Cycling tank

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drinkredstripe

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Sep 25, 2005
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I've been cycling my 10 gallon salt water tank for 9 days now. I "seeded" it with a pound of live rock from a mature tank. As my ammonia source I used a bay scallop, which is very moldy right now. Brown dust started to appeared on the bottom of the tank about 3 days ago I'm assuming it's diatom. Today I noticed little bushes of brown algae growing on the rock. I have been testing the NO3 and it still reads 0 ppm. How much longer do you think it will take before the NO3 levels rise? Is there some succession of algae ex. diatom>brown>green>tank cycled? I do not have test for NH3 and NO2 so I do not know their levels.

P.S. I realize the only for sure way i will know my tank is cycled is when the I get my NO3 peak but I'm anxious and waht to know how much longer to expect that to take.
 
7itanium

7itanium

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Jan 31, 2009
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sorry.. I know nothing about saltwater

Bump for ya anyway
 
leeser28

leeser28

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Jan 4, 2009
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It's really hard to tell what is going on if you don't also know the levels of ammonia and nitrite. API makes really nice testing kits. Also, are you using strips for the nitrate -- they're not too reliable from what I've read. Good luck.
 
H

Hooked Newbie

Today will be yesterday tomorrow
May 25, 2007
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Len
There's no exact answer. More LR would help. Generally 1lb/G+ is preferable. The algae (in all it's glorious shades of greens and browns) should be totally ignored until the tank is cycled and stable. I have a 20G that is 2 1/2 months old and just now am I starting to see the algae subside. Definitely get test kits for Ammonia and Nitrite. Maybe even Phosphate. Also what is your source water?
 
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drinkredstripe

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Sep 25, 2005
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I'm using API nitrate test kit. It's the kind that comes in tow different bottles. About the live rock. I am planning on getting more live rock once the tank is cycled I just wanted enough to seed it. I know I should have Ammonia and Nitrite test kits but I a low on cash and the closes fish store is 35 minutes away. I have a kit back at my parents house from my old fish tank days, but I won't be back there til March.

Also I was expecting everything on my live rock to die during the cycling. I have tiny anemones growing on it and a bristle worm that comes out at night does this mean my Ammonia levels never got high enough?
 
H

Hooked Newbie

Today will be yesterday tomorrow
May 25, 2007
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Georgia
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Len
drinkredstripe said:
I'm using API nitrate test kit. It's the kind that comes in tow different bottles. About the live rock. I am planning on getting more live rock once the tank is cycled I just wanted enough to seed it. I know I should have Ammonia and Nitrite test kits but I a low on cash and the closes fish store is 35 minutes away. I have a kit back at my parents house from my old fish tank days, but I won't be back there til March.

Also I was expecting everything on my live rock to die during the cycling. I have tiny anemones growing on it and a bristle worm that comes out at night does this mean my Ammonia levels never got high enough?
Click to expand...
What is your source water? With only a Nitrate test, you probably won't see what is really going on. The less LR you have, the longer the tank will take to cycle based on a set amount of introduced ammonia (rotting scallop).

I'm pretty new to SW myself, but I have found that Murphy's law applies even more so here. The troublesome creatures seem to survive worse conditions than the beneficial ones can. The anemones and worms that survive may be a good example of that. Manjano and Aiptasia seem to persist and eventually create problems.

The most important thing (I think) is to be patient and let nature take it's course while doing water changes. ;)
 
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