cycle confusion

dartmti · 01/17/2009, 11:57 PM

Hey guys.

I set up my tank about a week and a half ago with fully cured LR and was wondering if I should be seeing some kind of cycle by now... and if it is bad if I don't see one.

I've read that cycles aren't necessary on tanks with fully cured LR because all of the bacteria is already present in the rock.
True?
I just don't want to go adding a fish or something and have an ammonia spike.

My current parameters are:

Ammonia: either zero, or between .25 and .50 (I find the API kits rather difficult to read.)
Nitrite: undetectable
Nitrate: 10 (fo' sho')

Please educate me!
Thanks

Matt

edit: Also, is it normal to be getting nitrate readings this early? What's the reasoning behind it?

ronin_man · 01/18/2009, 12:00 AM

better off to wait a bit to make sure,
i have a thread going about this right now.
"is this possible? 2 day cycle"

prolly gonna get the same advice as i did.
i would wait for sure, specially if you say you have detectable ammonia. that shows the sign of a non cycled tank.

BradsOcean · 01/18/2009, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dartmti
I've read that cycles aren't necessary on tanks with fully cured LR because all of the bacteria is already present in the rock.
True?

false! you still need to let it cycle!

D_Hood87 · 01/18/2009, 12:05 AM

IMO you are in the middle of you cycle wait untill your
ammonia is 0
nitrates 0
and nitrites >5ppm

you ammonia is starting to go down your nitrates will rise then fall and then your nitrites will rise and with water changes it will come down as well

the reason you cycle is so far along is prob b/c you used cured LR and it just kick started everything IMO

dartmti · 01/18/2009, 12:05 AM

Thanks for the fast responses.

I wasn't planning on adding anything already. Prolly' going to wait about a month if I don't see anything happening, then I'll add something small and go from there.

Also, brown algae diatoms are starting to cover parts of the rock and sand. What does this indicate?

ronin_man · 01/18/2009, 12:10 AM

from what i've read, that basically means your cycling

dartmti · 01/18/2009, 12:18 AM

Alright, cool.
(BTW, you're thread is very helpful ronin_man...thanks.)

I just needed to know because I'm leaving for a week long trip tomorrow.
Anyone want to take a guess on what kind of levels I'll see when I get back?

ronin_man · 01/18/2009, 12:19 AM

lol dont thank me, thank all the people that were helping me

01/17/2009, 11:57 PM	#1
dartmti Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NC and TN Posts: 184	cycle confusion Hey guys. I set up my tank about a week and a half ago with fully cured LR and was wondering if I should be seeing some kind of cycle by now... and if it is bad if I don't see one. I've read that cycles aren't necessary on tanks with fully cured LR because all of the bacteria is already present in the rock. True? I just don't want to go adding a fish or something and have an ammonia spike. My current parameters are: Ammonia: either zero, or between .25 and .50 (I find the API kits rather difficult to read.) Nitrite: undetectable Nitrate: 10 (fo' sho') Please educate me! Thanks Matt edit: Also, is it normal to be getting nitrate readings this early? What's the reasoning behind it?

01/18/2009, 12:00 AM	#2
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	better off to wait a bit to make sure, i have a thread going about this right now. "is this possible? 2 day cycle" prolly gonna get the same advice as i did. i would wait for sure, specially if you say you have detectable ammonia. that shows the sign of a non cycled tank. __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/18/2009, 12:05 AM	#4
D_Hood87 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Chesapeake, Virginia Posts: 323	IMO you are in the middle of you cycle wait untill your ammonia is 0 nitrates 0 and nitrites >5ppm you ammonia is starting to go down your nitrates will rise then fall and then your nitrites will rise and with water changes it will come down as well the reason you cycle is so far along is prob b/c you used cured LR and it just kick started everything IMO __________________ DONALD Current Tank Info: 160gal REBUILD....GOING SPS ALL THE WAY!!!

01/18/2009, 12:10 AM	#6
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	from what i've read, that basically means your cycling __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/18/2009, 12:19 AM	#8
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	lol dont thank me, thank all the people that were helping me __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/18/2009, 12:18 AM	#7
dartmti Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NC and TN Posts: 184	Alright, cool. (BTW, you're thread is very helpful ronin_man...thanks.) I just needed to know because I'm leaving for a week long trip tomorrow. Anyone want to take a guess on what kind of levels I'll see when I get back?