Stalled cycle

[FishinInTheDark]

Okay, I'm stumped here. Someone tell me what to do:

I'm helping a friend set up a new 72G bowfront tank. We started three weeks ago with some old, formerly live sand that had been in my tank but was being stored in a bucket in my garage. We used that to start her cycle, because there was lots of dead stuff in there. A week ago, we added 80 pounds of live rock. I took some rock from this same shipment, and never saw a blip of ammonia in my tank. There was major dieoff in hers, and her ammonia soared up to 8.0. Now, her entire house stinks of sulfur, and the ammonia is at 4.0 (after a 20% water change), nitrite and nitrate are still 0.

I can't figure out why the cycle won't start. I know it can take up to six weeks, but with live rock, shouldn't we at least see SOME nitrites by now? I'm thinking that we're going to do a large water change tomorrow just to make her home habitable, but what do I do to get this thing going?

Oh, also, it has no filtration besides the rock and two powerheads. The water is only slightly less opaque than skim milk, and you know about the stench.

Thanks, all you experts out there!

[Doctor_Reef]

Ammonia that high will kill the bacteria that will start the cycle!!! He needs a bigger water change to get the ammonia down to allow the bacteria to populate...It won't happen that high as the ammonia is working as an anti-bacterial agent!!!! Even bacteria can't survive those levels!!!!

[FishinInTheDark]

Makes sense. We had wondered if that was the case. I guess we'll go ahead with the large water change tomorrow. Should we try to keep it around 1.0 or so?

[Doctor_Reef]

That would be good...if it gets higher than 3 you are in trouble with new bacteria...if there is a good bacterial bed then you can get that high for short periods of time and it will come down....but with a new set up that is really high....it nukes the tank!!!

[gman0526]

Also if you could try and bump up the flow in the tank i beleive it will help with the cycle.

[FishinInTheDark]

Thanks to you both. I'll be going over there today, and we'll do our best to get things in shape. I have never had such a difficult cycle, so I appreciate the advice greatly!

[2639]

Was the old sand the cause of the high ammonia? Or a combination of that plus the live rock?
Should she have rinsed the sand some first? I'm just curious for future reference.

[FishinInTheDark]

It's a combination. The ammonia was moderately high, but the dieoff of all the great stuff on really good rock really threw it over the edge. I don't know how much rinsing would have helped, because the ammonia was only 1.0 after the first week with just sand.

[2639]

I can only IMAGINE what it smells like in there!!!

[FishinInTheDark]

Well guys, my friend is in Costa Rica, but I'm still babysitting her tank. The cycle is FINALLY over! Her husband and I are going to do a big water change tonight, and we'll have a couple of snails and hermits waiting for her when she gets back. I feel like it's my own tank that I finally get to start stocking!

[bigfoot]

yea feel the same way with covilles 90g bowfront i call it living vicariously through another reffers tank :)

[Doctor_Reef]

How funny bigfoot!!! But true.... Conni...Isn't it great to be a part of putting up a tank and stocking it and then you aren't going to have to maintain it....It's like being a grandma or grandpa!!!! You get the fun times and send them home so parents can maintain them!!! :lol:

[FishinInTheDark]

Too funny! I'm a grandma!

[2639]

so...if you are ALWAYS maintaining it, you're the parent? geez at MY rate, i'll always be a grandpa.