Hey fellow hobbyists! I am new to the hobby and have my 55 gallon tank cycling as we speak (4 weeks). I have about 30lbs of dry rock and 10lbs of live rock in there with two power heads and my heater. Running a HOB filter with Chemi Pure Blue, poly filter pads and filter sponges. (Its a pretty big hob filter lol). AND I have a hob refugium that I've been postponing on placing my chaeto in it for now. I've hit a road block and would appreciate ANY advice. I've kept the lights off for quite some time until my LFS said to leave them on; so many different options/opinions. But I have had a "bacteria bloom" or New tank syndrome (they told me at the LFS) for about 4 days now and my nitrite is holding steady at 0.5ppm while my nitrate is about 20ppm. I know that I'm supposed to have 0 nitrites, but in running my fishless cycle and using the Seachem Stability with the shrimp method; I am just not sure if I should continue to wait it out or if there is something I'm supposed to be doing or that I should have done already. Looking for a little guidance from you awesome reefers! thanks in advance.
New Tank Confusion
- Thread starter jreefer87
- Start date
What you need is an ammonia test---I just use the test strips: dip and look for color. Unfortunately after that's passed, usually quickly, you can miss the day it shows. I'm betting you HAVE cycled, and missed the day the tank starts converting ammonia. Get a couple of snails and a micro hermit, and let them loose in there. if they live, and I'm pretty sure they will---increase the number of them and build up your cleanup crew. Let them take out that shrimp (remove it, if it's a big one) and feed them a little flake food. Just a little. Meanwhile you can start setting up your quarantine tank. You COULD have a coral at this point, but most people start with one [small] fish.
mcgyvr
New member
If you are still registering nitrite your tank is not yet ready..
Stop adding any stability or any other bacteria and just give it another week or so and go from there..
Once nitrite (and ammonia) is zero you can begin adding the clean up crew or whatever.
Always go slow when stocking the tank initially to avoid overloading the minimal bacterial population in there now and give it time to build up..
Stop adding any stability or any other bacteria and just give it another week or so and go from there..
Once nitrite (and ammonia) is zero you can begin adding the clean up crew or whatever.
Always go slow when stocking the tank initially to avoid overloading the minimal bacterial population in there now and give it time to build up..
