Getting Closer,got to keep calm...

The tank has been cycling now for around 3 and a half weeks, the water is clear and the nitrite has peaked and is on quite a rapid decline. The ammonia is still present - I checked the water that was in the bag when I introduced a few pieces of Live rock a couple of weeks ago and it has the same level - so I think I need to get a new ammonia test kit (the LFS is spectacular - cant see them having any ammonia present).

The live rock I added has a few nice growth of purple algae - I've only seen one minute critter, a baby snail a few mm's in length. My tufa rock is starting to colour to a light brown from algae growth - I need to get a phosphate test kit as well by the looks of it.

Just got to try and resist putting any fish in.

This is really exciting! feeling quite pumped!

(sound like a total newb, I know!)

 

It's great seeing your tank progress. Mine has been up and running for about 6 months and there is so many new things that crop up here and there. Be patient it is well worth it. By the way, do not panic when you get your diatom bloom (brown), it will go away after a couple of weeks. I panicked when I got mine, then I found this forum and got some great advice.

I also used a few cocktail shrimp in a bag to speed up the cycle, better that than putting in a few fish....especially those damsels!!

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Thanks for the tips Frizza (love your tank!).

Looks like the cycle has completed as nitrite has just reached zero. The ammonia levels are still bothering me but the test states freshwater (it by Hagen - but it seems strange as other tests in the set cater for FW and SW). The test states it covers NH3 and NH4 and if I'm using the ph/conversion scale correctly, then the reading is negligable - between 0.00 to 0.03 (which would tie in on why the LFS water tested the same).

Is this safe as I may introduce a fish today. I was thinking of a Coral Beauty - I've looked at the specs and it seems suitable as my tank size is very close to the 30g requirement. Just not sure if the tank is mature enough to handle one - last thing I want is a disease outbreak (I've got a constant fear/anger regarding Ich as it wiped out half of me Cichlids around 6 months ago - killing 3 that I had reared for 2 years from babies).

I really don't want to start adding damsels - great fish, Im sure, but no attraction for me and I dont want valuable stocking space taken up.

Maybe some Clowns? Love the Maroon Clownfish but I need to research if its suitable.

With the diatom bloom, should I remove the algae from the tank sides / main rocks? or leave it to sort itself out?

The one thing that does not look stable is the pH - its reading at 7.8 - which is know-where near right. I have Caribsea sugar sand (30lb) as substrate and I thought this was meant to help maintain a steady correct pH? Looks like this need to be corrected before I do any thing else - would the best way be to add a chemical stabilizer? I'd prefer to do it naturally with the least amount of additives but not sure how - I thought the substrate would have helped but that looks like a negative.

 

I would hold off on fish. Nitrite is a bi-product of ammonia so if you do actually still have ammonia in the tank you will soon have nitrite. I would buy a better test kit and check it again.
You will start to get algae blooms now. usually a brown algae (Diatom)that will drive you nuts. It tanks about 3 weeks to work it's way out of the system, give or take. I don't think removing it helps a hole bunch This will not harm fish but can kill off coral.
It will take some time for your PH to stablize but a PH buffer could bring it up.
Coral Beauty would be a good first fish. ya I agree with you. Don't put any fish in your tank you don't want.

Good Luck

J

 

As Jason said...

The first fish I put in was a pair of clowns, so ditto getting what you want. Hold fire for now and wait till you are sure your levels are Ok.

As far as the bloom I didn't do anything, completely left it alone for a few weeks. I must admit the tank looked horrible, brown stuff over the rocks, substrate and glass. Then all of a sudden it dissapeared!

 

Yeah take it slow, but as soon as you have confirmed that the NH3, NO2 and NO3 are in range I'd put in a pair of clowns. (Ass-u-ming you plan to keep some.) You have to work to kill those buggers off and it will keep you tank cycling.

Not that I recommend it, but you would be shocked at how fast I had finned critters in my 300. (Less than 1 week for damsels and tangs in 1 month.) Of course, I pre-aged my rock for 2 weeks and have a monster sump. I only saw trace NH3 for under 5 days and never had NO3 or NO2 spikes.

BTW, you might want to update your profile with your tank info just in case you have problems or questions.

 

Damn! Well, I went almost as slow as I could but it's not good.

I checked readings for 3 days after my last post/reply and all was good. 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitirite, pH 8.2 and the hydrometer checked in at 1.022. Water was crystal but the diatom had started. I introduced 2 Green Chromis (kind of grew on me) and monitored the levels.

All good for around 2 days then one of my worst nightmares and arch nemesis - Whitespot! All over the 2 fish within just as many days. I was going to quarantine but I found Esha Oodinex at my LFS and I was reccommended to use this for the Ich and told it was totally Reef safe so should not effect the bio filtration or live rock.

I will finish the 3 day course tomorrow (the whitespot dissappeared within 24 hrs- I was well impressed!) But now one of the Chromis has cloudy eyes and it looks like the Ich is back and the nitrite level is spiking.

Really dissapointed - with myself for not showing more patience (even though the readings were good) and also for the fact that I have another battle with ****ing Ich! I now ave a brown tank and possibly 2 dying fish (if my last stint with Ich is anything to go by).

Looks like Esha Oodinex is pretty ineffective. I've just done a 25% water change and it looks like a waiting game. Damn!

 

Sorry to hear that you're having problems especially this early on.

For such a new tank those fish must have already been carrying ich. Once it's in your tank then it will take a while to get rid of it! If you can take the fish out then the ich will die off as it has nothing to latch onto...or so I've read.

If you do remove the fish then by the time the diatom bloom goes away and you've left your tank for a few weeks after that then hopefully the ich would have died off.

Others here might have some better advice for you.

Good luck.

 

Hi Podrelease

The Whitespot you have has nothing much to do with how long you cycled your tank as it is a parasite, a living creature that has found its way into your tank and it has to be eradicated before you proceed with adding any other livestock. I would immediately take those fish back to the LFS that sold them to you and tell them they need to keep them in quarantine for you until you can eliminate the parasite that they have ( perhaps unwittingly ) caused you to introduce into your tank. Please do a search on 3Reef for the different methods of eradicating ICH for the method of getting rid of the Whitespot.

The other thing that need clarification is your 'understanding' of the Nitrogen cycle The cycle is NEVER complete, it is an ongoing and hopefully balanced reaction that helps keep the basic chemical reaction. I am not sure whether I am just being pedantic or not but it is important that you understand the difference and that you don't think that once the Nitrites and Ammonia levels disappear they they never return.

Anyway, go give the gov of the LFS a bit of bovva, and tell ím from me right that unless he gives ya fish some gaff then watch out.

Cheers

John

 

Wow!

I'ts been a fair few months since I last posted about my tank.

Kinda wierd to read my previous posts as I had no idea I was so impatient and inexperienced I sounded - so thanks to the all the Reefers who posted so generously.

Well the tank? I purchased a Coral Beauty as the first permanent fish around the beginning of June and Bamn! The whitespot kicked in and I thought - what am I doing? I know the tank is'nt right and I'm still tryiing to stock (and make the poor fish suffer). So I slowed down, used some solutions for the Spot and also freshwater dips for the Beauty. It was a difficult time - the poor guy's fins started to degrade severely and he developed an eye infection (I thought ok,another one bites the dust - oh well....). So I monitored the parameters and used regular water changes and promised myself - No More Fish! - not until you can properly look after the first main marine fish you've bought.

Well, it's some 2 and a alf months since I last posted and the Coral Beauty is doing fine - feeding well and swimming around confidently - all his fins have recovered totally and he looks great!

I'm only now thinking of the next fish -it's been a steep learning curve and I'm still very much near/at the bottom of that curve but I'm kinda glad I experienced it as I think I'm much more mature in my approach and this can only be a good thing for my tank.

It's good to read all the posts from new keepers - one bit of advice from my humble experience - g o s l o w.............