Is it Cycling or Am I in need of a water change???

[bonkerz619]

I started cycling my tank two weeks ago today. I added all scripts water and started running it as soon as the sump had enough water to run the system. I set the water level in my sump and she's been running.
So here is where things get funky. Before this conversation i had this tank running for 2 years. I pulled all rock and sand out of it and spread it over a table in the backyard to dry it out. It was only out there for a couple of weeks. I rinsed and re-dryed it several times. After I reintroduced the scripts water to the tank the very next morning my entire house smelled like OB during low tied(funky). My skimmer was working overtime 30min after i filled the tank. After a few days the smell went away and my collection cup smelled like something died in it. After a week i added 15 lbs of live and and about 8 lbs of live rock in my refudgium. my rocks and sand started growing a yellowish,greenish, brown algae. I bought 15 hermits to help clean the rocks and sand. Three days later i added a couple of nice bunches of cheateo to the fudge. On friday the I added more to the clean up crew because the hermits weren't keeping up. I added 10 more hermits and 10 snails. I also bought a water test kit and did a test before i added the new crew. everything was spiked. the only thing that was in the middle was the ammonia which was about .5ppm. I tested again today and there is no change but my water is nice and cloudy. I'm very concerned that the rock and sand that i added from my old system was dying even after several washes. At this point i'm not sure what to do. Do I leave alone or do I a water change to help get the levels to a respectable level? Is there something that i can add to the water to help with levels? It's been a very long since i've cycled a tank but i don't remember this ever happening. Thoughts? comments????? solutions???? i'm open to anything at this point. Below are the specs on my system

120 tank 2x2x4
40 gallon sump (about a 15 gallon fudge and a tunze 9016)
Quiet one 5000 primary pump.
2x AI sold blue
2x mp40's
Macro grown fudge light....... i think thats everything.

[Mrgunz1]

oh yes thats a lot of cycling going on

[Mrgunz1]

continuous water changes needed

[50 cube]

Do many water changes,maybe 2-3a week?

[bonkerz619]

How many gallons at a time? When I did a full water change before I did about 30 gallons.

[Aaron]

10-20% every couple of days

[saltybalz]

The awful smell you speak of i would bet is more or less the rock and sand dieing off. I would keep up with weekly water changes and dont run your lights for now so you dont fuel any un wanted algea blooms. Fan off rock and subtrante with hand to stir up cyano so it can be filtered out and sucked out during water changes. Rock and substrant that has been dried out can still store nutrients, so that may be where your high spikes are coming from. Just be patient and let things level out in there, may take a little but it will happen. I just went through the same deal with me tank during cycling and just be diligent with maintance and you may want to try and skimm wet till your nutrient levels get down and things start to clear up. Maybe try and run some carbon as well, worked great for me. Hope I could help. Good luck and enjoy.

[bonkerz619]

This has all been great help.... now i'm gonna be stuck here at work dying to get home and work on my system. I'll start with the easy stuff, water changes and lights. I have to run out and by a carbon reactor so that'll be the next step. The hardest thing is going to be the time. I'll keep you all posted.

[saltybalz]

The whole hurry up and wait game, sucks, but well worth it in the end. If you have some free time give this http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...reef-tank.html a read. Great info, gave me a whole new outlook and how to cycle a tank.

[Aaron]

The whole hurry up and wait game, sucks, but well worth it in the end. If you have some free time give this http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...reef-tank.html a read. Great info, gave me a whole new outlook and how to cycle a tank.

That's an awesome write up/link

[bonkerz619]

On my way to scripts but just tested my water. Ammonia is almost flat, nitrite is about 1.0ppm and nitrate is about 20ppm. Looks like they're dropping.

[bonkerz619]

just did a 32 gallon water change... when should i test again? Now or should i let i run overnight?

[Aaron]

About an hour or so...

[bonkerz619]

didn't do it last night, i'll test first thing when i get home. My tank is %100 clear as of this morning. I'm leaving the lights off for a while. That Link that ambixel posted is really good. Learned a lot from it. It kinda confused me on some things too. Pretty hardcore. I've only ever done fish only systems. Boy i have a lot to learn. My wallet defiantly is feeling the pain too. My wife is looking at the amount i spent and any empty tank..... dose not compute. LOL> it'll get there. We actually went to by a second MP40 on sunday and she was picking out some fish, i had to break it to her that it'll be while before we add anything. At least she's into it.

[bonkerz619]

after a few small water changes .. Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate 0ppm, Ammonia 0ppm and PH is about 8.1. Now What????? i know i'm still not ready to add livestock yet but she's getting close. Should i start running lights again? Algae is all gone and i'm worried the snails won't have enough to eat.