Cycling a marine tank

[Vickar]

Hi all,

Previously I made a huge mistake of adding livestock (clowns, Anemone's, live stock and cleaning crew without Cycling my tank) my nitrate went up and after reading I understood that I should cycle my tank. My tank is a 1.5ft cube iOS tank. However, the compartments are too small for a good skimmer so I got a 3Ft sump separately. I'm currently holding my livestocks with another reefer. Sold off most. Since my sump and tank isn't connected yet I'm Cycling the water in them separately.

Sump

Partly used the old water of my tank with top up of new water. Have some liverocks, ceramic rings and filter media.

On 3/5/17 I really got my kid to pee in the tank cause I was really curious if it works. Read it online.

On the 6/5/17 I tested the water

Ammonia -8.0 (beyond actually)

Nitrate - 160

Nitrite - 8.0 ( beyond )

As for my tank before Cycling I took the reading 6/5/17

Ammonia - 0 to 0.25

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 40 to 80

On 7/5/17 I add 2 market shrimp in a bag

And I've got live rocks and sand in the tank. Over the days I've seen small creates outside and within the bag I guess they were feeding on the prawn.

Since adding the shrimps I didn't do a test.

Yesterday 14/5/17 I did a test on both my sump and tank

Sump

Ammonia -0

Nitrate - 160

Nitrite -0

Tank

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 80

Ammonia 0.50

There are only 30% of the shrimps left in the bag and I'm not sure if the was an ammonia spike. What should I do? As for my sump, is this part of the process? Will the nitrate eventually drop to 0 as well?

Thanks, appreciate everyone's help!

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[Jairus]

Since there is still market shrimp, it could take a while for the bacteria in the sump to remove the ammonia. Hence it could be at 0.5. Nitrate removing bacteria is harder to maintain as they require low level oxygen levels to thrive. If u r using good media, there might be enuff of such denitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrates to 0. If nt carbon dosing will help


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[Jairus]

Since there is still market shrimp, it could take a while for the bacteria in the sump to remove the ammonia. Hence it could be at 0.5. Nitrate removing bacteria is harder to maintain as they require low level oxygen levels to thrive. If u r using good media, there might be enuff of such denitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrates to 0. If nt carbon dosing will help


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[Jairus]

Since there is still market shrimp, it could take a while for the bacteria in the sump to remove the ammonia. Hence it could be at 0.5. Nitrate removing bacteria is harder to maintain as they require low level oxygen levels to thrive. If u r using good media, there might be enuff of such denitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrates to 0. If nt carbon dosing will help


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[kakak99]

Cycling is to grow your bacteria, best is to grow bacteria fast while keeping the nitrate low, both at constant ratio. Not balance will cause ammonia spike. Skimmer is not used in the process.

Recently I set up my new 3ft tank. I gave 3 days for cycling. 

[Vickar]

Alright guys! Thanks a lot for the info. Do check your pm


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[Ranz]

you can also cycle your tank faster by dosing bacteria like microbacter7

[sleexox]

Also, can use marinpure or throw a few dead prawnss ( Will stink alot though) 

[Vickar]

I'm still having troubles bringing down my nitrate. Currently I have a cleaner shrimp, 2 anemone, 2 live rocks, 1 abalone. My skimmer has been on for 5 days now and I'm growing chaeto for 4 days. I can already see them growing. But my nitrate is at 80. Ammonia and nitrite are both at 0.


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[kakak99]

Check if there is any dead things in ur live rock remove LR if there is and treat outside. Your sump have bio rings section? Go farm get tablet supper bacterial, but read instruction and use according. Over use will kill coral.

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[Angel Keeper]

It takes months of cycling to reduce nitrate... Ammonia and nitrite reduces fast as the bacteria doesn't require anaerobic conditions... On the other hand, nitrate reducing bacteria requires anaerobic conditions which is devoid of oxygen...

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