Normal Cycle?

hops523 · 01/08/2010, 09:22 PM

So I set my tank up only about a week ago, and it seems like its almost done cycling, but that cant be. Ive been testing the water every couple of days. The ammonia went up a little, now its back to 0. The nitrites are at 0, and the nitrates are right at 20. Ive put some food(brine shrimp) in the tank about 2 times. There were a couple snails that came on the live rock that I got, and theyve been fine. Today I actually noticed numerous smaller snails as well coming out(might not be a good thing). Does this sound like a normal cycle? It seems like its going quicker than my other tank did.

Sisterlimonpot · 01/08/2010, 09:30 PM

No it's not characterized as a normal cycle, whenever you cycle a new tank with cured live rock the cycle is either nonexistent or very brief.

hops523 · 01/08/2010, 09:34 PM

Oh really? I never knew that. Yeah I got 35 lbs from a guy with an established tank, and another 10 lbs from an lfs that was also all cured. So does that mean I could try to add a fish or two? Or should I still wait?

Chiefsurfer · 01/08/2010, 09:51 PM

wait til your params have stabalized(at zero) for at least a week, preferably 2, then add one fish at a time, allowing a week or two AFTER parameters settle back down.

If using very fresh(short time from tank to tank, whether it be a fellow reefer or LFS) most dead stuff should be gone, and very little if any will be created. The bacteria easily should have survived.

Sisterlimonpot · 01/08/2010, 09:56 PM

yes, definitely wait a bit to make sure that the levels are stable.

01/08/2010, 09:22 PM	#1
hops523 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: colorado Posts: 438	Normal Cycle? So I set my tank up only about a week ago, and it seems like its almost done cycling, but that cant be. Ive been testing the water every couple of days. The ammonia went up a little, now its back to 0. The nitrites are at 0, and the nitrates are right at 20. Ive put some food(brine shrimp) in the tank about 2 times. There were a couple snails that came on the live rock that I got, and theyve been fine. Today I actually noticed numerous smaller snails as well coming out(might not be a good thing). Does this sound like a normal cycle? It seems like its going quicker than my other tank did.

01/08/2010, 09:30 PM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	No it's not characterized as a normal cycle, whenever you cycle a new tank with cured live rock the cycle is either nonexistent or very brief. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

01/08/2010, 09:56 PM	#5
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	yes, definitely wait a bit to make sure that the levels are stable. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

01/08/2010, 09:34 PM	#3
hops523 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: colorado Posts: 438	Oh really? I never knew that. Yeah I got 35 lbs from a guy with an established tank, and another 10 lbs from an lfs that was also all cured. So does that mean I could try to add a fish or two? Or should I still wait?

01/08/2010, 09:51 PM	#4
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	wait til your params have stabalized(at zero) for at least a week, preferably 2, then add one fish at a time, allowing a week or two AFTER parameters settle back down. If using very fresh(short time from tank to tank, whether it be a fellow reefer or LFS) most dead stuff should be gone, and very little if any will be created. The bacteria easily should have survived.