tank cycle for reef

so we've recently been told that our tank went through its first cycle yayy! only because the ammonia is at 0 and our nitrates went up... its only been 10 days so i know theres more to come but im hoping for the best. weve added quiet a bit of live rock and another bag of sand making the total spent on the 110 g tank 1200 dollars... geez.
my question is... when we filled the tank we used tap water not thinkin anything of it... we want a reef tank eventually and was told to get rid of the water and replace it asap because if we wait then well start the cycle from the beginning again... no fun for us or the nemo (whos bein a trooper).
the guy said that he recommends doing a 75% water change... i think this is gonna be too much for the nemo and was wondering if we continuously did smaller water changes, say about 20-30% if it would cycle out enough of the tap water to make our tank safe for reefs?
any ideas? its a waste to have bought all that salt to dump it out but itll be better in the long run for the reef.

 

Well IMO I'd take your clownfish back to the store you purchased it from. Cycling a tank with fish in it is cruel, due to the fluctuations of ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites it burns the fish's gills. Since you've already started with tap water I believe its too late unless you want to start completely over. If it were me id let the tank run its course and then do water changes with Ro/Di filtered water. Again just my opinion...

 

but if i let it finish the cycle and then switch the water wouldnt it restart the cycle? that was the question.


i tried to take the clown back but unfortunately that wasnt an option. lps sux, i know but ive bought all the neccessary and prolly unneccessary chemicals to alleviate as much as i can for him. i check the water approx. 6 times a day and add aquatel, prime, and microbacteria and also stress relief any time theres a trace of ammonia, nitrite, or nitrates.

 

The only way for a tank to cycle is to allow those 3 (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite) run their course. I dont mean do a 100% water change, just do normal water changes with ro/di and over time it'll slowly wean out the tap water. However, it will never be 100% gone...

 

thank you

 

Im almost positive some of the other members will chime in with better info the what Im giving you. After all, Im still a rookie myself...

 

But using tap water isn't she taking a chance of having phosphates in her tank? Unless she had good tap water?

 

I started a tank with tap water as a fowlr. Later I upgraded and some of that water ended up in my reef. Just do all of your top off and water changes with ro/di water and you will be ok. Watch your params tho.

Bacteria colonizes the rock and the sand so if you wanted to do a huge water change you could. Just waste all that salt. And there is a chance the rock and sand has already soaked up the phosphates and migrated which is bad.

I agree cycling with fish is bad, however if your ammonia is at 0, no need to return the fish now. Just give it a good life from here on out.

Good luck

Sent from my Evo

 

I started with tap water but having been doing >10 percent water changes each week with ro/di and my params are great. Don't dump it all, just make sure you are changing the water.

No one really knows how much the cycle hurts the fish. It could be like working out at the gym, it could be like giving childbirth. Maybe someday we will know for sure. What I am trying to say, is don;t feel too bad. Just don't add anymore fish for awhile. Welcome to the hobby/addiction!

 

thank you everyone. im definately glad i asked before i wasted more money on salt. ill get a tester to check the perims before i start adding to my reef.