brother asked me this since I have some experience with freshwater cycling
He has setup a saltwater tank with Live rock and 'dry' sand for about a week.....fishless cycling.
His reading is Amm=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=80 Phos=high too...
The theory for saltwater cycling is:
Live rock.....die offs=ammonia
Nitrosomonas breaks down ammonia--->nitrite
Nitrobacter breaks down nitrite--->Nitrate
the extra step for saltwater is....
have to wait for "anaerobic bacteria" in the rock and sand to form and then break down the Nitrate to nitrogen gas....so that it is safe for corals too
Is this correct?
Back to his situation:
Is it nearly cycled within a week? (his live rock does have dieoffs)
What to do with the high Nitrate?
What to do with high phosphates?
He has setup a saltwater tank with Live rock and 'dry' sand for about a week.....fishless cycling.
His reading is Amm=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=80 Phos=high too...
The theory for saltwater cycling is:
Live rock.....die offs=ammonia
Nitrosomonas breaks down ammonia--->nitrite
Nitrobacter breaks down nitrite--->Nitrate
the extra step for saltwater is....
have to wait for "anaerobic bacteria" in the rock and sand to form and then break down the Nitrate to nitrogen gas....so that it is safe for corals too
Is this correct?
Back to his situation:
Is it nearly cycled within a week? (his live rock does have dieoffs)
What to do with the high Nitrate?
What to do with high phosphates?