Whoever said 7.6 is fine for FOWLR didnt know what they where talking about, also adding calcium based rocks like Aragonite and Tufa will help buffer the water at 8.3
Is my cycle going ok ?
- Thread starter Gee
- Start date
I already have 2 big tufa rocks and one big lava.
And for the PH i think its Orion Girl who told is was acceptable for the cycle, so i think she knows what she is talking about .
Here is the quote from oriongirl from my other thread
"I wouldn't worry about the pH in a cycling tank--the biological processes make pH flustuate a bit during cycling. Before adding critters, you will want it to stabilize around 8.3, but it can wait until after the cycle."
"I wouldn't worry about the pH in a cycling tank--the biological processes make pH flustuate a bit during cycling. Before adding critters, you will want it to stabilize around 8.3, but it can wait until after the cycle."
Surely if you're going to be using live rock you'll be introducing a whole bunch of bacteria anyway, so why even bother cycling? Just rely on either curing the live rock if uncured, or any mild die off if buying cured.
But I really don't see the point of cycling, then adding the rock?
But I really don't see the point of cycling, then adding the rock?
Reefer Madness?
Call me nuts
but:
I have come to regard liverock as a living thing. Putting a large quantity of liverock in an uncycled tank would be IMO the same as putting a whole bunch of fish in an uncycled tank.
I think the distinction we make between "cured" and "uncured" liverock is telling. The stuff is very sensitive, and uncured liverock has had enough trauma that it produces huge ammonia spikes when introduced to a tank. Subjecting cured liverock to those ammonia spikes can kill so many of the things that make liverock interesting/useful/beautiful that I wouldn't risk it.
Call me nuts
but:I have come to regard liverock as a living thing. Putting a large quantity of liverock in an uncycled tank would be IMO the same as putting a whole bunch of fish in an uncycled tank.
I think the distinction we make between "cured" and "uncured" liverock is telling. The stuff is very sensitive, and uncured liverock has had enough trauma that it produces huge ammonia spikes when introduced to a tank. Subjecting cured liverock to those ammonia spikes can kill so many of the things that make liverock interesting/useful/beautiful that I wouldn't risk it.
Hi guys,
I really agree with DEmigh about the live rock debate, i dont want to risk killing some sort of life form present on the live rocks i will be adding. The live rocks up here in Canada a really expensive, so if i can save as much life as i can , i will surely do.
Today is the 20 th and i have tested the water again, all the same as the 16 th, i still have some little rotten shrimp chunk (1/8 of an inch) maybe thats is the reason my amonia is slow to be overtaken by nitrites ? should i clean it as much as possible ?
i even did a 15 % water change on the 18 th to bring down the amonia , no luck there i guess.
I always here you guys talking about a turkey bastar, what is that in french, or if you could explain what is it and where to find it , it would be great help for me. I thought it was a cooking tool, so i looked around at Wal Mart and was trying to find something written in english on packages, but i got no luck.
Thanks again !
I really agree with DEmigh about the live rock debate, i dont want to risk killing some sort of life form present on the live rocks i will be adding. The live rocks up here in Canada a really expensive, so if i can save as much life as i can , i will surely do.
Today is the 20 th and i have tested the water again, all the same as the 16 th, i still have some little rotten shrimp chunk (1/8 of an inch) maybe thats is the reason my amonia is slow to be overtaken by nitrites ? should i clean it as much as possible ?
i even did a 15 % water change on the 18 th to bring down the amonia , no luck there i guess.
I always here you guys talking about a turkey bastar, what is that in french, or if you could explain what is it and where to find it , it would be great help for me. I thought it was a cooking tool, so i looked around at Wal Mart and was trying to find something written in english on packages, but i got no luck.
Thanks again !
A turkey baster looks like a really big syringe that has a squeeze bulb on the end for sucking up juices when cooking and basting whatever you are cooking.
OG is correct in that you dont have to worry about the PH to much durring the cycle as long as it is within reason. The PH will drop a bit through cycling and I am guessing that yours will end up around 7.9 when you are done. You should be up around 8.3 or so.
I am also an advocate for not cycling a tank with LR for the very reason that has been stated here in earlier posts. Live rock is just that, "LIVE" rock. I actually prefer to use uncured rock as much as posible to retain as much life as posible that comes on the rock.
The one good thing about your cycle and the fact that you used 2 shrimp in a 20 g is that you will have a very strong cycle when you are done. At this point don't worry about doing any water changes on your tank as this will partially defeat the purpose of the cycle. 6 weeks is not uncommon at all for a tank to cycle, especially when it is a heavy cycle. Be patiant.
OG is correct in that you dont have to worry about the PH to much durring the cycle as long as it is within reason. The PH will drop a bit through cycling and I am guessing that yours will end up around 7.9 when you are done. You should be up around 8.3 or so.
I am also an advocate for not cycling a tank with LR for the very reason that has been stated here in earlier posts. Live rock is just that, "LIVE" rock. I actually prefer to use uncured rock as much as posible to retain as much life as posible that comes on the rock.
The one good thing about your cycle and the fact that you used 2 shrimp in a 20 g is that you will have a very strong cycle when you are done. At this point don't worry about doing any water changes on your tank as this will partially defeat the purpose of the cycle. 6 weeks is not uncommon at all for a tank to cycle, especially when it is a heavy cycle. Be patiant.
I see your arguments, and actually kind of agree on not wanting to kill the rock. What I like to do is add (preferably cured) rock to a tank , and allow hopefully the minimum of dieoff to occur, and then slowly up the levels of organic pollution from nothing to whatever by stocking very slowly rather than doing an upfront cycle with shrimp or whatever. I think it's just a difference in philosophy.
