to verify, they confirmed the high ammonia level. Nitrites and nitrates both below detection limit. Transferred the rock to another 32 gallon Brute trash can with 20 gallons of fresh saltwater. NH3 measured 0.25 ppm, nitrites and nitrates below detection limit.
3. day 5 - ammonia climbing to 1ppm, nitrites and nitrates still zero. Salinity 32 ppt, pH 8.1. Added two capfuls of AquaVitro Seed. Continued daily nitrogen, pH and salinity testing and added 1 capful of AquaVitro seed each day for the next 10 days.
4. day 12 - ammonia up to 4 ppm, nitrites and nitrates still zero, pH 8.1, salinity 31 ppt. Transferred the rock and water from the trash can to the display tank, added about 45 gallons freshly mixed saltwater to fill the DT and sump. Return pump running at estimated 600 gph, two small powerheads adding ~ 800 gph internal flow and one of them injecting air through the venturi. No substrate, fish or invertebrates yet. Adding top-off water daily to maintain salinity.
5. day 13 - Ammonia about 1 ppm (due to dilution with fresh saltwater). Nitrogen, pH and salinity testing continues.
6. day 14 - ammonia 2 ppm, nitrite and nitrate still below detection limit. pH 8.1, salinity 31 ppt. Added ammonia solution to bring the level up to 5 ppm. Added a 4 ounce bottle of DrTim's One And Only nitrifying bacteria.
7. day 15 - ammonia 5 ppm, nitrite and nitrate still zero. Phosphorus 0.5 ppm measured with a Hanna checker. Water is clear but slightly yellow, added a media bag with activated carbon in the sump.
Today is day 17, the water is clear and essentially colorless, ammonia still at 5 ppm, no nitrites or nitrates. Salinity, temperature and pH are stable.
Oh yes, I am using dechlorinated tap water to mix the saltwater. Our tap water is treated with chlorine (not chloramine) and is on the alkaline side (pH 7.4, alkalinity around 80 ppm), no measurable silica or phosphorus.
My past experience with cycling fresh water tanks suggests the appearance of nitrite is overdue. I know I am not performing the final cycling of the tank yet, as there is no substrate, but I assumed I should see nitrogen test results resembling a cycle while curing the dry rock. My concern is no measurable nitrites or nitrates after 17 days. Is there anything I should do, or have I been doing too much?
Thanks,
Don
I am newly registered on ReefCentral and a new would-be reefer. I have been keeping freshwater aquariums for about 40 years. Recently I started setting up a standard 55-gallon tank for saltwater with the intention of building a reef aquarium.
Here is the history so far:
1. day 1 - purchased 35 pounds of Pukani dry rock, put it in a 32 gallon Brute trash can with 20 gallons of saltwater (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals mixed to 32 ppt). Added a small power head with venturi pulling air.
2. day 4 - checked ammonia level, it was off the charts (> 8 ppm). Took a water sample to LFS to verify, they confirmed the high ammonia level. Nitrites and nitrates both below detection limit. Transferred the rock to another 32 gallon Brute trash can with 20 gallons of fresh saltwater. NH3 measured 0.25 ppm, nitrites and nitrates below detection limit.
3. day 5 - ammonia climbing to 1ppm, nitrites and nitrates still zero. Salinity 32 ppt, pH 8.1. Added two capfuls of AquaVitro Seed. Continued daily nitrogen, pH and salinity testing and added 1 capful of AquaVitro seed each day for the next 10 days.
4. day 12 - ammonia up to 4 ppm, nitrites and nitrates still zero, pH 8.1, salinity 31 ppt. Transferred the rock and water from the trash can to the display tank, added about 45 gallons freshly mixed saltwater to fill the DT and sump. Return pump running at estimated 600 gph, two small powerheads adding ~ 800 gph internal flow and one of them injecting air through the venturi. No substrate, fish or invertebrates yet. Adding top-off water daily to maintain salinity.
5. day 13 - Ammonia about 1 ppm (due to dilution with fresh saltwater). Nitrogen, pH and salinity testing continues.
6. day 14 - ammonia 2 ppm, nitrite and nitrate still below detection limit. pH 8.1, salinity 31 ppt. Added ammonia solution to bring the level up to 5 ppm. Added a 4 ounce bottle of DrTim's One And Only nitrifying bacteria.
7. day 15 - ammonia 5 ppm, nitrite and nitrate still zero. Phosphorus 0.5 ppm measured with a Hanna checker. Water is clear but slightly yellow, added a media bag with activated carbon in the sump.
Today is day 17, the water is clear and essentially colorless, ammonia still at 5 ppm, no nitrites or nitrates. Salinity, temperature and pH are stable.
Oh yes, I am using dechlorinated tap water to mix the saltwater. Our tap water is treated with chlorine (not chloramine) and is on the alkaline side (pH 7.4, alkalinity around 80 ppm), no measurable silica or phosphorus.
My past experience with cycling fresh water tanks suggests the appearance of nitrite is overdue. I know I am not performing the final cycling of the tank yet, as there is no substrate, but I assumed I should see nitrogen test results resembling a cycle while curing the dry rock. My concern is no measurable nitrites or nitrates after 17 days. Is there anything I should do, or have I been doing too much?
Thanks,
Don
