Week Old 155 Gallon Bowfront. cycling?

You don't need the lights on at all for the first month or two while it's cycling. It's not required for the cycling bacteria, will only encourage algea to start up quicker before a cleanup crew can go in, and you can save on the electric bill.

 

It's a slow process. I'm on day 8.

180 gallon temp 78 degrees.
Added dead shrimp on day 1

9-28 PH 8.4 , Ammonia 0, Nh2 0, nh3, 0
9-29 PH 8.4, A 0, NH2 0, NH3 0
9-30 PH 8.4, A 0, NH2 0, NH3 0
added Damsel removed shrimp

10-1 PH 8.4, A .5, NH2 0 , NH3 0
10-2 PH 8.4, A .75 , NH2 0, NH3 0
10-3 PH 8.4, A .75 , NH2 0, NH3 0
Added 2 more fish
10-4 PH 8.4, A 1.0 , NH2 0, NH3 0
10-5 PH 8.4, A 1.0 , NH2 0, NH3 0

As you can see it's a slow process...After 8 days I still haven't seen any nitrites, but according to the LFS one Damsel isn't much in a 180 gallon.

 

yah i've been through it before for my 12g tank.. didn't seem like i had to wait very long on that one though... I've got 2 Chromis instead of the Damsels.. I figured if they're going to make it through the cycle.. Might as well be a fish I sorta like to look at :]

Thanks for everyones advice! I'll try to snap another pic tonight before I pass out

 

just had the battle of all time with my overflows.. initially i fixed "the dreaded gurgle" with a bic pen and a bottle cap with a hole drilled through it.. and capped the pipe.. well that worked for about an hour and then it started the gurgles again.. so after realizing the left side wasn't draining at all.. as it was higher then the right side.. i figured I'd lift the hood off again.. to correct it once in for all.. bought some 1" pvc and a coupling.. and pretty much had to max out the right side of the overflow to get the left side to drain at all.. but its no longer gurgling and its super quiet.. so i'm excited.. I think my 12 gallon nano is louder..

the 2 chromis.. are still kickin.. i feel bad i only bought 2 as i realized they were schooling fish.. so maybe when the tank gets cycled i'll buy a few dozen of those instead of anthias.. bit cheaper

 

Just wanted to mention, after you stating something about putting sponges in from your 12g nano, that you shouldn't put sponges in any type of tank if the implications are that they will die. There are quite a few varieties of sponges that will cause harmful toxins if they die in a tank. So be sure to get them out of that tank before they DO die.

Secondly, out of 3 tanks that I have cycled in the past (a 75, a 90, and a 125- with different test kits each time), I have never seen ammonia or nitrites spike, despite testing every second day. Fact is, is that some cycles occur so quickly and with such a minute amount of waste, that you will never be able to tell that it cycled. However, if you used the live sand that was in the tank previously (probably full of all sorts of waste that will spark a cycle pretty quickly), your tank would probably be fully cycled in 2-3 weeks. Just leave your tank alone for that period of time, and spend that time doing some research on what type of corals/fish you intend on putting into it, and in what order. After 3-4 weeks you would be safe on adding one hardier fish, than keep an eye on it, wait a bit, than add another, etc, etc. Another good indicator to watch for would be the diatom algae bloom. Typically means that you finally have nitrates in your tank and that they are being used to form the diatom algae, which also uses the silicates from the salt water to form their di-atom shell. (Many salt brands will be higher or lower in silicates, but it is a necessary fact that all salt brands will contain silicates).
Lastly, be patient. As you have problably learned from your 12 g nano, nothing good in this hobby happens fast. Only bad things happen fast. So don't rush anything, or you're bound to have something terrible happen (Believe there is a thread around 3reef right now about the worst thing that has ever happened to your tank- should read it!). Go slow, take your spare time to do research and watch your tank slowly develop into a beautiful reef.

In this hobby, knowledge is more powerful than any metal halide lighting system you can buy. Remember that.

 

I thought the same thing until I got one myself, most peaceful fish I have next to my Naso.

 

I had a 155 BF for 8 yrs you will love this tank when you get her all set up, I think when I took it down I had around 260lbs of rock (went in the 390) in it so you got a way to go. Keep it up you won’t be disappointed

 

not those kind of sponges.. sry They were the filter sponges that were in the sump when i took delivery of the tank.. friend had it up and running a day before i set it up..

Will I need to run the halides for the diatom bloom?

 

diatoms feed off silicates, not light.

 

thx for clearing that up for me! Looks so good with the halides running.. can't wait to have something to look at heh