how long before i see a spike?

[mthomp]

been a little over a week since i setup, so far all my test come out as such.

amonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
calcium 500

55 gal setup
50 lbs live rock
40 lbs live sand
6 snails
30 crabs

coralife light system
octopus HoB skimmer
biowheel 400.

[Jason S]

Was the live rock from an established tank, or fully cured? If it was cured/ etsablished, and not allowed to dry at all before placing in your tank, there may not be a spike. Did it smell like anything besides saltwater? I would still wait until you see nitrates registering before deciding you are in the clear, but you may not see an ammonia or nitrite spike with the live sand and established rock.

Your inverts will likely let you know if their is a spike though.

[thegrun]

I would add a raw shrimp to the tank and let it decompose for 5 or 6 days. That will likely give you an ammonia spike, if not the establish bacteria colonies on your live rock are up to speed and you can add a CUC.

[mthomp]

yeah fully cured rock even found a neat little hitch hiker on one, some kind of tube worm with the feathers that poke out.

[wooden_reefer]

In general, it is not a good idea to add any livestock to a tank before the cycle, even CUC.

You never need the excretion from livestock for the ammonia to cycle. There are other far better sources of ammonia to cycle.

Somehow make sure that you have some ammonia during the first half of the cycle. If you test no or very low ammonia, you will have to add some.

A small mistake has been made by adding the CUC before the cycle, just make sure that you have some ammonia and leave the CUC to their fate.

[Jstdv8]

Ive heard peeing in the tank works LOL, I'd go with the shrimp though.

[wooden_reefer]

Originally Posted by Jstdv8

Ive heard peeing in the tank works LOL, I'd go with the shrimp though.

A potential problem with urine is that the concentration of urea in urine varies widely on what you have eaten and how much water you have drunk recently.

I will use urine when I don't care about having excess ammonia, such as in cycling for QT from all dead medium, no lives to save. And in the summer when I can cycle in the garage.

This is also why adding any livestock before cycle is complete is not wise, needless complication.

[msmommy4]

i did not spike until i added my damsels a month after i began my cycle. i also had cured rocks from DFS.

[bertoni]

I wouldn't worry about the lack of a spike. I would start feeding a bit of fish food to the tank. That's help small animals in the live rock grow, and test the ammonia-processing capacity of the system.

[Jstdv8]

now I'm curious, do you just pee directly in the tank like when all your buddies are over you go "Hey, watch this"? or is it a cup and a pour thing?

[Jason S]

Originally Posted by Jstdv8

now I'm curious, do you just pee directly in the tank like when all your buddies are over you go "Hey, watch this"? or is it a cup and a pour thing?

LOL, I have heard that urine also contains phosphates, so I would not do it. I prefer putting something dead in the tank (Shrimp, food, etc) and letting it happen the natural way.

[wooden_reefer]

Originally Posted by bertoni

I wouldn't worry about the lack of a spike. I would start feeding a bit of fish food to the tank. That's help small animals in the live rock grow, and test the ammonia-processing capacity of the system.

You do not need to worry about not having accumulation of ammonia if you see nitrite accumulating. If you see neither accumulating, it means either the cycle has completed or it has not really started.

Yes, test the cycle later, but don't just wait, either ammonia or nitrite has to accumulate to confirm the start of a good cycle.

[Michael]

=bertoni;16602593]I wouldn't worry about the lack of a spike. I would start feeding a bit of fish food to the tank.

yep totally agree, this is all thats needed at this stage.