New Setup....29 gallon (1 Viewer)

[milomlo]

I added LR and sand to my system yesterday. BUT after I had put in the sand I didn't realize that the filter suction was so close to the sand. I ended up blowing sand around the tank all night. So instead of waking up to a clear tank it looks just like it did after I added the sand. So I fixed the filter and added my carbon hoping it would help. So far it still looks the same (it's been 3 hours). It looks all milky and nasty. I don't have my skimmer yet. How long do you guys think it will take for it to settle down?

 

[dead wait]

I know exsactly how you felt. I did the same when I fired up my powerheads and stuff was going knuts in the tank. One big cloudy mess.

 

[TiAg]

It can take a couple weeks depending on how dirty the sand is as well as how fine. Just give it time, it'll clear up.

 

[milomlo]

I don't think my tank is cycling. Everything is at 0....I'm feeding it with pellet food as well and nothing.
Also any input on how to stop the micro bubbles from my skimmer/refug that are going back into the tank? I took off the elbow and covered it with a sponge that comes with the powerheads and it is still putting bubbles in.

 

[tektite]

Throw a big piece of shrimp in there and let it decompose, or you can dose pure ammonia to kickstart the cycle hard. Just be very sure that it is pure ammonia, most of the ammonia you find in stores has surfactants added that are bad for the tank. Ace hardware is where I got mine. One way to help check is to shake the bottle hard, if it forms bubbles like soap at the top of the container it has surfactants. If its pure ammonia it'll just act like water.

 

[Diesel]

Bubbles from the skimmer is normal in a new set up, it needs to break in a few days sometimes a week.

 

[TiAg]

It can take a while for the cycle to even start. Be patient and give it time - and throw in a shrimp like Tektite (Cat) suggested. Full cycle should take 4-6 weeks without additives.

Also, there are different schools of thought on this but you shouldn't run your skimmer while you're cycling. You don't want any mechanical cleaning else it will take the bacteria longer to develop.

 

[milomlo]

So the back feeding bubbles from the skimmer will go away? I know the skimmer makes little bubbles to skim, but I am talking about what it is returning to the tank. Do you think the formula II pellets will be good enough for kick start? I did add a bunch (like if I was feeding ALOT of fish) There are probably 30 or more pellets in the bottom of the tank.

 

[TiAg]

Your supposed to just add a pinch every day but I'm sure you're ok. The bubbles should stop on the skimmer, though you might have to adjust it's height in the tank.

 

[milomlo]

well today I have ammonia at .50 but still no trites or trates

 

[milomlo]

OK yesterday i did add the shrimp. Depending on what light I look under my ammonia is either .50 or 1.00, but still no trites or trates yet. This is blowing me away because the last 2 tanks I set up cycled in a week. I know it can take 4-6 weeks but I have never experienced that so I have NO patience. LOL

Now I have read that I should take the shrimp out after a couple of days and I have read I should leave it in. It is a full size shrimp (like a jumbo that you'd eat) I have read it can really smell bad so I don't want my house smelling up. What do you guys suggest. Also the pellet food that I had been feeding the tank has had some sort coating on it for about 3 days now. I figure that is what the shrimp will do if I leave it. I don't want it to mess up my water really bad (make it smelly and cloudy).

 

[TiAg]

I put a couple in my tank and left them in there. Never stunk and when I put the CUC in they disappeared

 

[milomlo]

OK I checked today and ammonia went from 1.00 to .50 and trites are not quite the .25 color (so I say .10) still blue but not the clear blue. Has a purple tint to it, just not yet at the .25 color. So I say ammonia .50, trites .10 and trades 0...ph 8.0, salinity 1.025, temp 78 I removed the shrimp also this morning when I saw the trites.

I read on another forum that if you get to much ammonia you can kill your cycle??? I've never heard of that, anyone have any input? That's the reason I removed the shrimp, I don't want to over do it since the tank is only 29 gallon.

 

[TiAg]

Yeah too much ammonia can stall the cycle, but you shouldn't get too much unless you're adding pure ammonia to kick it off.

 

[milomlo]

What salt do you guys use that has your PH at a perfect level? My PH is at 8.0, I'm thinking that is a little low and I don't want to have to dose it in the future. Maybe its' because my tank is so new?? I used IO Reef Crystals this time. But I will buy a bucket of something soon. I know there are tons of opinions on salt and I personally like Oceanic but Dr.s stopped selling it, so I'm looking for another good one.

 

[tektite]

Honestly, don't worry about what your pH is. As long as its not fluctuating a lot from day to night its fine.

 

[milomlo]

Ok thanks!

Now today's parameters are this. 0 ammonia, 0 trites, 0 trates. WHAT??? Is it possible to complete a cycle with 0 trates? I've been feeding the tank everyday. There is food in the tank now, with film over it, but the ammonia and trites went to 0 but I never saw any trates.

 

[TiAg]

Give it another few days and keep checking it.

 

[milomlo]

Well IDK what the heck is going on. Like I said before I had slight nitrites for a couple days but never saw any nitrates. I have kept feeding the tank, the ammonia is back at .50 and 0 trites and 0 trates. But I have some ugly rocks now.

 

[milomlo]

well I tried to upload a picture but it wont' work