Help needed in cycling of tanks

[BlurSotong]

Hi,

I have just started to cycled a new tank. Added in Liverocks and thrown in a piece of market prawn to kick off the cycling stage.After a week of cycling, the market prawn has a layer of mucus wrapped around it and there are some bubble in it, half of the prawn body has already been dis-integrated. I test the water salinity and realised the salinity was 1.030, immediately, I poured in some de-chlorinated water to stablise the salinty at 1.025. After which I perform a test on the Ammonia and Nitrite, and was surprised to see that the test results for ammonia was <0.5 while for Nitrite is 0. I'm using salifert test kit for both.

My qns is:

1)shouldnt i be getting some high ammonia reading after one week of cycling? if not, I should be getting some nitrite reading. Since both gave a zero result, does that mean my tank has not even started its cycling stage?

2) At the salinity level of 1.030, is it possible for anaerobic Bacteria to grow?

Appreciate if anyone could shed some advise on the above.

Thanks.

[blacknails]

Check your nitrate level... after one week possibly your tank has already finished cycling... If there is high nitrate then remove the rest of the market prawn and possibly get one or two fishes....

If nitrate is zero like ammonia and nitrite, continue waiting... But very likely it is cycling already after one week...

Or... Maybe your test kits are faulty but that's unlikely....

Ermm... And secondly yeah.... the cycling bacteria can very likely live in salinities that vary a little bit from that of sea water.... Don't worry about salinity too much.... It doesn't have to be way too perfect (Although of course it's better if you have TUBBY) and will surely vary as water evaporates and is topped up....

[Cleartank]

IMHO, I dun think you cycle is finished yet... because.....

After which I perform a test on the Ammonia and Nitrite, and was surprised to see that the test results for ammonia was <0.5 while for Nitrite is 0. I'm using salifert test kit for both.

No offend to anyone but pls do not add fishes until NH4 and NO2 = 0.

I think it will be clearer for us if you add in info like size of your tank and the prawn you use for cycling. If you add a baby prawn to a big tank with lots of cured live rock maybe the NH4 not enough to cause a spike.....

Cheers.....

Share more details so that more exp pple in SRC can help U!

Have fun!!!

[BlurSotong]

Guys thanks for the info.

I'm having a 2.5ft x 1.5 x1.5 tank, LR is 12kg.Market prawn used is those tiger prawns we used to makan. (pinch 3/4 of it wifout shell and placed it on the sandbed)

I have a feeling one week is insufficient to cycle the tank. I won't use add any fish till N02 = 0 but just got puzzled of the Ammonia and N02 results I got.

Do i have to throw in another piece of prawn or just leave it as it is now?

[Cleartank]

I think your prawn is enough for spiking your tank.... All you need now is another ingradient, Patience... wait for another week and test for nh4 and no3 daily.... the NH4 should increase very quickly and your NO2 might show up a bit later.... and when you NH4 start to drop in the 2-3rd wk, your NO2 will spike, when your NH4 and NO2 drop to 0, then you have perfect tank!!!!

Have Patience first then FUN!!!!

Cheers!!

[lightningstrike]

IMO, ur LRs not enuff...... try getting more...... roughly about 0.75 pound liverocks per gallon of water will be a good guide.

[lightningstrike]

sorry, should be 0.75kg..... not pound.....

[BlurSotong]

I think your prawn is enough for spiking your tank.... All you need now is another ingradient, Patience... wait for another week and test for nh4 and no3 daily.... the NH4 should increase very quickly and your NO2 might show up a bit later.... and when you NH4 start to drop in the 2-3rd wk, your NO2 will spike, when your NH4 and NO2 drop to 0, then you have perfect tank!!!!

Have Patience first then FUN!!!!

Cheers!!

Thanks..

I guess I need to add in more Liverocks..will 20kg be enough for my tank?