Is only part of my tank cycling??

[Jonathan blackwood]

So I started this tank about 2 weeks ago. I used 100% fully cured and coralline cover rock from one of my other tank, as well as water that I filled about 65% up with and the rest fresh mixed. I also am dosing bacteria and running the skimmer. The only thing with diatoms Is the bare bottom. None on the walls or my live rock. Does this mean I only have a small cycle because I used everything from an old tank? Or it's just building its bio on the bottom because it's fresh and new? Because as you can see, there is like a barrier on the bottom to where the diatoms won't touch lol is that due to that part of the tank already cycled? Because I used cured live rock and it doesn't need to cycle ?

 

[TinyChocobo]

Where the diatoms are and are not has nothing to do with whether or not you are cycling. The fact that you have diatoms at all is a good indication.

That said - the cycle is measurable and you should be testing the water for it - otherwise it's just your best guess. One thing to keep in mind is that the bacteria that cause the cycle to function do need nutrients.

You say you're dosing bacteria - but are you also dosing any sort of food for them to eat? Just because you have bacteria doesn't mean they will survive - they have to eat too [and that's what they do that we enjoy, eating the nutrients we don't want and breaking them down].

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

Where the diatoms are and are not has nothing to do with whether or not you are cycling. The fact that you have diatoms at all is a good indication.

That said - the cycle is measurable and you should be testing the water for it - otherwise it's just your best guess. One thing to keep in mind is that the bacteria that cause the cycle to function do need nutrients.

You say you're dosing bacteria - but are you also dosing any sort of food for them to eat? Just because you have bacteria doesn't mean they will survive - they have to eat too [and that's what they do that we enjoy, eating the nutrients we don't want and breaking them down].

I also and feeding them when I feed my other tanks just not as much as the others lol but thank you for the input. Will be testing tomorrow

 

[TinyChocobo]

I did the same thing - put a small bit of flake food in and let it break down so the bacteria had something to eat. As I didn't have any fish/inverts in there I really didn't care if ammonia spiked or something like that - nothing a water change wouldn't fix and nothing was going to up and die on me. According to my testing I cycled in a couple of weeks with good live rock, some flake food, and a bottle of bacteria [got a good deal on it].

I still waited a couple more before adding any livestock.

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

I did the same thing - put a small bit of flake food in and let it break down so the bacteria had something to eat. As I didn't have any fish/inverts in there I really didn't care if ammonia spiked or something like that - nothing a water change wouldn't fix and nothing was going to up and die on me. According to my testing I cycled in a couple of weeks with good live rock, some flake food, and a bottle of bacteria [got a good deal on it].

I still waited a couple more before adding any livestock.

Good ! Lucky to have a short cycle, that's what I'm hoping for as well.

 

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

Look how much of that thread has the term group B rock (your type) that's like a mini novel solely about the one chunk of rock in your picture lol.

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

Look how much of that thread has the term group B rock (your type) that's like a mini novel solely about the one chunk of rock in your picture lol.

Awesome write up! Wow never heard that side of the picture before . So I used rock type b and pretty much have done everything stated in that article about not having to cycle due to type b rock. I'm just still a little confused on why I am getting that little bit of bacteria or algae (diatoms) on the bottom ? Or maybe I read to fast and missed it lol

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

Because I want to make sure I'm safe to transfer coral over

 

[brandon429]

It's because those growths are simply fully independent of cycling. They aren't bacteria (well technically bacteria cover everything but we are seeing collective photosynthetic pigments of likely diatoms)

Your rock has plenty of nutrient stores that in time, even if you stop feeding to double check, will wind up as detritus emitted that you remove during cleanings. Plus you've been feeding. So those diatoms have bright lights, good feed, low competition. Just clean em out

Corals can indeed be added to the same effects now they would encounter if added in three months. The rock is same now as it was years ago

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

It's because those growths are simply fully independent of cycling. They aren't bacteria (well technically bacteria cover everything but we are seeing collective photosynthetic pigments of likely diatoms)

Your rock has plenty of nutrient stores that in time, even if you stop feeding to double check, will wind up as detritus emitted that you remove during cleanings. Plus you've been feeding. So those diatoms have bright lights, good feed, low competition. Just clean em out

Corals can indeed be added to the same effects now they would encounter if added in three months. The rock is same now as it was years ago

Awesome! Good to know thank you so much for this info that's been under the radar .

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

So I just did another water change today and I'm going to start adding my Corals can't wait to see what they look like under led prime instead of my ATI t5s thanks again Brandon429 for this information

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

And I also will be updating the progress and health of the corals I transfer too! Every few days or week

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

Ok brandon429 !! Mine transfer has been successful for about a week now but I have one little concern, a few of my frags have been loosing a little bit of color. And all my levels are fine, just noticed that my calcium has dropped a little low. About 350ppm, that is what's causing this yes? The frags are consuming all the nutrients and i haven't dosed yet. To see the ballpark range on what I would need to dose. My nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, phosphate, is in perfect range or undetectable. My salt, 0.024 and temp is 79 degrees and ph,8.3 and alk is 11 ish . I'm guessing they are just needing more calcium!??

 

[brandon429]

We need to rule out light induced bleaching, acclimation, as the params listed don't cause bleaching in a week. Let's see pics.

Then can talk feeding as well

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

We need to rule out light induced bleaching, acclimation, as the params listed don't cause bleaching in a week. Let's see pics.

Then can talk feeding as well

I'm using an AI prime for lighting and am using a 25% acclimation reduction as well. Here's my lighting schedule and I'll post pics of corals when I get home

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

here is a pic of the tank I took a few days ago as well. Plenty of flow and not too high up as well. Light is about 8-10 inches above water too.

 

[brandon429]

looking mighty mighty sharp there, no stand outs to me. since some are deep colored like that slimer green I wish was my frag, its hard to draw on water issues that may affect select frags. if you feel your ramp up was slow enough, and the lightening ones aren't corresponding to spotlight areas of bright white light in the tank, then we can consider feeding since its harmless to start some guesswork there.


no fish for nitrogen association so far, side benefits. so what are these hungry fellas being fed

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

looking mighty mighty sharp there, no stand outs to me. since some are deep colored like that slimer green I wish was my frag, its hard to draw on water issues that may affect select frags. if you feel your ramp up was slow enough, and the lightening ones aren't corresponding to spotlight areas of bright white light in the tank, then we can consider feeding since its harmless to start some guesswork there.


no fish for nitrogen association so far, side benefits. so what are these hungry fellas being fed

I have one small fish in there, and I feed reef-roids twice a week, and I dose calcium every other day ! And thank you, can wait for them to grow out I'll keep updates on which frags discolor and what don't .

 

[brandon429]

yes if that's the case then things are in great balance, truly id just continue. in my tank when I switched off power compacts to kessil, I lightened some of my montis but the remedy was move them low, and darken them in balance, then move em up slowly. if your tank was mine and most are ok, but a few are lightening, id just locate them down low and begin a slower move up, keeping all other things set since its working for the majority. this is a nice benefit of all movable frag plugs vs accreted colonies. ive used your thread in cycling links to nano-reef.com people enjoy the detail nice going. your reef was just used today to show a 3 gallon bare bottom, group B rock nano reef how to get to reefing.

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

yes if that's the case then things are in great balance, truly id just continue. in my tank when I switched off power compacts to kessil, I lightened some of my montis but the remedy was move them low, and darken them in balance, then move em up slowly. if your tank was mine and most are ok, but a few are lightening, id just locate them down low and begin a slower move up, keeping all other things set since its working for the majority. this is a nice benefit of all movable frag plugs vs accreted colonies. ive used your thread in cycling links to nano-reef.com people enjoy the detail nice going. your reef was just used today to show a 3 gallon bare bottom, group B rock nano reef how to get to reefing.

Awesome!! Thank you and good to know I can help and I'll just continue what I have going and update soon !! Thanks again for the help and new info