Newbie's New Fusion 40 Build :)

[Canadianeh]

Is this a normal progression? I can see that the Nitrite spiked up from day #6 to day #9, and the Nitrate almost double. I am using dr tims right now and the instruction is to add fish on day #9. However, I am planning to wait for at least 2 weeks before adding any livestock.

Another question: do I need to put more ammonia since there is no other ammonia sources right now?

 

[Canadianeh]

Day #10
Ammonia LO
Nitrite 4.43 ppm
Nitrate 79 ppm
Added 2 ppm Ammonia

 

[Canadianeh]

Day#11
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 4.99 ppm
Nitrate 85 ppm

So it looks like my tank is able to consume 2 ppm ammonia in less than 24 hours? Does it mean after my Nitrite is 0 my tank if fully cycled?

 

[Bayinaung]

I don't consider my tanks fully cycled until nitrates are 0. that tells me there's enough nitrifying bacteria to deal with any increase in bioload. I would still say you are lacking a carbon source. add a few drops of plain white vinegar a day. The fastest sure-fire method for starting a reef tank is the zeovit system. I have followed Reef of the month tanks from their beginning where they add SPS corals after 14 days and watch the corals thrive. But, you don't need to buy expensive zeovit contents to emulate that success:

http://www.korallen-zucht.de/pages-en/service/initial-cycle-just-14-days.html

It requires 4 products:

zeobak - is the bacteria.
zeostart - carbon source for bacteria
sponge power - ammonia source
zeolite stones - that's bacteria hosting medium like the siporax and matrix.

The only thing change I would make for a nano on the above zeovit method would be to hold off on adding fish but instead start with easy to keep soft and lps corals. that's a lower bioload than fish.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[Canadianeh]

I don't consider my tanks fully cycled until nitrates are 0. that tells me there's enough nitrifying bacteria to deal with any increase in bioload. I would still say you are lacking a carbon source. add a few drops of plain white vinegar a day. The fastest sure-fire method for starting a reef tank is the zeovit system. I have followed Reef of the month tanks from their beginning where they add SPS corals after 14 days and watch the corals thrive. But, you don't need to buy expensive zeovit contents to emulate that success:

http://www.korallen-zucht.de/pages-en/service/initial-cycle-just-14-days.html

It requires 4 products:

zeobak - is the bacteria.
zeostart - carbon source for bacteria
sponge power - ammonia source
zeolite stones - that's bacteria hosting medium like the siporax and matrix.

The only thing change I would make for a nano on the above zeovit method would be to hold off on adding fish but instead start with easy to keep soft and lps corals. that's a lower bioload than fish.

Cheers and good luck.

I didn't add more ammonia last night after the last test. I will test again for Nitrite tonight to see if it comes down.

My plan is to use Chemipure Blue on the day I put in any type of livestock. From what I understand, Chemipure Blue has carbon in it already. What do you think?

 

[Canadianeh]

Day #13
Nitrite 3.16 ppm
Nitrate 70 ppm
no new ammonia is added

 

[Albz]

when your ammonia and nitrites go to 0 in less than 24 hours you are ready!!! I added 4ppm of ammonia and in 24 hours it would go down to 0 and nitrites to 0. that was in my 15th day of cycling with pure ammonia.

 

[Canadianeh]

when your ammonia and nitrites go to 0 in less than 24 hours you are ready!!! I added 4ppm of ammonia and in 24 hours it would go down to 0 and nitrites to 0. that was in my 15th day of cycling with pure ammonia.

It seems like my tank is able the to consume 2 ppm ammonia in less than 24 hours but it is taking longer to consume the nitrite. Not enough bacteria yet that eats nitrite

 

[Albz]

yea so just keep adding ammonia till u see that nitrites down too in those 24 hours.. ur almost there.

 

[Canadianeh]

yea so just keep adding ammonia till u see that nitrites down too in those 24 hours.. ur almost there.

I stopped adding ammonia . The bacteria who eats ammonia is different bacteria who eats nitrite.
Once I see nitrite is 0 I will then add 2 ppm ammonia and measure again how long it takes for both ammonia and nitrite will disappear.

 

[shamous113]

I stopped adding ammonia . The bacteria who eats ammonia is different bacteria who eats nitrite.
Once I see nitrite is 0 I will then add 2 ppm ammonia and measure again how long it takes for both ammonia and nitrite will disappear.

You need to keep adding ammonia or the bacteria population that consumes it will crash due to lack of food.

 

[Canadianeh]

You need to keep adding ammonia or the bacteria population that consumes it will crash due to lack of food.

Can bacteria die due to lack of ammonia? How about those live bacteria in bottle, or live sand in a package ? They continue to be alive despite they live inside sealed bottle.

Also, if I keep adding ammonia despite I can see that my tank consume ammonia less than 24 hours, how can I measure how long my tank takes to consumer Nitrite since my Nitrite will continue to increase by continue to add ammonia?

 

[Canadianeh]

Day #14
Nitrite 2.18 ppm
Nitrate 52 ppm
Phosphate < 0.09

2 ppm ammonia is added

 

[shamous113]

Can bacteria die due to lack of ammonia? How about those live bacteria in bottle, or live sand in a package ? They continue to be alive despite they live inside sealed bottle.

Also, if I keep adding ammonia despite I can see that my tank consume ammonia less than 24 hours, how can I measure how long my tank takes to consumer Nitrite since my Nitrite will continue to increase by continue to add ammonia?

Their is a food source in the bottle and the sand. try a partial water change and keep feeding the tank IMHO. Your nitrite and nitrate are lower then yesterday so the other bacteria are growing in numbers.

 

[Canadianeh]

I noticed this yellowish/brownish spots on my rocks. Are they algae, diatom, or something else?

Hope you can see them on the pictures

 

[shamous113]

Tough to tell, although I broke my glasses today so that doesn't help

Here is a good read for you. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=239848

 

[Canadianeh]

Day #15
The 2 ppm of ammonia that I dosed yesterday has been consumed close to 0 by my tank
Nitrite 1.97 ppm
Nitrate 52 ppm

Tonight I dosed 4 ppm, and will measure it tomorrow night

 

[Canadianeh]

Day #16
It looks like my tank is able to consume 4 ppm ammonia in less than 24 hours
Ammonia LO (less than 0.09ppm)
Nitrite 3.23 ppm
Nitrate 70 ppm
Added 1 ppm ammonia

 

[Canadianeh]

Day #17
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 1.62 ppm
Nitrate 54 ppm


Day #18
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0.56 ppm
Nitrate 27 ppm
Ph 80

Why it takes so long for my Nitrite to become to 0? On day 16 the Nitrite was 3.23 ppm and I added 1 ppm of ammonia on the same day. No more ammonia added since day 16.
Also, it looks like my Ammonia also going down? Is it possible that it is being consumed by algae in my tank? I notice that I have dots on my rock.
No water change is done since day 1 and I plan to change the water on day 21

 

[CrownEye]

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