SRC Member Vickar Posted May 15, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 15, 2017 Hi all, Previously I made a huge mistake of adding livestock (clowns, Anemone's, live stock and cleaning crew without Cycling my tank) my nitrate went up and after reading I understood that I should cycle my tank. My tank is a 1.5ft cube iOS tank. However, the compartments are too small for a good skimmer so I got a 3Ft sump separately. I'm currently holding my livestocks with another reefer. Sold off most. Since my sump and tank isn't connected yet I'm Cycling the water in them separately. Sump Partly used the old water of my tank with top up of new water. Have some liverocks, ceramic rings and filter media. On 3/5/17 I really got my kid to pee in the tank cause I was really curious if it works. Read it online. On the 6/5/17 I tested the water Ammonia -8.0 (beyond actually) Nitrate - 160 Nitrite - 8.0 ( beyond ) As for my tank before Cycling I took the reading 6/5/17 Ammonia - 0 to 0.25 Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 40 to 80 On 7/5/17 I add 2 market shrimp in a bag And I've got live rocks and sand in the tank. Over the days I've seen small creates outside and within the bag I guess they were feeding on the prawn. Since adding the shrimps I didn't do a test. Yesterday 14/5/17 I did a test on both my sump and tank Sump Ammonia -0 Nitrate - 160 Nitrite -0 Tank Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 80 Ammonia 0.50 There are only 30% of the shrimps left in the bag and I'm not sure if the was an ammonia spike. What should I do? As for my sump, is this part of the process? Will the nitrate eventually drop to 0 as well? Thanks, appreciate everyone's help! Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Jairus Posted May 15, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 15, 2017 Since there is still market shrimp, it could take a while for the bacteria in the sump to remove the ammonia. Hence it could be at 0.5. Nitrate removing bacteria is harder to maintain as they require low level oxygen levels to thrive. If u r using good media, there might be enuff of such denitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrates to 0. If nt carbon dosing will help Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Jairus Posted May 15, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 15, 2017 Since there is still market shrimp, it could take a while for the bacteria in the sump to remove the ammonia. Hence it could be at 0.5. Nitrate removing bacteria is harder to maintain as they require low level oxygen levels to thrive. If u r using good media, there might be enuff of such denitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrates to 0. If nt carbon dosing will help Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Jairus Posted May 15, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 15, 2017 Since there is still market shrimp, it could take a while for the bacteria in the sump to remove the ammonia. Hence it could be at 0.5. Nitrate removing bacteria is harder to maintain as they require low level oxygen levels to thrive. If u r using good media, there might be enuff of such denitrifying bacteria to reduce nitrates to 0. If nt carbon dosing will help Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member kakak99 Posted May 15, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 15, 2017 Cycling is to grow your bacteria, best is to grow bacteria fast while keeping the nitrate low, both at constant ratio. Not balance will cause ammonia spike. Skimmer is not used in the process. Recently I set up my new 3ft tank. I gave 3 days for cycling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Vickar Posted May 15, 2017 Author SRC Member Share Posted May 15, 2017 Alright guys! Thanks a lot for the info. Do check your pm Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Ranz Posted May 15, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 15, 2017 you can also cycle your tank faster by dosing bacteria like microbacter7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member sleexox Posted May 16, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 16, 2017 Also, can use marinpure or throw a few dead prawnss ( Will stink alot though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Vickar Posted May 25, 2017 Author SRC Member Share Posted May 25, 2017 I'm still having troubles bringing down my nitrate. Currently I have a cleaner shrimp, 2 anemone, 2 live rocks, 1 abalone. My skimmer has been on for 5 days now and I'm growing chaeto for 4 days. I can already see them growing. But my nitrate is at 80. Ammonia and nitrite are both at 0.Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member kakak99 Posted May 25, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 25, 2017 Check if there is any dead things in ur live rock remove LR if there is and treat outside. Your sump have bio rings section? Go farm get tablet supper bacterial, but read instruction and use according. Over use will kill coral.Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRC Member Angel Keeper Posted May 25, 2017 SRC Member Share Posted May 25, 2017 It takes months of cycling to reduce nitrate... Ammonia and nitrite reduces fast as the bacteria doesn't require anaerobic conditions... On the other hand, nitrate reducing bacteria requires anaerobic conditions which is devoid of oxygen...Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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