Cycling tank question.

[bignose]

Hello everyone, It has been quite some time since I've been here and I have forgotten allot of what I knew. So that being said I have a couple newbie questions.
I started up a 38g tank which I intend on keeping a couple of clown fish for my kids. It has been a week since I added salt water and dead love rock and 4 days since I added a couple pellets of fish food. I know that the cycle has started because of the stench.

1. How long will the smell last?
2. Can I run carbon to control the smell or will this slow the cycle?

[WarDog]

Adding carbon should help with the smell. Although I don't think you should have a foul smell at all. You wont know when the cycle has ended without really measuring Nitrate (No3). A cheap Ammonia badge will also let you know when it's safe to add fish... Ammonia at 0. You might also want to pick up some Brightwells MicroBacter7, awesome stuff for any tank start up.

Can you share any pictures?

[bignose]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Myka]

Originally Posted by bignose

Hello everyone, It has been quite some time since I've been here

It certainly has! Welcome back!

You said "dead live rock"? As in it was live rock in a previous tank, and you dried it out? If so, that's why it stinks. If I were you I would check nitrate and phosphate with good quality kits and make sure they are within reason before adding light to the tank. Dried out live rock will release a bunch of old organics. A bleach bath would have helped remove the organics. Report back once the cycle is over with NO3 and PO4 readings. If they are more than 5 ppm and 0.1 ppm respectively, you'll want to do something about it before turning the lights on.

[bignose]

Thanks Myka. I wish I knew about bleach bathing dried LR for organics. I can deal with the smell for now but if it gets out of hand I'll run carbon.
I don't have a light for this tank yet. I kept my 4' from my last tank, if I use it I'll hang the extra 1' out one side and put a plant beside the tank.