ive been cycling my 100g tank with 45lbs of live rock. today my ammonia dropped to 0, nitrite at 5. i know how the nitrogen cycle works, but i am wondering what will feed the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrate while my cycle completes? should i throw a shrimp in the tank or just leave things be? perhaps i should leave things be as there plenty of detrius all over the sand from scrubbing the live rock off.
cycle question
- Thread starter dmopar74
- Start date
I'd say let it be. You say your ammonia is now at zero, has it already spiked and is now dropping?
yeah it was at 5 or 6 about a week before it hit 0. now my nitrite is starting to drop, its a 2 now.
id agree let it be, the minute nitrite hits 0, do a water change and add your first fish. The waste from the fish will keep the cycle in swing. Adding stock slowly will prevent anothing spike so from here on out, youll be great as long as you stick to 2-3 fish at a time, depending on the fish being added of course.
keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite, just to make sure nitrtie doesnt rise over night.
keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite, just to make sure nitrtie doesnt rise over night.
fish only or coral? either way i would only add one fish a week at most.. the key to marine is to stock extremely slow
bOOsteN aUdI;2200935; said:
fish only, no corals till i feel comfortable with what im doing and upgrade lighting.
sweeTang21;2200924; said:
I completely disagree there...Fish should never be added untill the nitrite has gone to zero, the nitrate has spiked, fallen down to >10ppm and THEN a large water change...