Cycle question

[Ryan1190]

Hey,

I started cycling my 50 gallon a week or so ago. I have about 35lbs of Marco rock and 10lbs of cured live rock. I initially had .25 - .5ppm of ammonia after adding live rock which has since dropped to 0 - .25ppm. I added a shrimp to rot 5 days ago. Nitrite are maxing out my Red Sea test at >1ppm. I have a rotting shrimp floating around but the ammonia is not spiking, is this because the bacterial load is consuming the ammonia as quickly as it is being produced? Take shrimp out?

Once nitrites drop can I add a CUC? There are no signs of algae so I'm not sure what they'd eat... Should I ghost feed? Should I expect an algae outbreak?

Thanks in advance!

 

[WaReefer458]

let it be... if the shrimp is decaying and not producing ammonia then your cycle is more than likely on the tail end.... and as far as what to expect, all of the above... I thought I was going to get away with no algae bloom with my 40 because it cycled fast and didnt have any but about a week after my nitrates started showing up my tank looked terrible... wait on the CUC until you get some algae starting and only add a few snails and hermits... I got talked into a conch from my lfs and I love it... its like an algae vacuum in the tank.

 

[Ryan1190]

Good to hear. I just want to make sure I'm on the right track.

Out of curiosity, if I do end up somehow avoiding an algae bloom throughout the cycle should I build up the bioload with a fish/pair of clowns before adding a CUC?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Your tanks isn't ready for a cuc yet and yes you will get a diatom bloom once the cycle is complete. Then comes the GHA and then Cyano.

Do not add the clowns until your tank is finished cycling and add the cuc first. Here is a thread with all the information in one place. I suggest you read it and learn what the nitrogen cycle is and how it works. It also tells you how and when to add critters to your tank. It's packed with info and will really help you. The nitrogen cycle takes anywhere from 3-6 weeks or so.

It's under the New to the Hobby forum and it's called Setting up: How To!!!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074

 

[Ryan1190]

I actually have read most of that but it's good to get reassurance with parameters and conditions specific to my tank.

I know I'm not ready for a CUC and especially fish yet. With that said I have heard of cases where people go through a cycle with no algae bloom, I'm just curious if you should wait to add a CUC after fish (of course after the cycle is complete) if there is no algae bloom from the cycle so that the CUC would have a food source. Typically you would add CUC 1st but that's assuming there is algae to "clean up".

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Don't count on not having algae blooms of several kinds, it's the majority that do, very few don't. For instance when I upgraded a few months ago I didn't have one and still don't have any algae at all in my DT, I do however have lots of it in my sump.

 

[SnoopyDaPimp]

Magic link from Sk8r about cycling for additional reading