Cycling new tank - Something really weird happening...

[filippo]

Hi

I am in the middle of cycling my 2nd tank - it's an 8 gallon cube tank from ADA, with 7 pounds of live rock and 1 inch of black sand (not live).

It has an AcquaClear 30 filter, a Koralia 240 GPH nano powerhead, and the 75W MH from JBJ.

It's now been two weeks that my tank has been sitting there waiting for the ammonia to spike, but it hasn't happened yet. I even threw two dead krill shrimps in the tank about 5 days ago, but it didn't help.

I thought that the tank would cycle by getting the ammonia to spike, creating bacteria that would develop and get rid of ammonia itself; then nitrite should kick in, and then nitrate.

I am just worried that I am never gonna get to see ammonia, nitrite and nitrate to spike, leaving me wondering if my tank really cycled.

FYI - I did threw 1 small bad of Bio-Spira Marine that would help getting some live bacteria from the very beginning.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images...6851D_fish.jpg

Here's a picture of my tank



Thanks for your help

[filippo]

Ah, btw, for anyone wondering what I will be stocking in my little cube, it'll be mainly zooz, mushrooms, ricrodea, and 1 or two small but beautiful fish, etc.

in other words, a little colorful paradise sitting on my desk

[Shewillbemine]

Have you seen any [brown] diatoms on the rocks? Some people actually drop in real ammonia from the store to start the cycle. I've even heard of some very silly individuals who placed [ahem] urine in the tank.

[filippo]

The rocks are now turning brown as a matter of fact :S

I have my MH on 4 hours a day now that it's cycling.

I thought that the food I threw in few days ago (dead kill) would deteriorate causing the ammonia to spike and the bacteria to start cycling the tank, but it's clearly not working (unless the test kit I have doesn't really work, which I doubt).

What would you recommend me to do?

[McTeague]

I suggest you let it go for a couple more months just like you have been.

[filippo]

you mean weeks?

i can do that

thank you

[McTeague]

No, I meant months...

[bteagle93]

months....im not sure about months. for a 8 gallon tank to cycle it should take no longer than a few weeks. I say you just be patient for another week or so and see what happens. patience is everything! good luck!

[Sk8r]

I'm not sure you've got enough live rock: looks like about a third shy of what you need. What's your weight and how dense is it?

Take the filter out of the picture and run it empty---just for the pump action---you don't need a filter for a reef, and if you plan to have a FOWLR you can put it back into operation while your cleaning crew works. Drop a micropinch of fish food in there daily. Then see if you get any ammonia. If you don't, after another week, risk one snail and see what happens.

[filippo]

hey sk8r

it's only 7 pounds of live rock, and it's not that dense neither. i wanted to keep the amount of rocks low since it's a very small tank and i don't want the rocks to take the entire space. but i surely can throw more pounds in there.

if i don't need the filter for a reef, then can i just remove it completely, leaving my koralia powerhead to do the pump action? it moves 240 GPH, which is more than in enough i believe. otherwise i can change that into a refugeum, no?

thanks for the tips

[demonsp]

Rock are your best bio filter. Get atleast the min. of 1 lbs per gallon

[filippo]

it's a 7.2 gallon tank to be precise. that is why I've added 7 pounds only.

but i see your point, and i agree it's a good decision to add a few more pounds in there.

no nano skimmer for such a small reef tank, right?

thank you

[filippo]

btw, i just tested the water.

Amonia - 0.00
Nitrite - 0.00
Nitrate - 5.00

how can nitrate be present if amonia and nitrate haven't kicked in yet? or maybe they did the very first week and I didn't notice (of course, I didn't test the water unitl a week ago). hmmmmmm

[demonsp]

If its still cycleing then dont believe the readings. Test in the morning and around the same time for more consitant readings. Whene you cycle readings may change. But tap water is bad for nitrate and phosphate which i would check also.

[Sk8r]

Depends on what you want to keep, but corals is ideally zero filter, 1 lb rock per gallon. Corals with small fish and inverts, same.
Fish pushing size of tank need a filter to take out waste, but it must be changed and cleaned weekly to prevent nitrate buildup: softie coral can survive with it, but it's very iffy for stony coral.

Demonsp has a good idea: tap water topoff even conditioned can bring in a lot of nitrate.

[lat0403]

I would try another test kit.

[zotzer]

If the rock was cured (ie: taken out of an established tank and immediately put into yours), it's not surprising that you didn't get a cycle. Either that or a cycle so mild that you didn't even notice it.

Just add livestock VERY slowly to make sure sufficient bacteria has built up to handle the load.

Have fun!
Tracy

[TeddyRock]

hi

what does ADA stand for? (in the first post)

[hybridgenius]

I'd get another 2-5lbs of liverock and throw in a hermit crab for the week. If the hermit crab doesnt die then your readings could be right. I know a few people whose tank strangely cycled within a week... started adding fish every week even though I suggested they wait another 3-4 weeks to be sure it cycled. Nothing ever happened and they're enjoying there fish tank now. But no matter what you should go through some type of bloom.

[filippo]

lots of info - thanks!

i'll stock corals, few inverts, and two tiny colorful fish (probably gobys). so i guees i'll remove the hang on filter, which i hated anyway lol this way i can actually hang my JBJ MH fixture on the back of the tank, and not on the right side as it is right now.

as far as the live rocks, those that you see in the picture were bought already cured at a local fish store.

i'll throw a snail in a couple of days if my readings don't change.

ADA stands for Aqua Design Amano. http://www.adana-usa.com/
they sell high-clear transparency tanks made of class. really nice, but really expensive too. see if any local stores in your area carry them and see how well built/defined they are.

that little 12"x12" 8 gallon cube cost me $90! and i just bought a 75 gallon tank from All Glass Aquarium for the same price. grrrr

[filippo]

btw, i never used tap water in the 1st place for any of my tanks, and never will.

at present, i buy salt water locally, and add RO water every other day to compensate for evaporated water.

my black sand has a very thin brown layer of whatever... great! (not)

[lat0403]

I used cured rock when I started my tank and never saw a cycle. I waited a couple weeks to add the clean up crew and then a couple more weeks before I added anything else.

[Mavrk]

Originally posted by zotzer
If the rock was cured (ie: taken out of an established tank and immediately put into yours), it's not surprising that you didn't get a cycle. Either that or a cycle so mild that you didn't even notice it.

Just add livestock VERY slowly to make sure sufficient bacteria has built up to handle the load.

Have fun!
Tracy

Yeah, cured rock will often cycle a tank quickly. You might not see it happen. This is not to say the tank is matured. I would put in a snail (since you have some diatoms for them to eat) and see what happens. My 90 gallon never showed any nitrite or ammonia, but did have nitrates. I used fully cured rock. There was obviously some die off, but the tank converted it to nitrates.

[Kermit]

I have never had a tank take more than 4 days to fully cycle. It may not be stable but it cycled.

[filippo]

cycled vs mature

two terms that make such a difference in setting up a new tank, and that I feel no one took the time to discuss with me when i first purchased my 1st tank - obviously, no ones fault, especially here on reefcentral

for all newbies out there, learn and understand the difference!

anyway, i'll give it 6 weeks total before I will start stocking it.

thank you