I've recently become aware that I am vacuuming my tank too radically causing it to possibly be re-cycling every time I do a water change. This has probably contributed to the ich crisis that I am trying to recover from right now. Trying to go back to basics now - if memory serves me, aren't there spikes in some of the test results during the cycle? What kind of time frame and readings should be expected during the cycle? I have high nitrates right now, is that the last thing to spike in the cycle?
If the ammonia level stays at zero, then it's not cycling. Why are you vacuuming the substrate? If the substrate is of the proper particle size, there's enough water flow and you're not overfeeding, there shouldn't be anything to vacuum. Proper substrate is very important. A large percentage of the fauna diversity in our tanks live in the substrate and should not be disturbed by vacuuming. Also, a proper deep sand bed will keep nitrates under control. Fine sand -- good. Crushed coral and other very coarse materials -- bad. Have you tested your water source for nitrates? Weren't you using unfiltered tap water? This could be a major source of nitrates.
As far as your ick problem I would use Garlic Guard by Seachem. Good stuff. Here is a link to a thread I made about I fish a got lastweek. If you read all the way through it might help. I am Flybynight on Reefcentera.com http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1276735&perpage=25&pagenumber=1 Good Luck.
I would say that one of the primary goals of having a closed system is to have enough going on with denitrification, which ever method you choose to use, to not have to ever remove detritus from your substrate. If you continue to remove detritus the bacterial population charged with braking down the waste never have a chance to increase. This is probably why it was suggested that continual vaccuming of our tank is akin to recycling your tank over and over. I am currently duplicating a systme run by Beanhead that has a sump/filtration volume twice the size of the main display. The problem is most people can not afford the space for such water volumes but I do not believe that you can have too much. I am sure that it is possible but given the average hobbyist it is very unlikely. Keep us up to date on how you turn out on this issue.
