![]() |
|
#1
|
|||||
|
|||||
![]() Quote:
![]() Understanding the cycling process is key to knowing what's going on and any future spikes you're going to see. Ammonia is the first stage of your cycle. Without it your tank will sit there and evaporate water and that's it. So unless whatever is in the bottle has a decent about of ammonia your cycle can't progress. Ammonia can come from several sources. Dead and decaying matter or pure ammonia poured in. If you have cured live rock, everything on it is very much alive and thus no ammonia. But it still needs to eat so if not fed will die rot and produce ammonia. So what sometimes happens is if the tank isn't fed, either by ghost feeding, adding a non-living shrimp, etc, you cycle stalls out before it even starts. The organisms must be fed to keep alive and for the cycle to continue to it's next stage. Once the 2 main bacteria have developed in your tank your cycle is complete. If you have a DSB there are 3 bacteria. But the 2 bacteria that feed on ammonia and nitrite must be cultured and their growth promoted in your tank for that cycle to complete. W/C's and or a DSB will remove your nitrate's. It seems to me your tank either hasn't cycled yet or if it did, you blinked and missed it ![]() But IMO, (I don't remember exactly what you put in there for LR and dead rock) I doubt you have enough LR in there to have accomplished that. Start dropping fish food or a cocktail shrimp in your tank for a week or so and see if there's any spike. If not, you may have cycled already. Fish poop will also feed the bacteria chain. Corals eats fish poop so the more I think about it, they may actually hinder the bacteria building process by eating that food source. I know there are certain challenges with coral only tanks so starting with fish seems to be the wisest choice. Hope that helps. |
#2
|
|||||
|
|||||
![]() Thanks everyone for the great input
Just to clarify - although I'm new to SW, I have decades of FW knowledge and have been voraciously reading about SW since last fall. I do understand the chemistry and bacterial functions. I've posted this as I know I need to grow my bacterial colonies and want something to feed I do have my QT running and I've already stated I will definately use it I see the point of not trying lps yet and will look at maybe some 'shrooms, but I'm not going after any zoas right now as I'm not sure I want any We haven't made it to the LFS yet but if we grab any fish it will only be 1 ( or 2 at most ) All that's growing right now is turf and HA, so it looks like the cycle is further along and I guarantee you it's stalled. This is why I want to get something to feed into it. I'll ponder ghost feeding while the new purchases are in QT, and will be hooking up the GFO reactor today to see how the algae reacts There are some feather dusters and sponge that made it through cooking so I didn't kill everything ![]() As for what I've already done; I have 2 Astreas and 1 Red Scalet Hermit All are milling about on the largest pile of LR. I guess they'll be my canary for now And don't worry, I am taking this slow, but I have to add something after a QT, right ? ![]() |
#3
|
|||||
|
|||||
![]() Also, I'll get some more LR for the sump but I'll cure it for at least up to a week to see what kind of shape it's in and what's hiding in it
![]() |
#4
|
|||||
|
|||||
![]() For those not following my build thread ...
I bought another 57lbs of LR yesterday from TaioneReefer. It appears to be cured. I'll watch it this week to see where the NO3 and PO4 are at The plan is to stuff as much of it into the sump as possible and maybe put a couple in the DT Finally getting some diatoms now so looks like the cycle hasn't stalled after all. Don't know if adding the astreas kick started it, but they sure have pooped a lot already. Time to crank up the vortechs a bit Last edited by gregzz4; 05-23-2012 at 12:02 AM. |