One week after set up and tank done cycling????

[Tieg]

Just wanting to make sure all was done well...here is what has happened from step one:

7/31/07
Set up tank with 20lbs live sand, 10 lbs of washed sand, 30 lbs of live rock, heater, and about 2-3 lbs of live rock (LR) in the bio filter (junked the bio balls). Used RO/DI water and reef salt. Bought from Ocean Reef Aquatics (ORA) $594.
8/2/07
TEST RESULTS
PH 8.2
NH3 .5 ppm
NO2 0 ppm
NO3 5 ppm
Located two gorilla crabs and weird looking insect with appendages that have fans on end of them indicating it as a filter feeder. Also introduced two turbo snails ($4) and two hermit crabs (one blue legged ($1) and one red legged ($2) from Shark’s Reef (SR). Caught a gorilla crab by hand and gave to Wayne for his refugium. Purchased thermometer ($12) from SR and test kit ($30) from ORA.
8/3/07
TEST RESULTS
PH 8.2
NH3 .3 ppm
NO2 0 ppm
NO3 5 ppm
Have identified insect as a porcelain crab (PC). Appears to be two smaller ones as well. Introduced another red legged crab ($2) and some zoanthids ($4) harvested from side of tank at SR. Observed reddish brown diatom bloom on sand associated with natural cycling of tank. More snails needed according to reference.

8/4/07
Introduced some feather dusters from Wayne’s tank along with some LR (about ¼ lb) that had some feather dusters attached.

8/5/07
TEST RESULTS
PH 8.1
NH3 .25 ppm
NO2 .25 ppm
NO3 20 ppm
Caught a gorilla crab using tumbler glass method with un-cook shrimp as bait. Noticed small dead porcelain crab possibly could not handle the cycling of tank. Big PC is doing well. Feather dusters doing well.

8/6/07
Caught another unknown crab by hand as well as a gorilla crab in the glass trap. Think maybe all the bad crabs are gone. Observed another dead unknown, small crab.

8/7/07
TEST RESULTS
PH 8.2
NH3 0 ppm
NO2 0 ppm
NO3 20 ppm
Observed dead blue legged hermit crab that was an obvious hitchhiker with LR as store bought hermits are accounted for. Tank has finished cycling as readings are right where we want them. Stacey has observed a white worm with bristles on the side aprox. 1-2 inches long.

My question: Is the tank suppose to take a week to cycle...I was under the impression we were looking at at least a month. Still some red brown stuff on the sand which I believe some snails can take care of. Any thoughts and ideas?

Also, should I increase my cleaning crew? Currently have the 2 turbo snails and the 3 hermit crabs. If so with what?

Here is what the tank looks like currently:

 

[Krish]

Tanks will vary on the time it takes to cycle. Some take month for the initial cycle to be completed and some just weeks. It all depends on the condition of the rock being used and how much die-off you experience. I think it was kind of early to introduce any life (inverts etc) which was 2 days after setup as sometimes you won't start reading any traces of ammonia or nitrite etc right away, but every tank is different. In any event, I'd just keep an eye on things and see how it goes as it is still early.

 

[Jim Hart]

rome wasnt built in a day, neither is a reef tank. Slooooow down.

 

[Jim Hart]

those turbos are doomed as there is nothing for them to eat.

 

[pitmam01]

While I don't advocate stocking a tank right away, with any livestock, mine was set up on a Saturday and stocked on a Tuesday. This was the doing of an over eager (jerkwad) LFS guy and my stupidity. I was extremely fortunate, I only lost 2 fish. It could have been a total loss but I was fortunate enough to find a great fish guy that has helped me immensly. If I had to do it all over, I would set the tank up, throw some raw shrimp in it and leave it alone for at least a month. Best of luck to you.

Diane

 

[DonW]

If I had to do it all over, I would set the tank up, throw some raw shrimp in it and leave it alone for at least a month. Best of luck to you.

Diane

Other than wasting a perfectly good raw shrimp, this will do nothing more than pollute a already polluted tank.

Don

 

[Jim Hart]

Get some algee growth at least.......then the snail will have somthing to eat.
I no longer do turbos they stink when they die.

 

[Tieg]

I'm sure your right and will probably regret putting critters in the tank so early. In all honesty I will keep you all appraised in regards to any die off. So far all die off I have observed have been associated with hitchikers. Will keep you posted...pardon the pun.

 

[jedimike]

Who's keeping the log? You or Stacey?

 

[mmkeeper]

You still need to see your nitrates drop closer to zero. Are you sure lost a hermit, it might molted.

 

[Tieg]

I'm active duty navy...thats all we do is keep logs.
I'm pretty sure its a hermit...got the claws and legs. Looks like a hermit out of the shell laying on its side .... dead.

 

[jezzeaepi]

Getting amonia and nitrites to 0 is only part of the battle. 20 nitrate is pretty high, which will start the next part of your cycle, the algae cycle =P Various algaes will spring up now untill you can get your nitrates and phosphates down to 0ish. Diatoms or red slime algae is usually the first, your green varities come next. Only after the aglaes are gone, and both nitrates and phosphates are at 0, would I consider a tank truly cycled and matured. That doesn't mean you cant add things though, you just have to go slow. Anything that you add during the algae cycle is only going to extend the length it takes, so make sure you really want whatever your getting =P What types of corals are you planning on keeping, or is it going to be fish and inverts?

Peace,
Jesse

 

[Damsel13]

Looks way too new, but sure is pretty. I agree with the others. Wait

 

[Tieg]

Jezzeaepe: My wife has fallen in love with zoanthids...so thats her plan...we already(and I cringe to type this due to some negative emails I'm starting to get) have a couple thriving in the tank...the store we got them from was cleaning his tank out and fragged them off of the side of the tank and was going to throw them away...so my wife snatched them up for free figuring if they were going to die they might as well die in the tank...as it stands they are actually growing now and look real pretty when the moonlight LED hits them.

Fish wise we eventually want to get a 12 line wrass, a pair of clowns, and a sea horse and leave it at that.

I no longer do turbos they stink when they die.

In regards to Jim Hart's statement...your correct...I don't like the turbos in such a small tank...I think I may trade them to a buddy of mine who has some pyarmids...they seem smaller and more fitting in.



As of this morning...tank was looking good and snails and crabs are doing fine.

 

[Scooterman]

Looks like one of those 29g cubes! Be aware the small size tank will have cycles you won't/may not catch on a test, It may take several test in one day to get a better idea, your sand will take many many cycles before it stabilizes, take test from within the substrate to see the results. Even though you can be through with your initial cycle It is good to be safe & wait a while longer, test often. In time & experience you may just be ready to add livestock but I wouldn't rush it regardless, a tank really doesn't start showing maturity the first year easy, larger system show even better longer, even though you can keep it stocked in your average 6 weeks or less.

 

[Mrktplayer]

FWIW, my tank cycled within a week and a half. Even during it's first month the parameters were looking "good enough" so I added fish. I lost 3 fish during this time because I didn't wait. Even though my tank cycled I should have waited longer.

 

[jeffnewt]

My tank is also doing a strange cycle. I think the quality of the live rock depends highly on the bacteria cycle. For example, fully cured liverock that is basically switched from one tank to the other, can simply start to add nitrate producing bacteria to the mix, keeping the nitrite low and preventing it from "spiking" even if there is ammonia in the water (1 ppm or so). I cycled my last fish only tank using a bottle of the bacteria you add, and it was about 2 weeks with damsels, but no live rock.

This current 60g is done cycling for the most part, its been 8 days. The live rock I used was pretty good. However, if the rock was horrible and just full of crap(not just ditritus) I am sure I would have been looking at much more typical cycle. I also think the live sand(which I didn't use) swould speed it along faster.

 

[Tieg]

Well 2 weeks after setting up tank tank is doing great. The chemistry is right where I would expect it (0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and nitrates are around 20 ppm however the local store we have tested it and said it was around 5 ppm as of yesterday.) Nothing has died and the zoanthids my wife has gotten are doing great. Have noticed algae starting to grow on the glass and thinking that I will need more snails...although I have dumped the turbo snails as they are to big the 4 pyramid snails seem to be quite active along with the 2 hermits. For a 29 gal tank...what would be a suggestion for an appropriate cleaning crew? species and numbers of them?

 

[Mrktplayer]

I don't know the answers to what you are looking for (without referencing), but I try to get a variety since certain cleaning crews have specific functions. The biggest cleaning crew is myself. Snails don't get all the algae on the glass, so that's where I come in. I got 2 emerald crabs to combat bubble algae, but a lot of that was caused by me. I think using good RO water and careful feeding (underfeeding?) is best combat against algae.

I'm still a noob, but that's what I got from my observations.

 

[Tieg]

Its been 2 days short of a month since set up. Have multiple zoanthids and a frog spawn. Some feather dusters have popped out and I have harvested out 2 bristle worms and a few crabs which were unwanted hitchhikers. One bristle worm was about 3-4 inches long and after a week and a half sitting in a tupperware container it is still alive. We have 3 fish in the tank. 2 false clowns and 1 12 line wrass. All are doing great. Have yet to see any die off and get a bit of algae build up on the glass. The snails work at it in the morning and I finish by scrubbing the glass at the end of the day. Clowns are funny as they follow the magnet while I scrub it. Will post a pic of the tank in a bit.

My biggest gripe I have is my test kit. It measures 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and between 40 and 50 nitrates which at first scared me. I would take the water to 2 of the local stores and they use a different test kit and get the same readings except for the nitrates. They get less then 5 ppm. I do not have a lot of confidence in the test kit I have which entails a drop like solution. I'll post the brand name when I get home. The stuff the 2 local stores use have this powder they put in and both are getting the same readings. I believe those due to I don't observe any stress at all in the tank. I did a water change about a week ago of about 2 gals and the test kit still didn't indicate a drop in the nitrates. The guy at the store says he gets a lot of complaints due to inaccuracy. I complain to because from 5 to 45 ppm difference in nitrates is a pretty important difference.

Any thoughts? By the way...have a bristle worm to give away if anyone interested