Is it possible that I'm cycled after only a week?

Chibils · 12/05/2007, 07:49 PM

Last Wednesday (November 28th), I added my 58# of live rock to the base rock, etc. in my 90G tank, starting the cycle (I got uncured

).

I started keeping record on paper the first (two days later). However, it's the seventh day, and my tank is reading <.1 ammonia (API), +-.1 nitrite (API), and +-10 nitrates (API).

Here are my prior readings (the lighting in the room plus the awkward coloring on the cards make it hard to get exact figures; my API kit is only around until I run out and I'm going to replace with Salifert, which I currently use for calc and alk):
12/1: Ammonia: ~.25
Nitrite: ~.15
Nitrate: ~15
12/2: Ammonia: ~.35
Nitrite: N/A
Nitrate: 15-20
12/3: Ammonia: ~.35
Nitrite: N/A
Nitrate: ~15
12/4: N/A
12/5 (about fifteen minutes ago): Ammonia: <.1
Nitrite: <.1
Nitrate: ~10

Is it possible that my tank has cycled so quickly? If my tests come back the same tomorrow, I'm going to go ahead and order my CUC from eTropicals. I don't think it was a fluke test, because all three values tested low.

Thoughts?

sprinj76 · 12/05/2007, 07:54 PM

With very fresh and fully cured live rock I would say it is a possibility. I would still wait until ammonia is 0 before adding your first livestock just to be safe.

hanas · 12/05/2007, 07:58 PM

are you using LS at all? My tank cycled in a week with uncured LR, but I had 100lbs of LS as well. I would still wait a week or two just to make sure the levels are staying low. It seems strange to me that you already had nitrate readings on the second day.
Does anyone else find that strange?

prickles · 12/05/2007, 08:01 PM

I cured about 150lb of liverock in a tub and had readings off the charts in a day and after about 5 days, all I had left was Nitrate. I would say it's possible, but like everyone says, be patient and wait. If you do order your CUC and then it arrives and you haven't really finished cycling, what do you do then?

Acillaton · 12/05/2007, 08:10 PM

Wait longer. I dont believe it can fully cycle in just one week.

Chibils · 12/05/2007, 08:13 PM

@Nami: I thought that was weird too, but I haven't cycled a tank since I was 13 (when I didn't know what that was). I haven't set up a new tank in about five years.
My sand is a 35/65 mix of aragamax (the stuff they sell at the lfs) and Kolorscope (which is marketed by the old Southdown people).

I guess I'll wait...

Chibils · 12/06/2007, 08:31 PM

I hate to say it, but I just tested and very clearly got 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and in the 0-5 range for nitrates. It wasn't straight-out-of-the-ocean fresh, but it wasn't cured rock. It was probably 25-50% cured.

I'll take it to the lfs tomorrow to check if my API kit still reads zero across the board for toxins.

I'm experiencing what looks like diatoms (orange rust color) on my rocks, but not across my sand. It's coating most of my rocks but my sand is still pure white. I don't think it's a flow issue, as my powerheads are pointed away from my sand (oolite/sugar size) and the rocks most affected are sitting under a Koralia 4.
Phosphates are not an issue since I'm using RO/DI (if they were a test would be useless because the diatoms are eating them up). I imagine that's where my nitrates went.

dsn112 · 12/06/2007, 08:47 PM

I did it in a week, my rock had been curing at my LFS for almost 4 weeks prior to me purchasing it.

Totally possible, I have never tested anything but 0 for ammonia ever.

Chibils · 12/06/2007, 08:58 PM

I got mine from Pacific East Aquaculture; the live rock around here is all fully cured (aka boring

) and starts at $9/lb, with the "good stuff" at $10-11/lb. I got almost 60# from PEA for $300.

bertoni · 12/06/2007, 09:47 PM

A short ammonia phase is fairly common. I'd do a few water changes, and wait a few weeks to make sure there aren't any secondary spikes. The wait will also give time for the decay to complete, if it hasn't already.

drparker · 12/06/2007, 10:11 PM

After rushing several tanks I've really learned and will now wait at least 4 to 6 weeks for the main and secondary spikes. Before I add anything other than a cleanup crew.

12/05/2007, 07:49 PM	#1
Chibils halide loyalist Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sugar Hill, GA Posts: 2,213	Is it possible that I'm cycled after only a week? Last Wednesday (November 28th), I added my 58# of live rock to the base rock, etc. in my 90G tank, starting the cycle (I got uncured ). I started keeping record on paper the first (two days later). However, it's the seventh day, and my tank is reading <.1 ammonia (API), +-.1 nitrite (API), and +-10 nitrates (API). Here are my prior readings (the lighting in the room plus the awkward coloring on the cards make it hard to get exact figures; my API kit is only around until I run out and I'm going to replace with Salifert, which I currently use for calc and alk): 12/1: Ammonia: ~.25 Nitrite: ~.15 Nitrate: ~15 12/2: Ammonia: ~.35 Nitrite: N/A Nitrate: 15-20 12/3: Ammonia: ~.35 Nitrite: N/A Nitrate: ~15 12/4: N/A 12/5 (about fifteen minutes ago): Ammonia: <.1 Nitrite: <.1 Nitrate: ~10 Is it possible that my tank has cycled so quickly? If my tests come back the same tomorrow, I'm going to go ahead and order my CUC from eTropicals. I don't think it was a fluke test, because all three values tested low. Thoughts?

12/05/2007, 08:13 PM	#6
Chibils halide loyalist Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sugar Hill, GA Posts: 2,213	@Nami: I thought that was weird too, but I haven't cycled a tank since I was 13 (when I didn't know what that was). I haven't set up a new tank in about five years. My sand is a 35/65 mix of aragamax (the stuff they sell at the lfs) and Kolorscope (which is marketed by the old Southdown people). I guess I'll wait... __________________ always learning Current Tank Info: 75G new world cichlid, 25G reef in planning

12/06/2007, 08:31 PM	#7
Chibils halide loyalist Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sugar Hill, GA Posts: 2,213	I hate to say it, but I just tested and very clearly got 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and in the 0-5 range for nitrates. It wasn't straight-out-of-the-ocean fresh, but it wasn't cured rock. It was probably 25-50% cured. I'll take it to the lfs tomorrow to check if my API kit still reads zero across the board for toxins. I'm experiencing what looks like diatoms (orange rust color) on my rocks, but not across my sand. It's coating most of my rocks but my sand is still pure white. I don't think it's a flow issue, as my powerheads are pointed away from my sand (oolite/sugar size) and the rocks most affected are sitting under a Koralia 4. Phosphates are not an issue since I'm using RO/DI (if they were a test would be useless because the diatoms are eating them up). I imagine that's where my nitrates went. __________________ always learning Current Tank Info: 75G new world cichlid, 25G reef in planning

12/06/2007, 08:47 PM	#8
dsn112 Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: South Jersey Posts: 1,139	I did it in a week, my rock had been curing at my LFS for almost 4 weeks prior to me purchasing it. Totally possible, I have never tested anything but 0 for ammonia ever. __________________ I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I got it all!! Current Tank Info: Fluval Edge w LED freshwater. Looking at doing a 20-40g long penninsula fowlr soon

12/06/2007, 08:58 PM	#9
Chibils halide loyalist Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sugar Hill, GA Posts: 2,213	I got mine from Pacific East Aquaculture; the live rock around here is all fully cured (aka boring ) and starts at $9/lb, with the "good stuff" at $10-11/lb. I got almost 60# from PEA for $300. __________________ always learning Current Tank Info: 75G new world cichlid, 25G reef in planning

12/05/2007, 07:54 PM	#2
sprinj76 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: WI Posts: 495	With very fresh and fully cured live rock I would say it is a possibility. I would still wait until ammonia is 0 before adding your first livestock just to be safe.

12/05/2007, 07:58 PM	#3
hanas Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 795	are you using LS at all? My tank cycled in a week with uncured LR, but I had 100lbs of LS as well. I would still wait a week or two just to make sure the levels are staying low. It seems strange to me that you already had nitrate readings on the second day. Does anyone else find that strange?

12/05/2007, 08:01 PM	#4
prickles Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: AZ Posts: 1,138	I cured about 150lb of liverock in a tub and had readings off the charts in a day and after about 5 days, all I had left was Nitrate. I would say it's possible, but like everyone says, be patient and wait. If you do order your CUC and then it arrives and you haven't really finished cycling, what do you do then?

12/05/2007, 08:10 PM	#5
Acillaton Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: CT Posts: 430	Wait longer. I dont believe it can fully cycle in just one week.

12/06/2007, 09:47 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	A short ammonia phase is fairly common. I'd do a few water changes, and wait a few weeks to make sure there aren't any secondary spikes. The wait will also give time for the decay to complete, if it hasn't already. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/06/2007, 10:11 PM	#11
drparker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Palatine, IL Posts: 2,652	After rushing several tanks I've really learned and will now wait at least 4 to 6 weeks for the main and secondary spikes. Before I add anything other than a cleanup crew.