Tank NOT Cycling please help

[RossandMandyProject]

I have had my 150 gallon salt water up and running now and i keep getting a 0 nitrate and nitrite reading what is going on? All I currently have is 3 large snails a feather duster and 1 Damsel for the start. I am wondering if I should put more fish in or just hold off and wait a little while. My ammonia levels are reading between .2 and .4, but nothing has changed since I set it up. Has anyone else had this problem?????? Please help.

[Ninong]

Exactly how long has it been set up? How many days?

Is there any live rock in your tank? If so, how much?

Is there a substrate (sand bed) in your tank? If so, how deep is it and what is it's composition? Was it all dead sand initially?

Your answers to the above questions will make it possible to give you advice. In the meantime, I would suggest that there is nothing wrong with your tank except for the fact that you should not have any live fish or inverts in it this soon. Ammonia readings come first before nitrite readings. Nitrite readings will rise as ammonia readings drop. Then once nitrite readings start to rise, you will begin to get nitrate readings. Nitrate readings will rise as nitrite readings fall. Eventually nitrate readings will begin to decline.

If you will be kind enough to answer the above questions, it will make it a lot easier to explain exactly what is going on in your particular situation.

[RossandMandyProject]

This tank has been up for over a week I have about 100 lbs of live rock and a crushed coral bed for the tank. All the rock and coral has been in an aquarium for about 2 years that has been successfull until the lady got sick of cleaning and mainting it so she tore it down. I am adding 1 silfin tang, I hear that they are hardy from my lfs. Also I have 2 Magnum 350 filters that were in a local salt water tank. any help would be appreciated. thanks Ross

[Reefland]

Ross,

First of all, your tank is still cycling (bacteria populations developing that can handle the conversion of ammonia to nitrite, nitrite to nitrate, etc.), therefore you should not have any fish or inverts in your tank; only the liverock. The process of cycling a tank with liverock can take 1-6 weeks, depending on the condition of the liverock. In your case, it sounds like it is going to take a couple of more weeks and in the meantime, the fish and inverts in your aquarium are not going to be happy.

Based on the above advise, do not add a Salfin Tang or any other fish to the aqaurium at this time. You must let it continue to cycle until complete and adding anything to it will only be cruel to the animal and your wallet. Your LFS told you they were hardy so you would buy it, not because they were trying to help you. This is typical of a LFS and therefore, you should not consider any advise from them as good advise until you can validate it.

[zhenya]

This tank has been up for over a week I have about 100 lbs of live rock and a crushed coral bed for the tank.

I totally agree with Scott and Ninong. Your tanks entirely too new to have any animals in it except for bacteria, which have not grown in population enough, hence the lack of NO2 or the NO3 readings but ammonia registering at .2 and .4
I also agree in Scott's assessment of LFS advice in general. Waiting few more weeks would definately help in the long run and help you start your tank on the right track.

[Sueet]

I am adding 1 silfin tang, I hear that they are hardy from my lfs. Also I have 2 Magnum 350 filters that were in a local salt water tank.

Do NOT add a sailfin... yes they are hardy, once proper conditions of the tank are achieved and maintained..... they are very sensitive to sudden changes, for the good OR bad... AND on top of that, they can be very territorial, so for that reason alone should probably NOT be one of the first inhabitants placed in the tank, unless you don't intend to put any other large fish in.

On the Magnums..... Are you running Carbon in these? If so, REMOVE it! (temporarily at least) The carbon will absorb the ammonia, leaving little to nothing for the bacteria to process... in effect killing the cycle before it begins.

[RossandMandyProject]

Thank you for the advice that carbon theorie makes perfect sence I ever thought of that. The LFS has given me some crappy advice before and it all makes sence now I am just glad that I caught it before I made a mistake. Also any recomendations for tankighting for the corals that I plan to buy in the next six months or so??? i currently have 2 3foot coralife bulbs 20,000K and 1 4foot blue light. Is that enough or should I invest in something more??? Thanks again

[Reefland]

To grow coral, you will need more intense lighting than standard output flourescent. For soft corals and large polyped stonies, PC or VHO will be fine. If you plan to get into small polyped stonies, you will need to invest in MH.

[Sueet]

Thank you for the advice that carbon theorie makes perfect sence I ever thought of that. The LFS has given me some crappy advice before and it all makes sence now I am just glad that I caught it before I made a mistake. Also any recomendations for tankighting for the corals that I plan to buy in the next six months or so??? i currently have 2 3foot coralife bulbs 20,000K and 1 4foot blue light. Is that enough or should I invest in something more??? Thanks again

All corals have different lighting requirements, (from the non-photosynthetic sun corals on up to the super light-hungry acroporas) ... Your best bet is to do some homework, either online, or buy a (or several) good book(s), get a feel for what type of corals you want to have, and the conditions they need, and then work on meeting or even slightly exceeding their needs. Often, lighting needs listed will be the 'minimum', so keep that in mind when making your choices, as well as realizing that the depth they are placed has a good deal to do with how much light they will actually receive.

[Reefland]

As well as realizing that your LFS will give you the bad advise "sure that branchy looking green coral there will do fine under your flourescent light".

[Sueet]

As well as realizing that your LFS will give you the bad advise "sure that branchy looking green coral there will do fine under your flourescent light".

lol too too true... unfortunate turn of the world in that regard.