New tank cycling

[Nht8134]

I set up my 29 Gallon OCeanic nano tank about 4 weeks ago using all the live rock and water from my friend's already established tank. I used Aquarium Pharmaceuticals and Instant Ocean test kits to test my water. Ammonia and Nitrite are all 0ppm...However, my nitrates are ski high at 100ppm on one and 70ppm on the Instant Ocean! I was surprised when I saw the test results so I tested 5 times more. It was right.

Are nitrates in a cycling tank usually that high? Ive heard conflicting advise on what to do with my tank at this point in my tanks cycling.

Some have told me to leave the tank alone and the nitrates will go down on its on and that would indicate that it is done cycling.

Others have argued that I should go ahead and do frequent water changes to bring the nitrates down and then Im ready to go.

What do you guys think? Ive also added a small refugium 2 days ago to the back chambers with chaeto. Change the water to bring nitrates down or leave it alone and let the chaeto perform its duties?

 

[aquarius77]

I would do a water change.

 

[bleedingthought]

Go get your water tested somewhere else, for sure! LFSs will usually test it for free. Go to a couple of different ones. Also, what test kits are you using? And how old are they? Where are they kept? Some test kits are pretty junky. And as they get older, and kept in hot/cold conditions, they get even more crazy. :wink:

How long have you had the tank set up?

 

[Nht8134]

I used Aquarium Pharmaceuticals kit and Instant Ocean. I was a bit astonished by the first tests so I went out and bought the Instant Ocean it confirmed the results. Both test kits are new and it is stored under my tank in the stand. The nitrate was ski high. Any ideas what could be shooting my nitrates this high?

I did a 40% water change today and tested the water 2 hours later. The nitrates were still very high. Please help me......

 

[bleedingthought]

Well, you should still get more confirmations. Go to a couple of LFS like I said, and get it checked there as well. :wink: Both of those test kits aren't really that good. Well, if they are that high, something has got to be causing it. First of, what were the nitrates like in your friend's tank? What kind of filtration do you have on this tank? Filter pads, floss, socks, bioballs, and things of the sort can accumulate detritus and build up nitrates.

Did you go through a cycle? Did ammonia go up and then the nitrite and then they came down?

You could be in for another water change, but first...

Post everything you possibly can about your tank. Every detail. We'll go from there. :wink:

 

[Nht8134]

29 Gallon Biocube
No bioballs
Small refuge with chaeto
filter floss and pads which I change or rinse every few days

Tank has been setup for a bout a month so far. I know my friends tank is in pristine conditioon because his sps are doing great. At first i never tested the ammonia and nitrates untill recently. Now the ammonia and nitrates are in range. Its just the nitrates are ski high. I just changed the water yesterday and tested and the nitrates were at 80ppm.

 

[bleedingthought]

Not as much info as I thought, but ok...

What kind of water are you using? Have you tested that water for the nitrates? Do that.

Did the nitrates rise since you setup the tank or were they always high? Were they ever at 0?

You could do another water change, about 50-75%, considering you don't have any livestock in the tank. I'm assuming you have a good amount of rock (20-30 pounds) so you'll be fine. First though, I would make sure that your tests match up those of someone else's kits. Try your friend that you got the rock from. Also, make sure you blast your rocks with a turkey baster or small powerhead and syphon out all the detritus that might have fallen off your rock. Test your nitrates again.

But again, make sure your water is good before anything.

Let us know! :wink:

 

[Nht8134]

For test kits, I have used 3 different kits

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals 80-90ppm
Instant Ocean 50ppm
Red Sea 0ppm???? I dont know how this could read a 0.

My tank is a 29 gallon. Ive already done a 7 gallon water change and also a 10 gallon water change within the last week but the nitrates have not budged. I use water from my RO/DI and Ive even tested it with different test kits and nitrates read at 0ppm.

The only thing that I can think of at this point is that Ive been using Joe's Juice to kill the aiptasia in my tank every other day. Could this be the reason? The Joes Juice or the dying aiptasia is raising the nitrates?

BTW Im using about 30-35 lbs of live rock. Most cured but a small amount uncured dead rock.

I want to do a really big water change.(75%) but my concern is...would I be taking the "good cycling" water out? Does that mean that my tank would go through another cycle or is it ok?

I have

 

[bleedingthought]

If you have dead rock, then it's not helping with the good bacteria. Depending on how much live rock you've got, you gotta be careful with how much water you're changing. But like I said before, you don't have any livestock yet, so it's all a matter of patience.

Have you gotten your water tested at a LFS or at a friend's house yet? You should do that. And if you're looking for an accurate test kit, look for salifert. It's one of the best.

 

[trido]

For test kits, I have used 3 different kits

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals 80-90ppm
Instant Ocean 50ppm
Red Sea 0ppm???? I dont know how this could read a 0.

I am not familiar with the instant ocean kit but would trust the zero reading from red sea befor the doc wellfish (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals). Bleeding is right in suggesting you go to LFS for a second opinion.

Also you said that you have a small amount of uncured dead rock. Dou you mean that is was bleached in the sun and is dead, or it has alot of decaying dead matter on it that is causing an additional spike during your cycle.

I didnt read any where. Are you still going through the initial cycle? IF so, the ammonia and nitrites have cycled and your are on the home stretch. Simply do another water change and wait it out like the rest of us did. Unless you have some hitchhikers you are desperate to save you really dont have much to be worried about.

.

 

[Nht8134]

Well...I have good reason to think that the Red SEa kit is defective so theyre sending me another kit by weeks end. We will see how that goes.

As for the addition of the live rock, yes it was left out in the sun for a 2 weeks because I did not think I was going to use it and it was bleached.

Ammonia and nitrates are at 0ppm. I have some button polyps that have survived the cycle and the high nitrates and have actually colonized pretty well. I started with 5 and now there are about 12-13 polyps. Would this be a good indication that my nitrates are not that high and the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit is not giving me a right reading or button polyps just not sensitive to nitrates?

Thank you all for taking the time to respond and lend a helping hand.

 

[bleedingthought]

I have some button polyps that have survived the cycle and the high nitrates and have actually colonized pretty well. I started with 5 and now there are about 12-13 polyps. Would this be a good indication that my nitrates are not that high and the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit is not giving me a right reading?

Probably.