What chemicals?

[Coralreefer23]

I'm still on the first stage of cycling my tank. I picked up 11lbs of cured rock wich already has coraleen alge the purple ! I had a few pounds to start which makes it under twenty pounds. My setup running now is a 29g nano, it has a few snails, little frags (blossiming little sh"ts) also just great alge, and probrally a few other little cretures haven't discovered yet. Just don't want to lose any of it. It came from a pretty thriving tank so no worrys.

 

[BL1]

I'm guessing that there's nothing in your tank right now that you need to add chemicals for. As long as you do regular water changes (every 1-2 weeks), your tank should get all the things it needs from that.

 

[Coralreefer23]

It is only been cycling for bout 12 days is it ok to do a water change already.

 

[BL1]

Since all you have in there right now are snails, I wouldn't. If you do you'll only prolong your cycle. Do you have a test kit yet?

 

[Coralreefer23]

Yep have the API master test kit I was going to pick up the other API coral test kit

 

[BL1]

What are your water params, has your tank finished the cycle yet?

 

[Coralreefer23]

My ph is at 7.8 nitrate is between 20 and 40 on the card color code that is if the test is being shaking correctly my nitrite is at 1.0 an amonia level like 0.25 and 0.

 

[Coralreefer23]

In the cycle is it true to leave my lights of to help prevent unwanted alge? If I do a water change will that reverse the cycle cause I have a few fish I'd like to add over to the tank.

 

[BL1]

Looks like your towards the end of your cycle. When you ammonia and nitrite drop to zero you should do a water change.

 

[Coralreefer23]

How do i know if the cycle is completed?

 

[BL1]

When your ammonia and nitrites drop to zero your cycle is over. The regular water changes will keep your nitrates down and replenish trace elements at the same time.

 

[mikej2336]

Ammonia + Nitrate + Nitrate = 0 that's how you know cycle is complete. I noticed your pH is kinda low (7.8) It should be around 8.2 - 8.4. You can buy a pH buffer @ LFS to make your pH desirable to fish and invertebrates. BTW Just keep it slow when putting fish because your tank is still new it might go to new tank syndrome. Patience is a VIRTUE my friend & also all good things come to those who wait. Just a piece of advice from your uncle MIKE.

 

[Bifferwine]

It's normal for the pH to drop during the cycle. I wouldn't add anything to adjust it right now.

Because you have nitrates, nitrites and ammonia, your snails may not survive. You shouldn't have any animals in the tank while it is cycling. If they were hitch hikers, then there isn't anything you can do about that.

 

[Coralreefer23]

The tests are bout the same the nitrates are like 80 do I do a water change cause im on bout the 13th day and everything test fine?

 

[BL1]

are your ammonia and nitrites both at zero yet? If not, then there's no reason to do a water change yet

 

[Coralreefer23]

Yea they are leveled off the ammonia reads just bout zero what happens after another two weeks and the nitrates don't drop off

 

[BL1]

nitrites should drop, nitrates will only drop with regular water changes. You don't want to change the water though until the nitrites and ammonia have reached zero

 

[Bifferwine]

BL1 is right -- nitrates will not drop on their own. You have to do water changes to get those down. You don't want nitrates any higher than 20 -- 20+ can be fatal to inverts.

 

[Ulta]

Sorry I posted b4 I read the second page... first time for me on that xD

To add a little bit to this for ya then, be patient, once your ammonia and nitrites dwindle down close to zero, then you can start to do regular water changes to dilute the nitrates.

Nitrates don't go away on their own, there are only 2 ways to get rid of them; Water changes or having some type of Algae (Macro or Micro) using them up; such as a ball of chaeto or an algae scrubber.

Water changes only dilutes the nitrates, so if you have 80ppm nitrates and do a 25% water change your still going to have 45-50ppm after the water change. Slowly do water changes and I wouldn't do more than 30% at a time, and give it time for your bacteria populations to replenish after a water change (5-7days?)... once your nitrates get down around 20ppm you can start looking for stuff to add to your tank (CUC prolly first) then wait at least a week in between adding things to your tank to prevent any ammonia spikes.

 

[Coralreefer23]

Ok just did a water change and my nitrates still reading 20 on the strip and all my others are reading o and ph is just about 8, the tank I know has just cycled so this can be one of two things the LR I added has to much poop and can I just shake it off in a bucket and do a water change in another day or so ; or do I just need to add a nitrate reducer and do some water changes along the way? Or maybe just the change of water to be safe?