Bacterial Imblance

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Gwenda

It is a 120 gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump. We put about 25 pounds of live rock in the sump from an existing tank. I also used thr 3 day cycle when I started it. The sump water is brownish green. I have two yellow tailed damesls and a clownfish in there.

Why is the live rock in the sump and not in the display tank? What do you have in the tank for decoration? Sand? Did you wash the sand? What is this 3-day cycle? Sounds like a gimmick product. Do you mean the skimmer water is brownish green...or the water in the sump? The sump water should be the same color as the display tank since it is all running together.

[Gwenda]

Originally Posted by Myka

Why is the live rock in the sump and not in the display tank? What do you have in the tank for decoration? Sand? Did you wash the sand? What is this 3-day cycle? Sounds like a gimmick product. Do you mean the skimmer water is brownish green...or the water in the sump? The sump water should be the same color as the display tank since it is all running together.

We have 10 pieces of livr rock in the display tank.And we ouy a !00 pounds of sand which we washed.The three day cycle is called Bacter Vital. And the water from the skimmer is brownish gray.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Gwenda

We have 10 pieces of livr rock in the display tank.And we ouy a !00 pounds of sand which we washed.The three day cycle is called Bacter Vital. And the water from the skimmer is brownish gray.

The live rock in the display tank is "fresh" rock from the LFS? If so, it needs to be cured. The curing process releases ammonia as there will be die-off from the rock, when the nitrifying bacteria have reached a high enough population the ammonia level will drop. This will usually take 6-8 weeks. I have never heard of this Bacter Vital product, but it is obvious that it didn't work because there is ammonia in your tank. Your cycle isn't over until the ammonia is at zero for many days. The cloudiness in the tank is from the really high level of ammonia, and those fish will die if they aren't returned. Please call the store you got them from and ask if they will take the fish back until your tank has finished cycling in several weeks. It will take at least another 3-5 weeks for the tank to cycle with the ammonia level so high. Don't let the LFS tell you that it is ok to leave the fish in water that contains 1.2 ppm ammonia. If they DO tell you it is ok, please start shopping somewhere else!

It was a bit of a mistake to add the rock from the existing tank to this tank before the tank cycles. The ammonia from the new rock will kill a bunch of the life on the old cured rock you already had. The pod population and many worms and small critters like that will likely perish. In the future, the new rock should be cured (cycled) before adding the old cured rock.

[Gwenda]

Originally Posted by Myka

The live rock in the display tank is "fresh" rock from the LFS? If so, it needs to be cured. The curing process releases ammonia as there will be die-off from the rock, when the nitrifying bacteria have reached a high enough population the ammonia level will drop. This will usually take 6-8 weeks. I have never heard of this Bacter Vital product, but it is obvious that it didn't work because there is ammonia in your tank. Your cycle isn't over until the ammonia is at zero for many days. The cloudiness in the tank is from the really high level of ammonia, and those fish will die if they aren't returned. Please call the store you got them from and ask if they will take the fish back until your tank has finished cycling in several weeks. It will take at least another 3-5 weeks for the tank to cycle with the ammonia level so high. Don't let the LFS tell you that it is ok to leave the fish in water that contains 1.2 ppm ammonia. If they DO tell you it is ok, please start shopping somewhere else!

It was a bit of a mistake to add the rock from the existing tank to this tank before the tank cycles. The ammonia from the new rock will kill a bunch of the life on the old cured rock you already had. The pod population and many worms and small critters like that will likely perish. In the future, the new rock should be cured (cycled) before adding the old cured rock.

The live rock is from my existing tanks

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Gwenda

The live rock is from my existing tanks

Hmm...well something caused a large cycle. Maybe the live rock was out of water too long, and there is die-off. Maybe the 3-day cycle did it! I don't know what is in that 3-day cycle, but maybe it does have ammonia to kick start the cycle who knows. Either way, you have a major cycle going on, and it will take several weeks for it to finish. Just keep testing ammonia.

If you have another tank to put the fish in then, that would be wise. They would definitely appreciate that as ammonia burn on their gills is irreparable.

[Gwenda]

Vitamin A,vitamin d3, vitamin e,Trace MineralsCalcium, Phausphorus, NoCl<PotAssium, Magnesium, Sulfer ,Iron,Cobalt, Copper,Maganesium, sulfer, iron, cobalt, copper,maganese, iodine, selenium, zinc, florine. Is in the three day cycle.

[Money pit]

double post

[Money pit]

NoCl when added to water releases HCI. HCI is hydrogen chloride. Bleach is watered down HCI. So essentially, unless there is something else going on chemicaly to keep the chloride bonded, bleach will be added to the tank.
Seems this is how they kick start the cycle
Its been along time since Chem class, so I may be off on that. Any chemists out there?

[MKLKT]

Is this a particular product? Seems really odd to be adding some of those metals especially if they're higher amounts. How much is put in the tank for this process?

[MMAX]

Originally Posted by Gwenda

Vitamin A,vitamin d3, vitamin e,Trace MineralsCalcium, Phausphorus, NoCl<PotAssium, Magnesium, Sulfer ,Iron,Cobalt, Copper,Maganesium, sulfer, iron, cobalt, copper,maganese, iodine, selenium, zinc, florine. Is in the three day cycle.

Sounds like a deadly mixture. I wouldn't believe anything you hear about products like this. Throw a piece of shrimp in the tank and it will kick start your cycle. Much more reliable than this 3 Day Cycle crap. There is no way in hell you can cycle a SW setup, or any setup for that matter in 3 days.