cycle finished??

[ClownieandBilly]

My new 130gal reef tank has been cycling for 6 weeks now and in the last five days my parameters have went from
amonia 0
nitrate 100
nitrite 4

to
amonia 0
nitrate 25
nitrite 0

i have a few important questions

1. Is the cycle compete?
2.Can i now remove remains of cocktail shrimp?
3.Can i now add LR?
4.Do i now turn skimmer on?
5.Do i need to do any water change now?
6.What ratio KG/GAL of LR will i need(i will also be seeding 20kg dead rock)

Sorry for all the questions but i like to safe rather than sorry ,thanks for any forthcoming replies

[OrionGirl]

1. Yes.
2. I would not. The rotting shrimp is continuing to provide ammonia for the bacteria, and removing it without quickly adding a new source will cause the bacteria to starve.
3. Yes. If it is uncured, it will replace the shrimp as an ammonia source.
4. Yes.
5. I would. Your nitrate are low, but water changes also replace trace elements, some of which the skimmer will remove (this removal is not a big deal, and does not overcome the positive effect of all the other stuff the skimmers remove).

I would go for about 68 - 90 kg (150-200 lbs) total of rock. You could easily split that between live and dead rock.

[ClownieandBilly]

thanks orion, all the rock available to me over here in the uk is cured can i add now?

[kreblak]

Yeah, you can add the cured LR, but keep the shrimp in until you have fish ready to go. You need a constant source of ammonia to keep your biofilter thriving.

[ClownieandBilly]

i have a maroon clownfish in smaller existing tank who i will be putting in new tank once rock is in will he do the job on his own for now?

[kreblak]

One fish isn't going to produce a whole lot of ammonia, but your biofilter will have something to feed on. If you wish, you may add the clown. Just get those shrimp out if you add him now!

[BrianH]

I would wait on the clown fish. Maroons are pretty aggressive and adding her first may cause you problems when adding other fish down the road. IMHO I would try to add the maroon last.

Brian

[kreblak]

Good point Brian, I didn't think of that.

[ClownieandBilly]

ok i am putting my LR in tomorrow and the remains of cocktail shrimp are still in the tank.What is my best strategy from now until i start stocking??

[kreblak]

Keep the shrimp in and test frequently. If you have ammonia spikes, then you are experiencing die back on the LR and you can remove the shrimp. Otherwise, just keep things status quo until you are ready to stock. Just stock the fish according to their territoriality. Add clowns, damsels, and dottybacks last.