Low ammonia cycling with cured live rocks

[LamLe]

Hi all,

I just started my first 46 gallon tank. I got some 45lbs of Fiji and
Tonga rock from a LFS that seems honest and reasonable priced. The
rock has been cured in their tanks for about 3-4 weeks.

The rocks was transported and put in the new tank within 1 hour. With
sand substrate, 3 air heads and a skimmer going. All parameters seems
to be normal, except I do not see the ANN cycle get started after 2
weeks.

With the RedSea test kit, I consistently measured pH (8.2, Ak at
normal/high. I have Nitrite and Nitrate at 0 since the begining, which
is waht I expected. But the ammonia started at .5 and moving down to
about .1, and there is no nitrite spike so far. The skimmer seems to
be doing a good job of pulling out about 1/4-1/2 cup of junk each day,
and I still have the lights off and no algea in the system. No water
changes yet.

So, am I just truly got a well cured rock and just expect NIH3 to go to
0 and have a stable system? Or is it more likely that my ammonia is
too low to ge the cycle started? Should I turn off the skimmer or
throw a shrimp in the tank?

Thanks for any suggestion.

[Marc Levenson]

Sounds like it barely cycled. How long as the tank been set up?

Marc


LamLe wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I just started my first 46 gallon tank. I got some 45lbs of Fiji and
> Tonga rock from a LFS that seems honest and reasonable priced. The
> rock has been cured in their tanks for about 3-4 weeks.
>
> The rocks was transported and put in the new tank within 1 hour. With
> sand substrate, 3 air heads and a skimmer going. All parameters seems
> to be normal, except I do not see the ANN cycle get started after 2
> weeks.
>
> With the RedSea test kit, I consistently measured pH (8.2, Ak at
> normal/high. I have Nitrite and Nitrate at 0 since the begining, which
> is waht I expected. But the ammonia started at .5 and moving down to
> about .1, and there is no nitrite spike so far. The skimmer seems to
> be doing a good job of pulling out about 1/4-1/2 cup of junk each day,
> and I still have the lights off and no algea in the system. No water
> changes yet.
>
> So, am I just truly got a well cured rock and just expect NIH3 to go to
> 0 and have a stable system? Or is it more likely that my ammonia is
> too low to ge the cycle started? Should I turn off the skimmer or
> throw a shrimp in the tank?
>
> Thanks for any suggestion.
>

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[LamLe]

It's been 2 weeks. I'm thinking about getting a cocktail shrimp to see
if the ammonia spike happens.

[Billy]

"LamLe" > wrote in message
oups.com...
| It's been 2 weeks. I'm thinking about getting a cocktail shrimp to
see
| if the ammonia spike happens.
|

Only 2 weeks? Be patient, is what I would do. Give it time. If you
add critters now, you could be looking at an even longer process.

[Glenn]

Instead of the shrimp, just add enough ammonia to get a positive test
result. If it drops to zero within a day, you are cycled. During the time
the ammonia is dropping, you may see a nitrite positive, too. They should
both drop to zero within a day.

"LamLe" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> It's been 2 weeks. I'm thinking about getting a cocktail shrimp to see
> if the ammonia spike happens.
>