Hi i just set up a saltwater tank two weeks and it is not cycling. no ammonia no nitrite no nitrate and ph of 8.3(using a buffer). it is a 30 gal tank with 30 lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of live sand which is filtered by a wet/dry filter. i also have 5 hermit crabs two snails and three damsels. please help.
new tank not cycling
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I also have a 20gal setup for my kids that has 20lbs or more of live sand, 15-20 lbs of live rock, and 2 hang on the back filters. It as 2 oscalleris clowns, i purple tail fire fish and a damsel. When I first started this tank it took about 6-8 weeks before I even got a reading on anything. Believe me if you have fish in your tank, its cycling. Give it a few more weeks the ammonia should start to show up, then the nitrite, then the nitrate, and eventually your tank will cycle.
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Hi and welcome aboard, blackta3.:wave:
Are you using test strips? They will often give you inaccurate readings. Liquid ones are better.
I very much doubt you'd ever get zero in all 3 water parameters. As Usmc mentioned, you should be detecting ammonia first. Ammonia will be converted by bacteria into nitrites in a few days and finally nitrates.
I'd suspect you got wrong readings from your test kits if that's possible.
Are you using test strips? They will often give you inaccurate readings. Liquid ones are better.
I very much doubt you'd ever get zero in all 3 water parameters. As Usmc mentioned, you should be detecting ammonia first. Ammonia will be converted by bacteria into nitrites in a few days and finally nitrates.
I'd suspect you got wrong readings from your test kits if that's possible.
no i'm not using test strips i'm using "saltwater master liquid test kit" the company on the box is Aquarium Pharmaceuticals,inc. i tested some water from the fish store when i bought my fish and they had about 20ppm nitrate, no ammonia, no nitrite, and a ph of 8.3. Is there any chance that the live rock and live sand will keep the tank from cycling at all since it says on the bag that it will suppress the nitrogen cycle?
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I'd be willing to bet that in about 2 more weeks or even less you'll suddenly have numbers. Have you had your diatomaceous algae bloom yet? As in did eveything get covered in a brown slime for about a week and you panicked, called the LFS and they told you not to worry? It's a normal part of setting up a salt tank. I know you are using the Doc Wellfish test kit. It's a decent set up with an easy to use method. Are you positive you are using it correctly? It is very important to use it correctly. I know the instructions are quite vague. The best instructions from the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals company are printed on their giant poster that comes with the "professional" kits.
What are your plans for the tank? As it sounds to be the begining of a reef your kit is not complete. You should get the Calcium. Alkalinty DKH, and the Phosphate test.
What are your plans for the tank? As it sounds to be the begining of a reef your kit is not complete. You should get the Calcium. Alkalinty DKH, and the Phosphate test.
yes algea just started to bloom about two days ago. i was wondering why that was happening. i read that green algea was the only one that was "good algea." Yes i am using the tests right. i took some water to the store and got them to test it and see if they were getting the same reading, and they were.
I'm planning on getting a 75 gal tank soon so for now i'm only trying to keep it simple. thanks for all the help.
I'm planning on getting a 75 gal tank soon so for now i'm only trying to keep it simple. thanks for all the help.
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1,645 Posts
Keep one thing in mind.
Get the 75g right now!
As soon as your tank relaxes and begins it's little ecosystem you will shock it by moving everything to another tank. It will cycle all over again and could take the new tank with it. If you do get the new tank at a later time set it up with new sand and new rock. Let it cycle and then move the livestock over. Sell the old sand and rock or add it to the new tank a few weeks after the new tank stops cycling.
Get the 75g right now!
As soon as your tank relaxes and begins it's little ecosystem you will shock it by moving everything to another tank. It will cycle all over again and could take the new tank with it. If you do get the new tank at a later time set it up with new sand and new rock. Let it cycle and then move the livestock over. Sell the old sand and rock or add it to the new tank a few weeks after the new tank stops cycling.
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