Chemical Cycling

[kinetic]

Thanks to Norman, my tank has cycled in record time with all dry rock! No live rock to start with at all. Just a combination of marco rock and reefer rock.

I used ProLine Ammonia Chloride from Aquaticeco.com. I dosed about 8ppm every other day, and then added a 55g dose of Marineland Bio-Spira. My ammonia levels started dropping pretty fast within a week, and within 3 weeks it was dropping from 8ppm to undetectable within 24 hours.

My nitrites took about 4 weeks to start falling. They were off the charts for those entire 4 weeks.

Now I'm able to bring my nitrites down within a day after about a month and a half, dosing 8ppm of Ammonia daily, my bacteria population is solid.

This is a great way to cycle the tank! You have so much control and can really push the limits.

I've also just hooked up a RDSB (Should've done this in the beginning) which will now reduce the final nitrate stage. The NNR effects of the RDSB should kick in in about 4 weeks. Given I set this up in the beginning, it would've kicked in at the same time my ammonia / nitrites were under control.

So I'm thinking February or March I can finally add my first animals!! Can't wait =X

 

[kinetic]

Let me also mention, most people will have just started adding their animals after 8ppm of ammonia went all the way down to nitrates. This is what a usual cycle is. If that was the case, I would've been cycled in 3 weeks. What I was doing was waiting for a high bioload equivalent of 8ppm of ammonia a day to be reduced to nothing within 24 hours. This would occur if I dumped in a bunch of tangs, anems, and other high quantity poopers all at once... they'd probably survive (if my nitrates were also in check =).

 

[LeviT]

Is your RDSB just in a section of your sump? What did you set up?

 

[kinetic]

it's actually a bucket:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=129130&view=findpost&p=1392745

(post 326 in case it doesn't come up correctly).

It's a 4g bucket, but has 9.5" deep sand bed. 10" x 10" x 15"

One of my bulkheads has a very slight leak, I'll have to replace it tonight =P Otherwise it's working well. I should've drilled the drain slightly lower than it is, I'm getting funny gurgling once in awhile (not noticeable when the bucket lid is on).

 

[Ibn]

Cap it up and drill another hole; lower this time.

 

[kinetic]

[quote author=Ibn link=topic=2719.msg28534#msg28534 date=1198003193]
Cap it up and drill another hole; lower this time.
[/quote]

Well, I don't want to go lower, because then my sand bed will be below the 8" minimum for a NNR RDSB to work properly.

I'm probably going to have Gen at KritterTanks make me a nice tall bucket to maximize the space I have using his scrap acrylic. I'll probably just paint over it to make it opaque. I'll probably stagger the outlet a little bit, and add an external durso to it.

 

[LeviT]

I scanned through that thread and I must say, that's going to be a nice tank.