I just finished putting about 100 pounds of live rock back into my 68 gallon. I'm now redoing my tank after it was left untouched since the summer (sick fish killed everything so I quit maintaining the tank). Here's my question: since the live rock was in the tank for many months, will I have a cycle? The rock has some white spots on it, but also some purple, red, and pink coralline algae. Is it cured or uncured? During a cycle, can I keep the 192 watt lights on during the cycle? How long should I keep the lights on per day? Thanks.
Cycle Question
- Thread starter Greg129
- Start date
Avi
Premium Member
If your waterflow was going strong for all that time that the tank was ignored, you probably won't have to go through an entire cycle. Still, do like a 50% water change. I'd would leave the lights on to keep the coraline that you have still alive continue to stay alive...test regularly for, ammonia at first (just to be certain) but the nitrates and all the rest to get the tank ready for what you ant to put in there. Also, keep your skimmer going. I'd think that you're gonna be stocking that reef pretty soon.
elwaine
The mad reefer
Re: Cycle Question
In any case, why guess at the answer. The "cycle" you are concerned with is the "Nitrogen Cycle." It's easy to tell for certain. Test your water. At least do a Nitrate test... if it's 0, at this stage, it's cured. If NO3 is above .02, test for NO2 and NH4 to see if it is cycling.
(Even though it is not part of the "Nitrogen Cycle," I'd also test for PO4, although organic phosphates can be high even with a negative test result.)
I'm confused. You just finished putting it back into the tank? Where was it prior to your putting it back? Was is kept wet? Did you just take it out to wash it... and then replaced it in your "left alone" tank?
In any case, why guess at the answer. The "cycle" you are concerned with is the "Nitrogen Cycle." It's easy to tell for certain. Test your water. At least do a Nitrate test... if it's 0, at this stage, it's cured. If NO3 is above .02, test for NO2 and NH4 to see if it is cycling.
(Even though it is not part of the "Nitrogen Cycle," I'd also test for PO4, although organic phosphates can be high even with a negative test result.)
Sorry. I should have clarified. I took the live rock out of the tank and put it into a 39 gallon tub filled with tank water. I drained the remaining water from the tank and removed the sand bed. I then used
a power head to clean each rock in the tub. After a new batch of salt water was mixed, I put the live rocks back into the tank.
a power head to clean each rock in the tub. After a new batch of salt water was mixed, I put the live rocks back into the tank.
elwaine
The mad reefer
OK... sounds to me like you still have good LR, esp. since it has some coraline algae on it. But I wouldn't be surprised if the tank is cycling. Some of the "stuff" (to be scientific) that was in your LR undoubtedly passed on to the spirit world - and left some decay behind as a present.
Test the water... it's the only way to tell if it's reached a balanced nitrogen cycle. If it hasn't, it certainly won't take as long to get into balance as it did when you first began initially.
Good luck...
Test the water... it's the only way to tell if it's reached a balanced nitrogen cycle. If it hasn't, it certainly won't take as long to get into balance as it did when you first began initially.
Good luck...
