# Few end of cycle questions for yall



## Ghost (Dec 29, 2015)

Hi, 
Hope everyone is doing well. 
I Have a few end of cycle questions I was hoping to get some opinions on. 

Currently running a 50 gal aquarium (36x18x18)
40LBS live sand 
40LBS dry rock
API Test kit

I started my fishless cycle Dec. 30, 2015. (33 days ago)
Over the last month I have watched ammo, nitrites and nitrates closely.
Week 1: Added raw shrimp + seeded with used media pad
Week 2: replaced raw shrimp with new piece 
Week 3: ammo started to drop and Nitrites started to go up
Week 4: Nitrite began to drop and nitrates start to go up quickly. (removed what was left of shrimp.)

After not seeing any ammo or nitrites for a couple of days, I decided to test my cycle with pure ammo. 

Dosed 2ppm ammo on Friday - 24hrs later ammo 0, Nitrites 0, nitrates 30-40
Dosed 3ppm ammo Saturday - 24hrs later ammo 0, Nitrites 0, nitrates 40-80
Dosed 4ppm ammo Sunday - 24hrs later ammo 0, Nitrites 0, nitrates above 80

Tank parameters as of Feb 1st:
Sal. 1.024
Ammo. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrate. above 80
Ph. 8.0
Temp. 80. F


QUESTIONS:

1.	First and foremost, is my cycle complete?

Before adding any livestock I will do a massive WC (80 - 90%) to get my Nitrates down below 20ppm
But during this WC the inner walls of the tank and some higher rocks will be dry for a bit.
2.	Will having higher rocks and inner walls without water on them for about 30 mins kill the BB?

3.	If my cycle is complete and the BB colony is strong enough to process 4ppm of ammo to nitrates in 24hrs, is it safe for me to add a PAIR of small Ocellaris clownfish at one time to start?

4.	I’ve noticed a lot of designer (more expensive) varieties of clownfish. I personally like the look and coloration of the simple Ocellaris clownfish but for my knowledge, are these designer variations just as hardy?

5.	What do you consider a fair price for Ocellaris clowns?

6.	Who has small happy and healthy Ocellaris Clownfish for sale at a fair price?

7.	Is there anything I am forgetting before add livestock?


I would like to thank everyone in advance and appreciate all the help. 

Thanks 
Ghost


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## twobytwo (Oct 25, 2014)

I would throw a clean up crew in there and ghost feed. the tank, not yourself.

You'll also get they typical comments about API kits not being easy to get accurate - So your numbers might not be what you think they are.

I don't think 80-90% water change is necessary. 

Ocellaris clowns? $15-20 maybe?


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

Why do you keep adding dead materials to your tank? First the shrimp then the ammonia. Do a regular water change to get some nitrite out, then just wait for it to go to almost 0. At that point you're safe to add livestock.


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## Ghost (Dec 29, 2015)

goobafish said:


> Why do you keep adding dead materials to your tank? First the shrimp then the ammonia. Do a regular water change to get some nitrite out, then just wait for it to go to almost 0. At that point you're safe to add livestock.


I added shrimp to begin the cycle. Afterwards I only used ammo to test and make sure the cycle was complete. 
My nitrites are already at 0. The point of my big Wc was to get nitrates down below 20ppm.

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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Don't ever....ever.....ever...do a 90% water change unless you really need to. 
I'm going to assume you are a freshwater guy who has changed over, or is trying, satwater and have quite a few questions.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

you should really only be doing an average of 10% waterchanges and if you need to do an emergency WC then do 20% every day for a week. You don't want to kill off any bacteria in your tank


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

Ghost said:


> I added shrimp to begin the cycle. Afterwards I only used ammo to test and make sure the cycle was complete.
> My nitrites are already at 0. The point of my big Wc was to get nitrates down below 20ppm.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk


Neither the shrimp nor ammonia help the cycle, nor are required to test the cycle. You should be waiting for the nitrates to get to almost zero, rather than adding waste to the aquarium that produces nitrates.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

your cycle will be completed at the moment when nothing go in or out of the tank.

Every time you add/remove rock,sand, etc - it will go in the mini/big cycle (depends on the volume of changes)

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## Ghost (Dec 29, 2015)

You are correct alt. I was a freshwater guy for years. Then got out of the hobby in 2010, now I'm just getting back into it. 
So much false info online, I'm glad I posted in this forum.

To get my nitrates down, I will do 10% water changes.

@sig - nothing has gone into the tank since the very beginning of my cycle over a month ago. 

@goobafish - if I'm just waiting for the nitrates to drop without adding anything into my tank how will my BB stay fed.. how will the bacteria stay alive?

Some beginner questions I know, please don't get frustrated guys.

Thanks again for the help


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## Ghost (Dec 29, 2015)

Opinions on clean up crew before adding my first fish..? 

I was under the impression that it's better to add fish first so the clean up crew has something to do.

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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

The bacteria are fed off the death of parts of the live rock. If you start with live rock, nothing is needed to initiate or propel the cycle, if you started with dry rock, a bottle of bacteria would populate the rock, and a fish + small feedings will keep the bacteria fed.

A few snails is a good idea to start to test the waters, and they have plenty of detritus to clean up from the death of the live rock.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I'll give you the same advice as I gave quite a few others on beginning their tanks.

Once your tank is cycled it's going to need some sort of bioload to keep it going. You can add a fish but that's up to you. If you add some clean up crew to the tank they will clean up any unwanted algae and sandbed while also adding a small bioload. At this point you want to feed the tank a bit of pellets so the clean up crew can eat and also adding a bit of bioload to the tank. This will help the beneficial bacteria grow as well but you need to add a few at a time. The beneficial bacteria will grow over time and you can keep adding new creatures once a week or so. 

As Greg said, any additions to your tank regardless of them being rocks or creatures will kick up a new cycle. This happens to everyones tank and it will happen to yours. Some people add quite a few fish to their tanks not knowing that they might crash the tank. Then a week later they're wondering why their tank isn't doing well.

My opinion is to add 5 nassarius snails and a few black footed trocheus snails to start the tank. Feed em a bit every day to make sure they don't die and in a week or so add your first fish. 

A 10% water change is advisable for the first few months until your tank can get a hold of itself. Once you start to see your tank age you can actually slow down on the water changes but that is your choice. 

My tank gets a water change now only once or twice a month. I find that the corals in my tank like it that way but I've only put in corals that like this type of water. I'm not a huge SPS fan and they don't do well in my tank so I stay away from them.

As for adding corals you can really add corals at any time as long as your numbers look good but try to stay away from sps and more expensive corals to begin with. I would also stay away from soft corals like kenya tree, xenia, and gsp as your first corals since they are very invasive and can take over a tank really fast. I know some people think that gsp is a beginner coral, and it is, but in reality I would classify it as more of a moderate reefer coral. If you don't know how to take care of it and prune it your tank will be filled with it within a few months.

Lastly Anems and clams. I would honestly wait atleast a year to add any type of clam and atleast 3-5 months to add an anemone but still that's preference.

Good luck and keep the questions coming!!


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## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

altcharacter said:


> I'll give you the same advice as I gave quite a few others on beginning their tanks.
> 
> Once your tank is cycled it's going to need some sort of bioload to keep it going. You can add a fish but that's up to you. If you add some clean up crew to the tank they will clean up any unwanted algae and sandbed while also adding a small bioload. At this point you want to feed the tank a bit of pellets so the clean up crew can eat and also adding a bit of bioload to the tank. This will help the beneficial bacteria grow as well but you need to add a few at a time. The beneficial bacteria will grow over time and you can keep adding new creatures once a week or so.
> 
> ...


Couldn't have said it any better.


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## mensa (Nov 25, 2015)

wow am I wrong about this too
the o/p says he keeps waiting for the nitrates to come down...
It is my understanding that there never going to come down
and need to be exported out by water changes
anyone...


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