Please help !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ckg4445]

Please Help!!!!!!!!!

This is what i have for my tank
-25 Gallon tank
-Helios lights 2X55 watt bulbs 1 blue 1 white (110 total watts)
-Prizm skimmer rated up to 100 gallons
-10 lbs base rock
-20 lbs live rock (Cured, was at the LFS for about a month)
-25 lbs live sand (the kind that comes in a bag with water in it)
-100 watt heater
-Rio 400 power head

My Goal for the tank it to keep soft corals and mushrooms and i would like to have a pair of clowns.

Currently in the tank i have 5 snails, 3 scarlet hermets, and 2 damsles. (the LFS suggested them to help cycle the tank. After all the reading i have done i wish i hadn't put them in because i don't plain on keeping them. The LFS said the would take them back whenever i'm ready.

On 12/29/03
Ro water, salt, live sand, 10 lbs base rock, power head, heater were all added

On 12/30/03
20 lbs live rock, the snails, hermets, and damsles were added.
I did my first water tests
-Salinity 1.022
-PH 8.2
-Temp 78
-Ammonia 0.50 ppm
-Nitrite 0 ppm
-Nitrate 5

I have done the tests every day at about the same time and the only thing that change slightly was salinity went up to 1.023 due to evaporation. So i added 1 gallon of RO water and it is know 1.022.

Question's
-How long does it take for a tank to start cycling?
-Why havent i seen any changes in the tests?
-What should i be looking to change first? (Ammonia i think)
-Should i add a coctail shrimp to jump start the cycle?
-Is there anything else i should be testing for right know?
-I have a small power head that i'm not using (only a rio 80) should i add it to the tank or is what ia have enough?

Thank you very much reading this. I am new to this hobby and just want everything to go well.

Please give me some of you're opinions

[fishguy_8]

Sounds like youre doing just fine....just take your time and let your tank run its course. Ive put 3 tanks together and never really had a huge ammonia spike really. you can do the cocktail thing if you want to but w/ those hermits in there they'll make quick work of it im sure. just let the tank settle.....do your water changes and small changes in salinity isnt that big of a deal but its good that youre being consistant about keeping it at one level. thats a good quality to have in this hobby.....big changes is what would hurt ya. take your time and youll be fine.
Jon

[scubadude]

1 How long does it take for a tank to start cycling?
2 Why havent i seen any changes in the tests?
3 What should i be looking to change first? (Ammonia i think)
4 Should i add a coctail shrimp to jump start the cycle?
5 Is there anything else i should be testing for right know?
6 I have a small power head that i'm not using (only a rio 80) should i add it to the tank or is what ia have enough?

Hi ckg

1. It will start to cycle the moment you add salt/water and bacteria (LR or LS) The cycle probably wont end for 2-8 months though
2. Dont get so hung up on the changes when you have seen your nitrites and ammonia at 0 for atleast 1 week straight then you are cycled.
3. I believe its ammonia, then nitrite, then nitrate....here again dont get so hung up on the changes...when you have zero nitrites and ammonia you are good....also make sure you have fairly low nitrates (the lower the better, shoot for 0)
4. NO, you already have enough bacteria with the LR and LS, you will just put more decay in your tank
5. Maybe keep an eye on your temp as well as everything else you are monitoring
6. Most definately!!! the more flow you can get in there the better

You do sound like your doing a good job and I do agree w/everything that Jon posted.

Rocky

[Poseidon]

Yup.... I'll make it 3. Everything is going FINE!!! Just sit back and Enjoy, this hobby requires 2 things in ABUNDANCE Patience and MORE PATIENCE. Especiallt when the tank is "new"

[LazyReef]

I would hazard to guess that you will not see a nitrogen cycle with the amount of live rock you have if it is cured. Live rock contains all the bacteria you need you handle the current bioload you have IMO. That is the big benefit to starting with cured live rock. You can skip the cycle.

I would maintain a bare bottom tank, siponing off all the stuff that will "fall out" in the next three months. Then I would add a thin layer 1/2"-1" of mixed sand/gravel. Otherwise you substrate is going to accumulate a lot of detritus.

You did not mention that you test for alkalinity and calcium. pH is relative. It will vary over the course of 24 hours greatly. 8.0-8.6 from night to full daylight. This is due to photosynthesis producing oxygen. Testing the alkalinity tells you what the buffer behind the pH is. If you are well buffered, you will flucuate less over 24 hours. If you are poorly buffered, you may have a pH of 8.2 during the day, but at night the pH could drop to 7.7. I use the Seatest drop test. It is cheap and easy. You titrate (drop by drop) until the test water turns from blue to yellow. Alkalinity is VERY important in maintaining a reef. Also important is maintaining calcium levels and balancing it against alkalinity. A two part buffer system like ESV or a Calcium reactor do the best job. A properly buffered tank Alk/Ca will have good coralline algae growth. Coralline algae calcifies and grows in a very similar manner to stony corals. That is the benchmark. Once you have corraline algae growing, stony corals will be a cinch. Hope this is helpful.