Second cycle question

[JammyBirch]

I started a 25gallon tank in the late spring. Dry rock, live sand, skimmer...yada yada the thing was all set up. Then summer hit and I stopped the build, just let it circulate and maintained top off water only.

Thing were fine until a few weeks ago, it started growing brown and green stuff. Especially in the sump. I cleaned the sump up, replaced the live sand in it and did a 50% water change. Added a few official live rocks and measured the levels of the water...everything was zero except the nitrates. I measured it again today same thing, nitrates only.

Was my tank already cycled and will I start a new one with the new live rock? I'm going to keep an eye on the nitrates once they're gone it's fish on...right?

 

[MinnFish]

Have you been ghost feeding the tank? How much live rock? What test kit are you using?

 

[JammyBirch]

Two small live rocks just to seed, no feeding the tank but it's open...bugs and stuff you know. I'm just using the API kit

 

[MinnFish]

Ok, most likely you have lost all of your beneficial bacteria. You will need to cycle your tank again. And remember its nitrite that has to go to zero (1 indication of a finished cycle). Nitrate will always be present in your tank, unless you are maintaining a ultra low nutrient system. Happy reefing. Oh, 1 last thing ditch the API. If, you are planning to be in this hobby. Invest in a better test kit or kits. API can get you close, but not out of troubles.

 

[jgalen0025]

Two small live rocks just to seed, no feeding the tank but it's open...bugs and stuff you know. I'm just using the API kit

Those "bugs and stuff" need to eat.

 

[JammyBirch]

Bugs from the house...getting in the tank...feeding the tank unintentionally... I'm getting the Hanna checkers just need the mail.

I lost the beneficial bacteria because I cleaned the sump? I didn't touch the DT, and that has got brown stuff in the sand and green stuff on the dry rocks now. I just hope it's good and not a problem...it's growing everyday.

 

[MinnFish]

Hanna are great. You will love them.

 

[JammyBirch]

I don't have a phosphorous test and I'm concerned about it, I do have a phosban reactor anything wrong with running that for a few days? I need the test, I bought the refill by accident and didn't get the testing hardware.

 

[MinnFish]

Phosphate you mean? Have you used tap or RO/DI for top off?

 

[JammyBirch]

Rodi...but i have heard that the dry rock can release phosphate. ..plus I have a bunch of green stuff growing looks like hard dots

 

[JammyBirch]

Alright I've been doing some serious studying on this board. I have diatoms currently although I've never seen any ammonia levels or nitrites even with a few seed live rocks and a water change. I was hoping to start another cycle or an official cycle.

I think I'm going to check the cycle status by dosing ammonia...raise the level 2-3ppm and see what happens. My skimmer is doing nothing the cup is dis colored but not doing much. Diatoms are going crazy right now. I run my day lights for 12 hours right now and the atinics for about 5 hours.

What is the recommended light schedule? Would a dose of ammonia be a bad thing? My jeboa wp10 is in wave mode and creating a really nice wave, I have it~3" from the top in a corner pointing slightly down. Should this be lower? The diatoms are really heavy in the sand bed and only in certain areas, I'm thinking low flow areas.

Let me know what you guys think...