New tank cycle advice

[bella123]

Hi

we are in the process of setting up our new tank. We have done a lot of research as our first tank didn't work as well as we had hoped.

I have read that as part of the cycle process you should see a spike in ammonia, nitrate etc. We have had the tank running for a about 3 weeks with ceramic rock and no live stock. We have dosed the tank with pure reef balance balls which came with the tank (evolution Aqua 900), we are running xr15 and a Nyos skimmer. We have 2kg of reef rock in the sump and a little in the tank.

I have tested the water tonight, ammonia reads 0, nitrite reads 0.5

I read that as we do not have any livestock in the tank there was nothing to cause the spike so I added a little fish food and a dead prawn. I would have expected there to be a higher reading in the tests than what I am getting.

A week later and still nothing, all tests are the same as above, so added another dead prawn

The water has turned slightly cloudy but there are no signs of any alge.

Any feedback or advice would grately received as we want to get it right from the start this time.

If you require any additional information just ask.


Thank you

 

[thegrun]

You need to add more nutrients to start a cycle. Dose either pure ammonia or add a couple of dead raw shrimp to get an ammonia spike

 

[bella123]

Hi

Thanks for the reply but I am a bit confused as I have already added x2 dead prawns over the space of 2 weeks?

 

[AK707]

like someone said in your thread just like this one last night, you probably won't see an ammonia spike since you used the bacteria ball things. the bacteria is breaking the ammonia down fast enough to where you won't see a spike.
Bacteria breaks ammonia down into nitrites then breaks the nitrites down into nitrates, since you have a nitrite reading your cycle is "cycling" be patient and test for nitrates once your test kit arives.

 

[Mad_Reefer]

If I were you, I'd take out any prawn waste and switch to ghost feeding. In a week or two you can add a fish, but t is better to wait longer.

 

[Bishopsnet]

I feel your pain Bella. I am day 7 with cured live rock and live sand. No cycle. 0 on all readings. I was gonna do the raw shrimp thing or ghost feed but was told those have their own complications. Some people told me to just get a fish because I have cured live rock which is already has bacteria built up. So I did the inhumane thing and got a clown today. We will see if I made a mistake or not. Fish problems.

 

[T2LEE]

bishopsnet, How are things with the tank and the new clown that you added? Has anything changed or kick started your cycle?

 

[Bishopsnet]

bishopsnet, How are things with the tank and the new clown that you added? Has anything changed or kick started your cycle?

Still no cycle. Clown seems well. I feed him everyday and he eats. He swims around the tank but likes the front corner of the glass. I think he sees his reflection and thinks it's another clown. I am starting to get algae and I'll be adding a few snails and hermits next week.

 

[dallen2233]

I'm not sure how big your tank is, but on my 300, I never saw any sort of spike in ammonia or nitrites.

 

[Bishopsnet]

I'm not sure how big your tank is, but on my 300, I never saw any sort of spike in ammonia or nitrites.

It's a JBJ 28g nano

 

[dallen2233]

It's a JBJ 28g nano

In that case, you should see some spikes. As long as you don't add a bunch of items to the tank all at one, you should be fine. Just keep a close eye on ammonia and nitrites, once or twice a day.

 

[Bishopsnet]

<a href="http://s346.photobucket.com/user/bishopsnet/media/Mobile%20Uploads/14790090283601701221478_zps7xtg0npt.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p425/bishopsnet/Mobile%20Uploads/14790090283601701221478_zps7xtg0npt.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 14790090283601701221478_zps7xtg0npt.jpg"/></a>

This looks to be diatoms on my rocks. Can none verify this? I still have 0 readings on everything.

 

[bella123]

Finally got an ammonia reading and a very small amount of brown/red alge. Think the tank is finally started it's cycle.

 

[gone fishin]

Finally got an ammonia reading and a very small amount of brown/red alge. Think the tank is finally started it's cycle.

It would appear so, good luck