Progress, readings and pics for week#1 !!!

[JasonA]

Originally posted by Sting
That's awesome! Sounds like you really know what you are doing!

My dad has always been into SW setups, but he's "old school" as far as his thinking... his biggest setup, a 100g also uses Undergravel Filtration.....and so are his 2 other tanks..

I always though this was the way to go....but after reading and talking to others on this board, that's not the best way to go anymore....

I was kinda spetical, watching my water be all cloudy and not getting any better, but Corax just said to wait and it'll get better..and it did..the water is now almost crystal clear.

Knowing now what I have, I might take a piece or two of the lace rock and when the tank finishes cycling, get more live rock to put in....

As for prices, most LFS carry standard live rock for under $2 /lb. Fiji Rock and other esoteric types can easily go above $5/lbs but for me, the lacerock will soon start taking growth and will look good !!!..

only time will tell...will do another reading tomorrow.

 

[JasonA]

UH-OH GUYS !!!! Woke up this morning and noticed the tank is getting cloudy again...more so then the last few days !!!

The shrimp are looking pretty bad now so I wonder if this is the Bacteria Bloom that I'll start seeing for a few days?

I'll take some pics in a few along with new readings.

 

[fishhooked]

Hey Jason,
I have been following your posts. I put my shrimp in my 29G 3 days ago and the smell is getting bad. I wonder if anyone can tell me how long it smells so BAD and if it will get worse. I think it's totally worth the smell but my wife may disagree if it gets much worse or stinks up the whole house. Anyway I'm enjoying your posts!

 

[Corax]

Jason,
Just as you saw a bloom for the ammonia, you are now seeing one for the nitrite. We call this, progress =)

fishhooked,
Yeap, my 29 did the same thing. I gave up after only 2 days though, with the urging of my fiance The 55 never gave off an odor due to, I assume, the greater volume of water.

 

[kreblak]

Nitrite spike is what's causing the cloudiness. It will clear up in a few days.

Fishhooked,
The reason your 29 gallon stinks is because there is rotting shrimp in it. Rotting meat reeks. Also, ammonia makes the tank smell bad. Check for adequate water circulation, and make sure your water is being properly oxygenated. Your nitrifying bacteria require large amounts of O2 to reproduce and thrive. The smell should begin about 3 days into cycling, and be gone after about 10 or 12 days total. My tank smelled horrendous for a week, then one day the smell was gone. Just be patient, although I know how difficult that can be when the tank smell makes you want to vomit!

 

[JasonA]

Ok guys, took the pics and did all the water samples also and some surprising results...

As for the smell or odor, I've never really been able to tell nor has others so I'd say that mine hasn't really done that. Could be that I'm running around 22x water movement but there has been no odor whatsoever and the shrimp are "melting" away nicely !!

Ok..first some pics..

Normal front

Side view were you can notice it's more cloudy then before

And finally, the shrimp with gooey white hair like bacteria and turning VERY yellow !!

Ok...readings...

PH= 8.1 (up from 8.0)
Ammonia= 4ppm (no change)
Nitrite= OFF THE CHART !!!! (my kit only reads to 5.0ppm and it's WAY above that !!)
Nitrates= 30ppm (up from 10ppm)

Temp/SG still the same

So the Nitrites and Nitrates have REALLY started to climb the last 3 days !!!

WOOHOO !!!!

 

[kreblak]

Your cycle will be complete soon. I dare you to eat one of those shrimp

 

[JasonA]

Originally posted by kreblak
I dare you to eat one of those shrimp

Funny, my wife said the same thing

But I leave the lights off mostly right now because they are getting kinda ugly and gross sitting in there rotting away!!!

Thank goodness the smell hasn't really happened !!

 

[JasonA]

Ok...the final post for this week....

It's has now been 2 weeks (only 1st. of testing) and things are really starting to accellerate now !!

Here they are..

Ph= 8.1 (same)
Ammonia= .25ppm (down from 4.0ppm 2 days ago !!!!!)
Nitrite= Off the chart still !!!
Nitrate= OFF THE CHART NOW !!! ( was 30ppm 2 days ago and my kit goes to 160ppm !!!)

Temp/SG still the same.

Wow !!! Now the Nitrates have spiked sky high so the bacteria is really going to town now !!!

This will be the last time for this post...I'll start a new one tomorrow or Monday..

Jason

P.S. The shrimp are really melting fast now !! and the water is almost crystal clear !!!!