What the heck am I doing wrong?!?!

[Fox]

Hehe ya my wife got all excited when she heard vodka would help and wanted to take a trip to the ocean...lol

I have had my LFS test my water 3 weeks ago and came up with the same results I was getting...they recommended I wait another 2 weeks as that would put it at the 7 week mark...

I am using a T5 HO light...I have done one small water change (about 10%) after I went to my LFS and they thought it might help.

The only inhabitant is a small hermit crab which hitchhiked his way in with some live rock rubble I picked up 3 weeks ago to give the bottom some character. Other than that just a few very small cheap and free hardy corals I couldn't pass up (green star polyp, candy cane, duncan and zoa...all doing very well).

My skimmer is producing foam and did within a day of putting it on. I empty it about every 2 days and it has maybe 1/2 -1 ounce of material in it...

Someone suggested putting a couple of mollies in...is that wise when the ammonia is not reading 0? I am going to hit my LFS and check out the Cycle stuff that was mentioned as well...

Cheers

[High tide]

Originally Posted by Fox

Hehe ya my wife got all excited when she heard vodka would help and wanted to take a trip to the ocean...lol

I have had my LFS test my water 3 weeks ago and came up with the same results I was getting...they recommended I wait another 2 weeks as that would put it at the 7 week mark...

I am using a T5 HO light...I have done one small water change (about 10%) after I went to my LFS and they thought it might help.

The only inhabitant is a small hermit crab which hitchhiked his way in with some live rock rubble I picked up 3 weeks ago to give the bottom some character. Other than that just a few very small cheap and free hardy corals I couldn't pass up (green star polyp, candy cane, duncan and zoa...all doing very well).

My skimmer is producing foam and did within a day of putting it on. I empty it about every 2 days and it has maybe 1/2 -1 ounce of material in it...

Someone suggested putting a couple of mollies in...is that wise when the ammonia is not reading 0? I am going to hit my LFS and check out the Cycle stuff that was mentioned as well...

Cheers

That's hilarious! Seriously though, vodka dosing should only be done if your over 19 and with friends!

Where did you get your sand? Are you feeding the tank anything? There must be a reason your cycle is taking so long.

I wouldn't bother with mollies for several reasons...take my word for it. I wouldn't bother with cycle either.

The tank will cycle, give it time and try to figure out the cause.... and then you'll find the answer.

[Fox]

Earlier someone suggested putting in a piece of shrimp so I had done that but I don't recall how long ago. I am also feeding my Duncan and Candy cane corals frozen mysis shrimp.

The sand I picked up on boxing day from Big Al's...its live sand, crushed arrogate or whatever its called.

[BlueAbyss]

Originally Posted by High tide

If you're a newbie, definitely DON'T try any of the above. Patience is the first lesson.

+1, people really aren't patient enough. Don't expect instant results and TAKE YOUR TIME! Tank lives should be measured in years, not months.

[Fox]

I didn't try any of those but I don't think I was being impatient...I waited 8 weeks (2 weeks over the recommended time that it should have taken) and then I figured that something I was doing was the cause...which turns out I was right...

I have no issues taking it slow, but at the same time I want to do it right and that means asking questions to make sure that what I have done is the right thing.

Thanks again!