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10-20-2007, 08:18 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Skunk Shrimp
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fremont, CA Age: 32
Posts: 287
|  Carbon Or Skimmer During Cycling?
Ok, my tank's been cycling for 5 weeks now...and so far...I can't get it to settle. I'm starting to think that maybe running both my carbon HOT filter and remora is actually affecting the cycling process. Any ideas, 'cause I'm getting very frustrated here.
Here's my set up once again:
46 Gal. Tank
19 lbs LR...uncured from day 1. 34 lbs of dead rock. I recently added 16 two days ago.
40 lbs LS
Remora skimmer with maxijet 1200. been running for a week and two days
Penguin Bio-Wheel HOT filter...been runing since day one.
Heater at steady 78 degrees.
Lighting: until today, I have been using a regular fluorecent single strip light which was my freshwater tank light. I have a set of T5 HOs but I still have not used it....DOES LIGHTING make a difference durying the cycling?
Gravity is 1.023. To fill up water due to evaporation/skimming, I use freshwater RO.
This is what I have so far in water paramaters as of today 10/20/07:
pH8.0
Alk 3.6
Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0.5
Amm. 0.25
Weird, 'cause on 10/16/07 it was:
pH 8.2
Alk 3.6....didn't change. But it's way high..or not?
Nitrate 2.5
Nitrite 0.1
Ammonia 0.25
Now, I must mention, YESTERDAY, my two Rotweillers were playing around, and they accidentaly knocked my cousin, who in turn grabbed into my aquarium and almost knocked it down...all the rocks inside the aquarium fell, so I spent 3.5 hours with my arms inside the tank trying to get tthe rocks back in place. Now, do you guys think this could've contributed to the change in the water parameters at all? I'm asking 'cause of the of the difference between the 16th and 20th. Anyway, I thought I should mention this both 'cause it was funny and 'cause I was curious.
Anyway, I'll appreciate any tips/help you can provide me. Thanks! | 
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10-20-2007, 08:32 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Millepora
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Miami,Fl Age: 19
Posts: 913
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I would not run any if still cycling, You should not run the skimmer until like 4 or 5 months.
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90 gallon tank with center overflows, 44 gallon custom sump/fuge, Tek T5 retrofit 4x54 bulbs, Reef Octopus nw200 protein skimmer, Iwaki WMD40RLXT return pump (changed to panworld 100pxx),Knop c ca reactor, PA light house controller.
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10-20-2007, 08:36 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Skunk Shrimp
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fremont, CA Age: 32
Posts: 287
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IBMGeek  I would not run any if still cycling, You should not run the skimmer until like 4 or 5 months. | Really? even if the LR wasn't cured? | |
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10-20-2007, 08:36 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Eyelash Blennie
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: valencia,pa. Age: 35
Posts: 1,283
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some tanks do that for longer than others.when you start using the lights,i bet you get some algae at 1st.you may want some cleaner crew in there to take care of it.my lfs runs a big skimmer while curing lr.
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55 gallon reef with 4x54 watt t5,29 gallon sump,red monti cap,1blue echinophyllia,trumpet,red lobo,2 toadstools 1purple and 1neon,gsp,xenia and yellow xenia,red ,many mushrooms,2 giant frilly shrooms,cabbage coral,yellow polyps,many zoos,1 orange and one neon green nepthia,duncans,cladiella | |
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10-20-2007, 08:40 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Millepora
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Miami,Fl Age: 19
Posts: 913
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well maybe if the liverock wasnt cured, then yeah run it for a little while until it takes out all the dead matter and then turn off the skimmer. The skimmer will delay coraline growth and really wont pull out nothing out of the water after it removes the live rock die off. | |
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10-20-2007, 08:41 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Bristle Worm
Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 136
Karma: 15
 
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Personally, I wouldn't use carbon or skimmer during cycling as it will take out some of the good stuff along with the bad and slow things down. Looks to me like it's not finished cycling. Sounds like you need to help it along with some sand boost or throw the kid in (just kidding).
Yes, I think your arm in the water for that long probably brought the PH down but if it's not going back up you might have to add some PH UP or do a small water change. _________ 125gal Reef/Fish,40gal sump,Reefmania calcium reactor,MH,UVH,Moon,Aquazone plus 100,Auto Topoff,CoraLife 125 skimmer,GHL Profilux computer & special effects lighting.
Fish:Coral Beauty,Yellow Wrasse,African Clown Wrasse,BiColor Anglefish,Banded Goby,Psycodelic Mandarin Goby,Spotfin Angelfish
Inverts:Long-spinned Urchin,Crowned Urchin,Feather Dusters,Fire shrimp,Banded Shrimp,Brittle Star,snails
Corals:Cup,Frogspawn,Pink Open Brain,Yellow Dot
Zoanthid,White Tree,Leathers  | |
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10-20-2007, 08:46 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Skunk Shrimp
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fremont, CA Age: 32
Posts: 287
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Well, the skimmer has only been running for a little over a week...the tank however is 5 weeks old today. The whole time since 5 weeks ago I ran the carbon HOT filter witht the uncured LR. The skimmer, like I said, started a week ago and it's been skimming some nasty yellowish water every day. | |
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10-20-2007, 09:02 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Eyelash Blennie
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: valencia,pa. Age: 35
Posts: 1,283
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you should look for dead corals and dead sponge in the rock if its taking to long. | |
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10-22-2007, 08:09 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | 3reef Moderator |
Because you added 16lbs. of rock 2 days ago you have started your cycle all over again. each time rock is added you will experience a cycle of some sort.
I to believe that running carbon is not required. How ever I feel the skimmer is important form day 1.
J | |
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10-25-2007, 02:23 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Feather Duster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 216
Karma: 25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason McKenzie Because you added 16lbs. of rock 2 days ago you have started your cycle all over again. each time rock is added you will experience a cycle of some sort.
I to believe that running carbon is not required. How ever I feel the skimmer is important form day 1.
J | i Agree the sooner the wastes are exported the better the bacteria is gonna grow in the tank regardless of running a skimmer and multiplies at a fast rate...so it would'nt really affect the cycle. | |
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