Super frustrated!

HERE ARE MY TANK SPECS:

Am-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-off the scale at 100+
pH-8.2

My tank was born 5/26/10 55gal w/ 29 gal sump total volume maybe ~70gal. I would say 80+ lbs of base rock (4 lbs of it was live), and 70+ lbs of sand ( 2olbs of which was live sand) only RO/DI water used. Have a lot diatom, GHA, and cyano growth going on. I used the shrimp and a little live rock cycling method, I also will toss in some flake food once a week to keep the Am cycle going.

Now I know with all the base rock/sand it is going to tank awhile for the bacteria to build up. But this seems like it is taking super long time.

Is there a good starter bacteria that will speed up the process?

Would it be bad to add a De-Nitrate coil to a tank that is 9 weeks old? Will this stop the from curing?

Any ideas? I just want to start adding CUC crew?

 

Denitrating bacteria take a very long time to build up and require anaerobic zones, which you may not have. Your actual cycle is already done; it only encompasses ammonia and nitrites. Do a big water change (like 50%), then do another in a week, then get a darned fish already.

 

I should anaerobic zones, aleast some where in my rock. It is DIY rock and very porous. I dont have a whole lot of flow either, so I think that I should have some anaerobic zones.

So water change not a coil, I mean I am going to add a coil one way or another

thats the idea!

 

You need to get the nitrates down to a reasonable level, then add a fish + CUC. You need to feed the tank while you do that to keep your nitrifying bacteria alive, otherwise you're going to hit another cycle.

 

you should have chateo and mangroves in the fuge, they will soak up phosphates and nitrates

 

I knew I had to keep the "feeding" the tank. But I was waiting for the NO3 to go down, I did do a water change a while ago (10%) wasnt enough to have an effect.

@tegar, there nitrate was too high to add any of those things. They would dies off quick with how high they were

 

You'd be surprised. I started one of my tanks with a table shrimp, and a 2" piece of ulva. The ulva is the size of a pillow case right now probably (I'm exaggerating, but still) and I've had it in there since day 1. I would get some stuff in your fuge, mangroves or cheato or ulva, get a light on it, and watch it grow. They really do suck a lot of NO3 up.

 

i would stop tossing in the flake food. Add the chaeto it feeds off the nitrates. do a few more water changes (20%). once the nitrates get down to around 40ppm, add a fish.

 

I always do a 50% water change.... I know it's kind of old school now, but it was "the law" when I cycled my first tank. I've never stopped the habit.... and it brings nitrates down for me.

 

I agree on adding the chaeto. I am no expert, but there doesn't seem to be any nutrient export in your system. The chaeto eats the nitrate and you trim the chaeto to export it from your system. It makes sense that it is building up without the export completed. I know that's an incomplete explanation, but I'd add the chaeto.

I would wait on adding any fish until you get it down. Water change will export the nitrate as well, but it is only dilluting it really. Chaeto will solve the problem.

M