IM 25g AIO build

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Llorgon

What's the best way to raise pH?

Surface agitation and open a window for the afternoon; feed fresh but filtered outside air directly to your skimmer intake works best.

Are you using an Ammo Alert? It would be best if you did and only use the AmGuard IF required. Let the cycle happen and perform WCs if needed to control NO2. Keep up with the Stability for a week min. Once NH3 is under control you can stop dosing it.
If you keep binding up NH3 with the AG your cycle will be retarded.

[Dash]

Glad to hear moving day was not too stressful. Good luck moving forward!

[Llorgon]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

Surface agitation and open a window for the afternoon; feed fresh but filtered outside air directly to your skimmer intake works best.

Are you using an Ammo Alert? It would be best if you did and only use the AmGuard IF required. Let the cycle happen and perform WCs if needed to control NO2. Keep up with the Stability for a week min. Once NH3 is under control you can stop dosing it.
If you keep binding up NH3 with the AG your cycle will be retarded.

If only it wasn't so cold here having a window open would be easier! I can increase the surface agitation though.



I haven't been using a ammo alert. I actually have temporarily misplaced it during the move. But I haven't added any amguard today.



I have a AQ50 sponge and 2 medium pieces of live rock from the 75 gallon tank in there so I haven't seen any ammonia. I have been testing daily. Still adding stability though.

Originally Posted by Dash

Glad to hear moving day was not too stressful. Good luck moving forward!

Thanks. I'm hoping the corals bounce back. I think I have definitely lost the brain coral. The others could still turn around.

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Llorgon

If only it wasn't so cold here having a window open would be easier! I can increase the surface agitation though.

Running increased surface agitiation alone will only help if the CO2 level in the room is low enough to help. Getting outside air in is a bigger help.
Try to figure out some way to get outside air to your skimmer intake.
I run a hose from the intake to an outside filter.
And maybe during your cycle you should get that air pump running on the system. Increased agitation will help while NO2 is present, even if the room air isn't as high in O2 as you'd like.

Originally Posted by Llorgon

I haven't been using a ammo alert. I actually have temporarily misplaced it during the move. But I haven't added any amguard today.
I have a AQ50 sponge and 2 medium pieces of live rock from the 75 gallon tank in there so I haven't seen any ammonia. I have been testing daily. Still adding stability though.

Test every day or every other day for NO2 and keep a record of your tests. NO2 will be there even if your NH3 is low because you are cycling with Stability and used rock.
NO2 of even just 0.25 can starve your fish of oxygen. Adding airstones may help, but better to keep NO2 below 0.1 while you are cycling.

Test for NO3 as well to get a feel where your cycle is, and whether or not you need to WC to bring it down.

The main thing is to keep your NH3 below 0.05 (0.02 is better for health) and NO2 below 0.1 while maintaining NO3 below an algae fuel level (near zero is best for now).
Water changes of between 25% and 75% daily may be needed until you get past the NO2 portion of your cycle.
Keep the filter sponge and LR free of debris that will rot and contribute to the cycle. Baste the rock, remove the detritis and rinse the sponge in old tank water during your WCs.
Feed the fish lightly and only enough that they will eat. Once a day is enough over the next week or 2. Don't let anything lay around rotting.
Once you are past the cycle you can increase feedings until you no longer test any NO2.

Watch your fish for elevated levels of breathing and gills which are not red.
Best to not see this and keep testing NO2 levels regularly.

"Nitrites are actively transported across the gills and readily oxidize hemoglobin to form methemoglobin. Methemoglobinemia results in hypoxia severe enough to cause sudden death"

No point in me addressing your corals as they will be affected by the cycle as much as your fish.