No real cycle?

[SevTT]

I've got a 29 gallon tank with a 20 gal sump/fuge beneath it. On Sunday 4/19 I added about 20 lbs of live rock and 30 lbs of live sand, and a big clump of chaeto full of detritus and some critters (a few small snails and bloodworms) in the 'fuge. I also got a few corals -- a kenya tree, a patch of star polyps, and a lone, hitchiking zoa.

Today I noticed the beginnings of hair algae across my glass -- it looks like stubble -- though there's nothing growing on the sand yet, as far as I can tell.

I tested the water today and had zeros across the board on Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. Of course, I know that my tank hasn't cycled, but it doesn't seem to be going through the usual cycle -- probably because there wasn't enough dead stuff on my rock, I guess.

I'm thinking of picking up some more live rock from a LFS over the weekend, along with some live sand and maybe a couple of small snails, to start dealing with the algae and for an ammonia source.

Thoughts? Should I hold off on the snails? I want to get my tank populated with all the low-level life I need so that it can start supporting higher-level life.

 

[Awibrandy]

I'd feed a little fish food, wait a couple of days and test the water again.
Please don't rush nature!!!!

And why not look in the 4 sale forum for lr being sold? You'll save $$$$$.

 

[SevTT]

And why not look in the 4 sale forum for lr being sold? You'll save $$$$$.

Yeah, but there were a few pieces I saw in one store that I have a plan for.

 

[basiab]

If the live rock has already been cured in the LFS then it will not produce much of a cycle for you. So as already noted, add food or whatever will produce ammonia.

 

[alfani]

YO !! normally for a tank to fully cycle, it would take 5-7 weeks, you started on 4/19, that's only 4 days.

 

[SevTT]

YO !! normally for a tank to fully cycle, it would take 5-7 weeks, you started on 4/19, that's only 4 days.

True, but from what I understand, at this point, I should be seeing more ammonia (and need that, in order to have full colonization of the system) and less algae. I don't want to wind up waiting even longer for the cycle to complete because of a lack of fertilizer at the beginning, as it were.

 

[KathyC]

It will start soon. As Awilda said add a tiny bit off flake food every 2 or 3 days to feed the bacteria (and snails) in there. Btw - those are probably bristle worms not bloodworms.
Patience is key in this hobby

What are you plans for the tank?

 

[Aquatic Life Direct]

is the rock cured?

 

[SevTT]

is the rock cured?

Yep. Well-cured LR out of someone's tank they were breaking down.

 

[SevTT]

It will start soon. As Awilda said add a tiny bit off flake food every 2 or 3 days to feed the bacteria (and snails) in there. Btw - those are probably bristle worms not bloodworms.

Aah, yeah. I realised the mistake about the worms after I posted. I'm just used to using the former for bait. And I'm gonna pick up some food when I hit up the fish store tomorrow. Anything you'd recommend at this point that'd still be something I'd want later on?

What are you plans for the tank?

"Cthulhoid terror field," as someone I know online put it -- A reef tank with lots and lots of tentacles and other strangeness -- so LPS, zoas, ricordea, and encrusting polyps and Xenia and such. I'm far enough from stocking more (corals than the ones that I got free with the rock) that I haven't thought much about the specifics, yet, but some pulsing Xenia are probably going to be the first thing into the tank. Also, things with chitin, bristles, etc are a plus -- eventually I want some brittle stars and a nice active sand-bed.

I want to rely primarily on biological filtration, so I'm going to add more LR over time and as I said, I'm getting live sand tomorrow to build up my sandbed a bit. I plan on adding live rock rubble to the 'fuge (when I see someone selling it cheap!), which right now just has a thin layer of sand and a big ball of chaeto.

 

[Awibrandy]

Lots of folks here like to feed Formula 1 & 2 pellets(small pellets) as 1 of many dry foods goes.

 

[jrobbins]

if you are going cycle by adding ammonia (food or fish poop), or you think that one is going to happen, why did you already throw coral into the tank???

 

[Wes]

Yep. Well-cured LR out of someone's tank they were breaking down.

you may never see a cycle if you used fully cured rock and kept the rock in water when you transported it.

 

[KathyC]

if you are going cycle by adding ammonia (food or fish poop), or you think that one is going to happen, why did you already throw coral into the tank???

Jon...the corals came on the rock he bought, he didn't add them

 

[SevTT]

if you are going cycle by adding ammonia (food or fish poop), or you think that one is going to happen, why did you already throw coral into the tank???

'Cause the guy I got the LR from gave them to me for free -- a kenya tree frag and some star polyps on a clamshell. It's not like I had somewhere else to put 'em. They're hardy, and they're growing, so they seem to be doing OK.