Fishless Cycle, Marine Tank - When Will It Start

[backtotropical]

I see you are now validated Desmo, so back to the salty side you go. You should now be able to post in all areas of the forum.

BTT

 

[rabbut]

With a water pump I hope. With just the biorb air driven uplift, you likely have dyeing rock now without one

In 30l you basically have very few options. A shrimp-goby pair, some smaller gobies or just mobile and sencile invertebrates (crabs, snails, corals (softies), shrimp e.t.c)

Unfortunately, the tank is realistically a bit too small for clowns or the humbug. You may get one in there, but the humbug will kill any other fish that is in with it. There simply isn't the swimming room for a clownfish (says the person who was flamed on three other forums for putting a clown in a 70l...)

As far as the cycle goes, what is the upper limit of your ammonia test kit?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[SkiFletch]

So wait, you bought live rock but your ammonia is still pegged off the scale at 5ppm?

 

[Desmo]

With a water pump I hope. With just the biorb air driven uplift, you likely have dyeing rock now without one

Just the biOrb pump in there at the moment.

As far as the cycle goes, what is the upper limit of your ammonia test kit?

Think it goes up to 8.4? It's the API master test kit.

So wait, you bought live rock but your ammonia is still pegged off the scale at 5ppm?

Yep, lr is in and ammonia is currently at 5ppm. I've made a cock up haven't I?

Cheers for all of the input. I'll try and do some more reading over the next few days
I thought I'd done enough to get started but obviously not. At least I knew not to chuck fish in there just yet

 

[rabbut]

Well, the live rock isn't getting any real flow, so it won't be processing Ammonia yet. You need a water pump in there that pushes about 600lph to get enough flow to the live rock and keep it alive as well as processing the Ammonia for you

All the best
Rabbut

 

[SkiFletch]

Wierd, sure it's Live Rock? Is the salinity correct?

 

[Desmo]

Panic over.....the bacteria have landed

Checked tonight and ammoia hit pretty much zero whilst nitrite went off the chart. Got about 20ppm nitrate as well

Topped up the ammonia again and will start doing the regular checks.