Got my tank setup, a 50 gallon show, a couple of weeks ago with about 40lbs live rock, uncured. During first week, skimmate production (using TopFathom TF200) was fairly high, producing about a cup every 12hrs. Last week, I added another 35 lbs of same quality rock. Tank looked awful for about a day and then cleared up. I have maintained high flow throughout tank and started the whole system off with seasoned live sand and other goop from seasoned live rock curing tanks. I initially maintained a normal photoperiod of ~12hrs using 55W CF daylight bulbs, but I started to notice what looked like brown algae growing on the upper rocks so I shut the lights off for good while it finished cycling. I also have a refugium filled with about 10lbs of live rock goop and some rubble pieces.
Current readings:
NH3 maxed out at about 0.25ppm (now 0), NO2 briefly hit 0.1ppm (now 0), and NO3 has now peaked at 5.0ppm, all according to RedSea kit. My alkalinity has maintained a constant 2.6-3.9 (high) level, and pH has stayed between 8.3-8.4. My other kits for calcium and PO4 are to arrive tomorrow. Water temp has stayed in the range of 79-80.5. Salinity was kept 1.021-22, but I've raised it over the past 2 days to 1.024. It does tend to fluctuate as water evaps from sump -
I have not run any chemical filtration during this time, not even activated carbon. My water was pretty yellow for a couple of days, but then cleared up and is now pretty clear - might need a touch of carbon to make it totally clear.
Without further adieu, has this tank completed its cycle? My experience has shown rock to take longer, but the rock never was very rotten smelling straight outta the shipping box. It smelled like cured rock - fresh sea smell like the beach, etc. Even my skimmate doesn't stink much anymore and has really slowed down on production. There's clearly stuff that dead still attached to the rocks. Did I mention my live sand bed is about 3-4" deep and was partially (50/50) seeded with seasoned live sand and goop? I'd like to add some cleanup critters to begin manicuring the detritus and other dead material from the rock as well as tending the live sand bed. Is it safe to add those guys (snails, hermits, brittle stars) now?
Current readings:
NH3 maxed out at about 0.25ppm (now 0), NO2 briefly hit 0.1ppm (now 0), and NO3 has now peaked at 5.0ppm, all according to RedSea kit. My alkalinity has maintained a constant 2.6-3.9 (high) level, and pH has stayed between 8.3-8.4. My other kits for calcium and PO4 are to arrive tomorrow. Water temp has stayed in the range of 79-80.5. Salinity was kept 1.021-22, but I've raised it over the past 2 days to 1.024. It does tend to fluctuate as water evaps from sump -
I have not run any chemical filtration during this time, not even activated carbon. My water was pretty yellow for a couple of days, but then cleared up and is now pretty clear - might need a touch of carbon to make it totally clear.
Without further adieu, has this tank completed its cycle? My experience has shown rock to take longer, but the rock never was very rotten smelling straight outta the shipping box. It smelled like cured rock - fresh sea smell like the beach, etc. Even my skimmate doesn't stink much anymore and has really slowed down on production. There's clearly stuff that dead still attached to the rocks. Did I mention my live sand bed is about 3-4" deep and was partially (50/50) seeded with seasoned live sand and goop? I'd like to add some cleanup critters to begin manicuring the detritus and other dead material from the rock as well as tending the live sand bed. Is it safe to add those guys (snails, hermits, brittle stars) now?
