New tank question

[jason604]

Hi my tank is fairly new cycle is at .25 ppm ammonia/0 nitrite/0 nitrate. Running live rock only at the moment. I'm planning to buy about 10 corals and 2 fishes and about an addictional 20lbs or so of live rock from a mature tank to my existing 70lbs. Will everything survive if I put it in all at once or will the new tank syndrome that I read about happen? Or does that only happens when u add a lot of fish not coral? Please advise me before I waste a bunch of money and kill everything

[Reef Pilot]

Has your tank fully cycled? IE, nitrites have shown up, followed later by nitrates. Before adding any corals or fish, you should have zero ammonia, and zero nitrites. Some nitrates are OK and are an indication that your tank has cycled.

You don't want to rush setting up a new tank. Lots of info here about this if you search a bit and read up on cycling new tanks.

[jason604]

Yes I had nitrite an nitrate spike as well as ammonia spike. But I don't know why everything dropped to 0 but ammonia at 0.25. I did the putting in a dead shrimp method

[Reef Pilot]

I wouldn't expect the nitrates to spike and then go to zero, unless you did some major water changes. How long has your tank been running? It usually takes several weeks and often much longer before being fully cycled and ready to add livestock.

I would add more live rock, and monitor. If your tank is cycling properly, your ammonia should be zero.

[jason604]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

I wouldn't expect the nitrates to spike and then go to zero, unless you did some major water changes. How long has your tank been running? It usually takes several weeks and often much longer before being fully cycled and ready to add livestock.

I would add more live rock, and monitor. If your tank is cycling properly, your ammonia should be zero.

It's been cycling for 4 weeks now. All 70lbs of my rock was cycling in a 20gallon container. The reading dropped down to those I posted earlier for about almost a week now. I then put all e rocks into my 75g tank n put only about 10g of the old water in the container to a tank full of new water and the reading still stayed the same.

Anyways if I buy the 10-15 corals n 2 Nemo and I keep them in a container with the owners original water sand n live rock will that be ok till my tank is fully cycled and slowly move them like 5 at a time into my main tank?

[jason604]

Can I buy a special chemical that will remove the remaining 0.25 ppm of ammonia? Lol

[H2o2]

try not getting on the special chemical band wagon as that can be trouble may be set up a bare bottom tank with new water on stand by bring his stuff and water and put in and do a partical water change in the morning and watch your parameters and when ammonia is gone and all the good go from there but thats if your friend has to shut his down

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by jason604

Can I buy a special chemical that will remove the remaining 0.25 ppm of ammonia? Lol

No, if your tank is properly cycled, then the ammonia would cycle through to nitrite and then on to nitrate, which would then show in your tank.

Is it possible your test kit is giving you a false reading of ammonia? In the past I have seen test kits that seem to show a small amount of ammonia, even in a fully cycled tank.

But what bothers me, too, is that you are not showing any nitrates, which to me indicates that your tank may not be fully cycled. That's why I say before adding fish, put in the rest of the live rock, and maybe some more dead shrimp, to see if any nitrates show up.

It is not right to put in live fish, if you are not sure the tank is ready. Ammonia is very harmful to fish. And if there is indeed some there now, a lot more will show up once more organic matter is added to the tank.

[jason604]

Yes u don't really understand either... A few days after I put a dead shrimp in my ammonia nitrite an nitrate spiked pretty high. Now it all drop.but still 0.25 ammonia. I'm using the API test kits from JL. The amonnia is very light yellowish tiny bit light green. From what the kit says it should be bright yellow for 0ppm. And I don't know why my nitrate is 0.. I'm pretty confused On what to do..

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

No, if your tank is properly cycled, then the ammonia would cycle through to nitrite and then on to nitrate, which would then show in your tank.

Is it possible your test kit is giving you a false reading of ammonia? In the past I have seen test kits that seem to show a small amount of ammonia, even in a fully cycled tank.

But what bothers me, too, is that you are not showing any nitrates, which to me indicates that your tank may not be fully cycled. That's why I say before adding fish, put in the rest of the live rock, and maybe some more dead shrimp, to see if any nitrates show up.

It is not right to put in live fish, if you are not sure the tank is ready. Ammonia is very harmful to fish. And if there is indeed some there now, a lot more will show up once more organic matter is added to the tank.

[ckmullin]

Test kits can go bad... Is it expired? I'd suggest to grab a nice water sample and go down to your favorite local reef store and ask them to test it.

From what you've said it seems to me like the tank isn't 100% cycled. OR at least not a high enough bacteria population. Ammonia-->nitrite-->nitrate when cycled should basically be seamless. A basic test to see if your NEW tank is coming along is by a zero ammonia reading.

IMO...wait. Wait and read. Read till your eyes bleed. Then use toothpicks and read more. Check your readings again in one week and then after another week. In 2 weeks you've read enough to answer your 2 questions.

Regarding your two questions.

A baker/mechanic/web programmer/etc takes needed methodical steps to achieve a final desired product. Suggest to do the same in regards to this hobby. Take your time and add things slowly.

Your second question is the same as above. Take your time...no rush. If you do go out and spend big $ on stock for a brand new/not mature (possibly not fully cycled) tank it's just asking for a headache.


Just trying to help.