Hi all. This is my first post re my first reef tank. I have found a lot of great info here so I figured I'd post my questions.
I recently drilled a tank for overflow and returns. Made custom sump and plumbing. I purchased LR and LS and began the cycling process. 3 days into it the back of my tank cracked badly. I put my LR and LS in 5gal buckets on my balcony (was pretty cold, 40deg F or so). As it was a middle-of-the-night emergency thing, it took me a few days to find another tank (ended up with a reef ready oceanic rimless off craigslist). I have now had the LR and LS cycling in this new tank for the past 5 days. (Fyi - The rock is Fiji, shipped to me in box of 50lbs. Came in plastic bags with moist newspaper and cardboard...came out smelling like mildew so I figured that was good that it was still wet at least). Per recommendation of the previous tank owner (had a very healthy system and seemed very knowledgeable), I kept some of the filter media that he was using in the sump (Eshopps RS-100) and his filter sock. The idea being that keeping these used items would give me good bacteria (also have a powerhead w a lot of coralline algae and the overflow itself I left without cleaning too well). I tested the 2nd day in the new tank and ammonia and nitrites were at 0 and nitrates were at 15. Tested again the 5th day and the same results. I'm now debating whether to jump start the cycle with a shrimp or Dr Tims stuff or something. Total time the LR and LS has been in water is 3days old tank, 3 days buckets on balcony, and 5 days new tank. During the bucket time there was no circulation or water and it was really cold. My questions are these:
1 - Taking into account the bacteria that is on his filter sock and media in sump, will my cycle be a mild one? or should I expect a huge ammonia spike soon?
2 - Did the time in stagnant and cold water possibly kill all the good stuff in the rock (there was a lot of matter in the buckets afterward) which will now seriously delay the nitrogen cycle because I lost all that ammonia?
3 - Do you recommend jump starting the cycle with something like shrimp?
Thank you in advance for your help.
I recently drilled a tank for overflow and returns. Made custom sump and plumbing. I purchased LR and LS and began the cycling process. 3 days into it the back of my tank cracked badly. I put my LR and LS in 5gal buckets on my balcony (was pretty cold, 40deg F or so). As it was a middle-of-the-night emergency thing, it took me a few days to find another tank (ended up with a reef ready oceanic rimless off craigslist). I have now had the LR and LS cycling in this new tank for the past 5 days. (Fyi - The rock is Fiji, shipped to me in box of 50lbs. Came in plastic bags with moist newspaper and cardboard...came out smelling like mildew so I figured that was good that it was still wet at least). Per recommendation of the previous tank owner (had a very healthy system and seemed very knowledgeable), I kept some of the filter media that he was using in the sump (Eshopps RS-100) and his filter sock. The idea being that keeping these used items would give me good bacteria (also have a powerhead w a lot of coralline algae and the overflow itself I left without cleaning too well). I tested the 2nd day in the new tank and ammonia and nitrites were at 0 and nitrates were at 15. Tested again the 5th day and the same results. I'm now debating whether to jump start the cycle with a shrimp or Dr Tims stuff or something. Total time the LR and LS has been in water is 3days old tank, 3 days buckets on balcony, and 5 days new tank. During the bucket time there was no circulation or water and it was really cold. My questions are these:
1 - Taking into account the bacteria that is on his filter sock and media in sump, will my cycle be a mild one? or should I expect a huge ammonia spike soon?
2 - Did the time in stagnant and cold water possibly kill all the good stuff in the rock (there was a lot of matter in the buckets afterward) which will now seriously delay the nitrogen cycle because I lost all that ammonia?
3 - Do you recommend jump starting the cycle with something like shrimp?
Thank you in advance for your help.