Would like your thoughts on my tank...

I have a RedSeaMax 130D (34g). Been up since mid-Jan. Started with 20lbs of live rock, 3 weeks ago I added 25lbs of base rock, removed the bio bag, and am running a mechnical filter (black sponge), skimmer, a sock of chemi-pure and a phosphate filter.

My water test yesterday inidicated that the tank has not finished cycling. It ocurred to me that perhaps I have been interferring with the cycle because I have been doing 10% water changes weekly. In doing some reading it seems that I need to remove the chemipure, turn off the skimmer and only do top offs for the next two weeks.

I have had 2 damsels in the tank for a couple of months now...

I don't know what to do. Any suggestions welcomed.

 

Hi,
Yeah you don't want to be performing a water change during the cycling process, first of all. I would remove the chemi pure for the time being but as for the skimmer...Leave it running!
Lighting should be at a minimum for now as that would only increase the unwanted algae in your tank.
It is possible that their was some die off on the new rock you purchased as well.
Just continuew to monitor the water and don't add anything else to the tank for now till things stabilize and the cycle has run its course.
Good luck!

 

That's weird. Maybe something else caused the mini-cycle. 2 months should be plenty of time with damsels and liverock.

 

Could it be the 25lbs of base rock I added a couple weeks back?

 

If it was all dried out, then there should be no bacteria living on it to die off. Maybe there was dried out stuff on it that began to rot in your tank once it was re-hydrated. How did the tank smell?

 

How does it smell...when I empty the skimmer chamber it smells like a$$. I guess it smells kind of fishy or something like that in the back chamber.

 

Removing the biobag will remove a good percentage of your bacterial colonies in your system. At this point, just let the rock seed and grow on its own. Wash out the sponge when it gets nasty too, it will produce tons of nitrates when food gets trapped in it.
I would remove the chemi-pure at this point though. It would be like us taking antibiotic medications hoping to not get sick, when we are perfectly healthy.