75 gallon tank with 90lbs of cured live rock has been cycling for 4 weeks with just the rock. After week 1 I added two damsels. I have been taking measurements every few days of Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrates. I had the typical brown algae bloom throughout. In all of my testing, I've never registered any significant ammounts of any of the 3 listed compounds. Given that it is a month since the tank was setup and I am not registering ammonia, I introduced a few snails for the algae and a brittle star. The snails and the brittle star died within a few hours. My test kits are salifert and LaMotte (good kits). I've tried two ammonia test kits to be sure - they both show no ammonia. I don't get it and I am flustered. The damsels are doing fine, but the invertebrates died quickly. Whats going on? My specific gracvity is 1.024 and temp is 80. I apologize for the loss of the snails and brittle star...help!
cycling problems
- Thread starter obie
- Start date
2 more details. I have about 6 hermit crabs in there - been there for about 2 weeks. No issues. The snails don't appear to be dead after 48 hours. I removed them, and they still react to the touch (closing into their shells) - they just have never moved from where they were put in the tank.
Two damsels over 75 gallons is a pretty low bioload and probably wouldnt cause much of an ammonia spike I would say that with 90lbs of rock and 4 weeks your tank has probably cycled.
you say you've never registered any "significant" amounts of nitrites or nitrates But if you can measure these at all it shows the cycle has at least partially completed Ammonia becomes Nitrite becomes Nitrate.
In my expierence an ammonia spike is followed by a nitrate spike and the formation of tiny gas bubbles on the rock surface as the bacteria breaks these substances down and releases nitrios oxide.
IMO your cycle has probably completed and your losses are due to poor acclimation procedures. Stars are sensitive to changes in salinity and should really be kept at 1.025-1.026 specific gravity
I acclimate evrything by floating the bag and adding a cup of tank water to it every 10 mins until the bag is full(usually three times)this reduces any differences between the tank water and the bag you fish came in and allows him to adjust slowly
Have you LFS check your water to be sure and follow better acclimation procedures
HTH
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you say you've never registered any "significant" amounts of nitrites or nitrates But if you can measure these at all it shows the cycle has at least partially completed Ammonia becomes Nitrite becomes Nitrate.
In my expierence an ammonia spike is followed by a nitrate spike and the formation of tiny gas bubbles on the rock surface as the bacteria breaks these substances down and releases nitrios oxide.
IMO your cycle has probably completed and your losses are due to poor acclimation procedures. Stars are sensitive to changes in salinity and should really be kept at 1.025-1.026 specific gravity
I acclimate evrything by floating the bag and adding a cup of tank water to it every 10 mins until the bag is full(usually three times)this reduces any differences between the tank water and the bag you fish came in and allows him to adjust slowly
Have you LFS check your water to be sure and follow better acclimation procedures
HTH
_________________
Gossip Girl Forum
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