Cycling!!

[jmsandy]

Hello all,

I have had my tank cycling from about mid November until now. I am frustrated as there are still some trace amounts of ammonia (about .25) according to the test kit I am using. Now I am starting to wonder if the test kit is accurate! I am not sure what kind it is, the ammonia test is a two bottle test and the bottles are white.

The reason I write all of you is because I have found a great deal on fish that I want in my tank, 2 occelaris clowns and a 4 inc. blue hippo tang for 60 dollars total (included is an automatic feeder) What do you all think I should do? Should I go ahead and add the fish or what? I will give you all a final reading of hte parameters of the tank tonight..


I know patience is the key but for goodness sakes, I used cured established liverock out of someonelse's tank, someonelse's sand, RO water, etc. What more can I do!

John

 

[Anonymous]

What more can you do? Not screw things up now by loosing patience

If there is a trace of ammonia then the environment is still too toxic for most critters. What are you reading for nitrite and nitrate? By all means go get another brand of test kit if you doubt the one you have, it never hurts to double check results. As far as the "buy", even if your tank was showing zero, adding that much livestock as once isn't smart.

The biofilter takes time to establish itself, bacterial colonies don't double overnight. What I mean is that you must add bioload SLOWLY, and let the good lil bacteria reproduce enough to catch up with the added burden. If you overload it too soon (meaning lots of ammonia produced with the biofilter unable to process it), all you will do is kill fish, grow garbage algae and waste money.

 

[jmsandy]

The Nitrites are at 0, the Nitrates are at 10. I tested the RO water that I have been using to refill the evaporated water, it had small amounts of ammonia in it.....I believe that my tank has cycled but that my "RO" water is a piece of crap........This has to be it...I added some ammonia remover into the tank....What else can I do? I mean I have been cycling this thing for a month and a half, it has to be done cylcing if Nitrates are showing up with no Nitrites.....Any thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

If you suspect the fresh water as the cause, get a freshwater ammonia kit and test the water coming out of the tap, and then again post-RO filtration.

 

[jmsandy]

I did, I tested the RO water it had traces of Ammonia on it

 

[mr_X]

i would spend the money on a R.O.D.I. unit instead of some common clowns and regal tang. that deal can be duplicated later.

 

[jmsandy]

THIS IS THE TIHNG THAT IS PISSING ME OFF!! I JUST BOUGHT A CORALIFE THREE CHAMBERED RO UNIT!!! I have been told the city of Minneapolis has a high ammonia level in its tap water....errrrr I dont think the problem is the tank cylcing, I think I am adding amonia to the tank from the RO water or MAYBE when I sprayed Windex on the towel it got in the tank but I highly doubt that as I sprayed like in the next room and I hvae a glass top on my aquarium, it has to be hte RO water

 

[mr_X]

before you do anything, i'd get a different test kit. buy a salifert test kit. they are a little pricey, but their accuracy is much better.

 

[snewganz]

Here's a thought. If a trace amount of ammonia is present in your water source, then you have essentially been adding ammonia everytime you do a water change or top off. This could be a good thing in a way, because you have esentially been feeding the bacteria responsible for your biological filtration. I would check my source for the presents of nitrates also as you mentioned that your tank water tested at 10 for nitrates. If no nitrates are present in your source, then I would be inclined to believe that your tank is at least mostly cycled. remember, first come the ammonia => nitrite bacteria, then the nitrite=>nitrate bacteria. If you have 0 nitrite and 10 nitrate, then the nitrite=>nitrate conversion is working great. I am assuming that you have not done any major water change that would dilute and keep your nitrate count in check. Anyways, i would do a water change using clean, ammonia free RO seawater, wait a day, and check again. if no ammonia of nitrites are present, and only a trace amount of nitrates, then congratulations, your tank is cycled and you may now start slowly adding livestock. The most important thing for all of us marine aquarists/reefkeepers to remember when dealing with water quality is that at a Ph of 8.2, ammonia is FAR more toxic than at 7.0. Good luck to ya.