Cycling Question

Bluemon · 04/26/2011, 10:07 PM

All right so ive been cycling my 5 gallon dwarf SH tank for 3 weeks now.
i had my ammonia spike, and i have to get my seahorses quick, cuz i cant wait for them.

When do you think the cycling would end?

here are my tank parameters:

pH: 8.1
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0.5
Nitrate: 20-100 (low range to high range)

i havent changed my water in a week
and i just added 1 ml of prime.

also, my salinity is 1.020 and temp varies

i also have 3 sexy shrimp, 4 nerites, 4 cerinths, and 5 nassariuses.

Thank you

dzfish17 · 04/27/2011, 12:11 AM

A 5g tank is going to be hard to keep water parameters in check. To answer your question ... the nitrogen cycle can take up to six weeks depending on weather or not you are using LR or LS. It sounds like you are at the end of your cycle with the nitrate reading. You need to get your salinity up to 1.025. That is alot of inverts for a sm tank.

Bluemon · 04/27/2011, 01:15 AM

thank you

petco gave me extra snails idk why

jaharr01 · 04/27/2011, 01:28 AM

you need to get a controller for your heater and bump your salinity up to 1.026

computeaholic · 04/27/2011, 06:36 AM

Heater is need for sure. Salinity at 1.020 is way to low. 1.023 to 1.026 is needed. Being perfectly consistent is going to be your key with the tank though. Make sure and feed the sexy shrimp every day. Since you have that many sails you can get away with it. Sexy shrimp are prone to picking at Zoe's if not fed every day. They also will eat the tips of anemone tentacles. So a little pellet a day keeps mine happy and fed.

bnumair · 04/27/2011, 07:42 AM

salinity is low and cycle is not done yet. if u are seeing nitrites ur still cycling. i would also research on nitrate levels for sea horses as well. some livestocks can not handle nitrates either.
also note: there is only one thing in this hobby that happens fast CRASH

disc1 · 04/27/2011, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluemon

and i have to get my seahorses quick, cuz i cant wait for them.

Recipe for disaster

Lynnmw1208 · 04/27/2011, 09:06 AM

slow down there sailor! rushing will get you nowhere but trouble! Take your time, make sure your parameters all say 0... add some fish food, wait a week and if they say 0 still, you should be ok. there will always be seahorses available so take your time and enjoy the ride of this hobby

04/26/2011, 10:07 PM	#1
Bluemon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 902	Cycling Question All right so ive been cycling my 5 gallon dwarf SH tank for 3 weeks now. i had my ammonia spike, and i have to get my seahorses quick, cuz i cant wait for them. When do you think the cycling would end? here are my tank parameters: pH: 8.1 Ammonia: 0.1 Nitrite: 0.5 Nitrate: 20-100 (low range to high range) i havent changed my water in a week and i just added 1 ml of prime. also, my salinity is 1.020 and temp varies i also have 3 sexy shrimp, 4 nerites, 4 cerinths, and 5 nassariuses. Thank you

04/27/2011, 12:11 AM	#2
dzfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Fresno,Ca. Posts: 2,545	A 5g tank is going to be hard to keep water parameters in check. To answer your question ... the nitrogen cycle can take up to six weeks depending on weather or not you are using LR or LS. It sounds like you are at the end of your cycle with the nitrate reading. You need to get your salinity up to 1.025. That is alot of inverts for a sm tank. __________________ 600g (96x36x46) FOWLR Last edited by dzfish17; 04/27/2011 at 12:31 AM.

04/27/2011, 07:42 AM	#6
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	salinity is low and cycle is not done yet. if u are seeing nitrites ur still cycling. i would also research on nitrate levels for sea horses as well. some livestocks can not handle nitrates either. also note: there is only one thing in this hobby that happens fast CRASH __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

04/27/2011, 09:06 AM	#8
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,306	slow down there sailor! rushing will get you nowhere but trouble! Take your time, make sure your parameters all say 0... add some fish food, wait a week and if they say 0 still, you should be ok. there will always be seahorses available so take your time and enjoy the ride of this hobby __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

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04/27/2011, 01:15 AM	#3
Bluemon Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 902	thank you petco gave me extra snails idk why

04/27/2011, 01:28 AM	#4
jaharr01 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 56	you need to get a controller for your heater and bump your salinity up to 1.026

04/27/2011, 06:36 AM	#5
computeaholic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 76	Heater is need for sure. Salinity at 1.020 is way to low. 1.023 to 1.026 is needed. Being perfectly consistent is going to be your key with the tank though. Make sure and feed the sexy shrimp every day. Since you have that many sails you can get away with it. Sexy shrimp are prone to picking at Zoe's if not fed every day. They also will eat the tips of anemone tentacles. So a little pellet a day keeps mine happy and fed.