New Member needing help
- Thread starter Valstar
- Start date
Can you tell us:
How long has the tank been running?
What are your measurements for Temperature, Salinity, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate ?
Perhaps Alkalinity, Calcium & Magnesium if you know them but with it being a new tank your levels on those 3 are likely just fine.
Do you have any fish, snails or crabs in the tank and did you start with all dry or live rock?
How long has the tank been running?
What are your measurements for Temperature, Salinity, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate ?
Perhaps Alkalinity, Calcium & Magnesium if you know them but with it being a new tank your levels on those 3 are likely just fine.
Do you have any fish, snails or crabs in the tank and did you start with all dry or live rock?
Valstar
New Member
Thankyou for your messages I’ve had it running since September we put clowns in at first they have been great, we’ve got a blenny in now and tang all been great. And got these last week. All levels have been great everytime I’ve checked.
Ammonia 0-0.25
Nitrate and Nitrite 0
PH 8.2
Salt levels just under 30
Ammonia 0-0.25
Nitrate and Nitrite 0
PH 8.2
Salt levels just under 30
Honestly, the first thing that jumps out to me is the ammonia being present and the zero nitrate. Before I add any corals, I shoot for 0 ammonia and at least 5ppm nitrate. That way I know for sure that the bacteria present is processing through the entire nitrogen cycle. If I were you, I'd do a water change and add some Prime to neutralize the ammonia present.
Can anyone help me out here? Will adding Prime to neutralize the ammonia toxicity screw up the nitrogen cycle?
Can anyone help me out here? Will adding Prime to neutralize the ammonia toxicity screw up the nitrogen cycle?
Valstar
New Member
It’s all dry rock and only been putting a few fish in the last 3-4 week.
Valstar
New Member
The amonia is always 0 but I did a test yesterday and it was 0-0.25 so I did a water change.
Here's what I think is going on - Adding the fish really kicked the nitrogen cycle into gear. A normal part of that cycle is an ammonia spike. Ammonia is generated, it gets turned into nitrite which eventually gets turned into nitrate.* In short, I think you're early in the nitrogen cycle and added zoas too soon. You can ride it out by not adding anything new and letting the tank mature on it's own or you could buy some bacteria in a bottle to try and get the cycle jump started and over quickly.
*this is the nitrogen cycle
*this is the nitrogen cycle
I agree with @jcook54 - do water changes anytime you detect Ammonia or Nitrite.
Anyone local you trust that can give you a small rock or a handful of sand from a DISEASE free and mature tank?
Most Zoas are pretty hardy - keep an eye on them, don't do anything drastic and I do believe you can get your tank maturing and to the point where the zoas will be open and growing.
One more question - what about lighting? What lights are you using and is there any chance you know the PAR or intensity?
Anyone local you trust that can give you a small rock or a handful of sand from a DISEASE free and mature tank?
Most Zoas are pretty hardy - keep an eye on them, don't do anything drastic and I do believe you can get your tank maturing and to the point where the zoas will be open and growing.
One more question - what about lighting? What lights are you using and is there any chance you know the PAR or intensity?
Valstar
New Member
I’ve used the bacteria in a bottle at the beginning it all spiked then settled. I thought it was over the cycle as it all settled.
Valstar
New Member
Sorry not sure all I know is it is LED lighting and has a blue or white light
Valstar
New Member
The rock they are on is from the shop we got the Zoas from we haven’t taken them off it
All the various bacteria colonies need a pretty steady supply of a food source and attractive (to them) environment - it takes them a bit to get going and build up a strong sizable colony.
I would not add anything else except perhaps a couple snails or crabs if you don't have any.
You should get some good "stuff" from that rock the zoas came to you on - your biggest friend right now is patience (X5) , testing and water changes as necessary.
Tell us a little more sbout your tank - your filtration setup, size, where are you getting your water from etc. All these things can have an impact and many of them are easy to correct or adjust if you are having problems.
Got a picture of it? The light itself and the whole setup? We might be able to get an idea based on what it all looks like.
+3 on pictures of setup. But based on what you have said it sounds to me like adding the livestock and new rock kicked off a "mini cycle" and your bacteria colonies need time to adjust to the new demands. Have some patience, zoas are typically very hardy and should weather the storm.
Valstar
New Member
The canister filter scares me - but only because I haven't run one since the 1990's and I'm not comfortable of familiar with them these days.
Please see if you can confirm your salinity measurement - the swing arm hydrometers can be way off.
How are you handling topping off for evaporation?
Personally - I would add more rocks - your blenny will thank you
Please see if you can confirm your salinity measurement - the swing arm hydrometers can be way off.
How are you handling topping off for evaporation?
Personally - I would add more rocks - your blenny will thank you
^^all great advice. If its a canister with carbon you could be stripping your newer reef of some things as your Bio is still low.."whater too clean". The light intensity may be too bright or not bright enough. It could also be just because the zoas are new and take a while to open. I've had zoas take a week or two to open in an established tank.
Valstar
New Member
i don’t really like the canister myself but it all came with the tank so I set it up.
The satlinity I have the arm on and a refractometre too they both read the same.
Topping off for evaporation what is this ?
Great advice so far! I agree with all the above.
For testing salinity; you want to use a Refractometer. The “swing arm” hydrometers are kinda crap as there a dozens of different errors in both directions with them.
Topping off for Evaporation: over time, water will evaporate. But salt will not, it will stay behind. So your saltwater will become saltier every day. Because of this, you need to add a little freshwater everyday to compensate for evaporation, and keep the salinity at the same level.
I would not add any more fish or corals for a long while. Go slowly, veeeery slowly, and you will have success.
Great that you added bacteria back in the day. But you also should have added a food source back then too. The fish are there now, creating waste as a food source for bacteria, and that led to the expected ammonia spike. During a cycle, we do expect ammonia and nitrite to spike and go back to zero... but we also expect nitrate to increase and stay at non-zero. If nitrate is still at zero, then I would expect to see lots and lots of algae... but the tank looks pretty clean. So I’m cautious to say that your tank is cycled. And I’m slightly worried for your blenny and tang in there. But clowns are super strong,
For testing salinity; you want to use a Refractometer. The “swing arm” hydrometers are kinda crap as there a dozens of different errors in both directions with them.
Topping off for Evaporation: over time, water will evaporate. But salt will not, it will stay behind. So your saltwater will become saltier every day. Because of this, you need to add a little freshwater everyday to compensate for evaporation, and keep the salinity at the same level.
I would not add any more fish or corals for a long while. Go slowly, veeeery slowly, and you will have success.
Great that you added bacteria back in the day. But you also should have added a food source back then too. The fish are there now, creating waste as a food source for bacteria, and that led to the expected ammonia spike. During a cycle, we do expect ammonia and nitrite to spike and go back to zero... but we also expect nitrate to increase and stay at non-zero. If nitrate is still at zero, then I would expect to see lots and lots of algae... but the tank looks pretty clean. So I’m cautious to say that your tank is cycled. And I’m slightly worried for your blenny and tang in there. But clowns are super strong,
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