The Puffer Forum

Ok so my tank is 10g, salinity is at 1.023 - 1.024. I put in 3lbs of cured LR into the tank yesterday and today my tank is even more cloudy than it was yesterday. I have in the modded AC filter some media that was int he other filter with the 10g when it was going. I will be putting in LR and the macro algae soon though to make it a fuge. I did a water test yesterday and these were the results:
Ammonia 0.5 - 1
Nitrates 0 - 1
Nitrites 0.10

And the water test I did today showed:
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrates 5 - 10
Nitrites 5.0

Should I just let it continue for a few more days with the cycle and do a water test each day till it settles?

Also I was wondering on what others find as good cleaning crews, Im thinking of going with 5 red or blue legged hermits, maybe a sexy shrimp or a candy cane shrimp, not sure on snails though. And after I get the rest of the LR in there and set up the way I like it I was thinking of getting a few corals, but the ones for beginners like me I like some othe mushrooms and the zoan ones (not sure on the name ) I will be gettin 2 50/50 20w Coralife bulbs for the lighting, will that be ok? I am getting very excited to get this tank set up. My 45g SW FOWLR is were I want it just gotta add more LR to it. Thanks in advance

Although im not very familiar with SW tank, it sounds like a bacterial bloom. I would goahead and take any biofilter media out of the filters your running(maybe someone thats more familiar can chime n and second this (or or not lol.))

MeggyPuff25 wrote:Should I just let it continue for a few more days with the cycle and do a water test each day till it settles?

Yup, let it cycle, dont do water changes till the ammonia and nitrite are 0

I don't have a saltwater tank and don't have any experience with them, but I'm curious -- in a 10-gallon tank with live rock in it, there can't possibly be much room leftover for fish, etc. What are you planning on having in that tank, just corals with the clean-up crew you mentioned? I'm don't know much about marine tanks, so I'm just asking for my own knowledge.

Right now I'm just going to get the LR with cleaning crew and some corals, haven't decided on fish though, I know I will want one just not sure what kind yet

white cloudy?

It's like a whitish-yellow, but there is no fish in it atm and only 3lbs of LR

it sounds like a bacterial bloom.

Although I don't have a SW set up yet... from what I have read that should clear up once the LR is established.

Well the 3lbs of LR in there is cured though. But Im gonna do another water test tomorrow and see wht the test says, I'm writing all my results down so I can keep track of the cycle. I don't mind waiting I was just curious on the cloudiness. I will be getting some more rock hopefully this weekend

Like I stated before, I don't know anything about SW; however I think I may have read somewhere that whether the rock is live or dead, adding it to your tank can cause a cycle; full or mini. It will still affect the bioload, and in turn what you are seeing.

I know that not everyone is an expert when you search online, but maybe this helps?
http://askville.amazon.com/cured-live-r ... Id=1320772

It doesnt sound like it was cured completely. Usually you still get a bit of die off. Sounds like it needs to cycle. I wouldnt add any shrimp till the cycle is finished. Red and or blue legs should be fine during but I wouldnt put anything else in there till its finished cycling.

The LR is cured though, 2lbs came from another established tank and the other 1lb came from our established 45g tank here

Im thinking even though it may have been cured the tank parameters when it comes to nutrients could have been very different thus giving an explosion of bacteria causeing a bloom, aswell as you showing nitrite and ammonia reading in the tank give further evidence of a bacterial bloom.

if I have learned anything here.. anytime you change something from one tank to another there are changes.

PH, SG, temp all come into play with a myriad of other variables. I'm not saying don't worry, just don't panic

I'm not to worried, yet lol, i was just wondering if it will clear up. The salinity and temp are the same for this 10g and the 45g. This is my first nano tank so I want to make sure I do it right because this will be the last tank I do fish wise. Im happ with my 55g ciclid tank, 45g FOWLR and my newest challeng my 10g nano tank Space wise I can't have any more tanks. But my home is full of busy bodies, 10 leopard geckos, 2 adult crested geckos and 3 babies atm, and our newiest addition our Male 50% Het Caramel Ball Python and I should add we have a 5 yr old and a 1 1/2 yr old runnin around O.o

But I have never had corals yet so I'm a bit nervous but excited to