New tank cycle is more than nitrogen cycling

[drparker]

There are hundreds of posts on new tank cycling and the ammonia cycle. In these posts the experienced reef keepers tell newbies to wait 4 to 6 weeks even if they have a cycled tank.

Why? It's not easy to describe but in addition to the nitrogen cycle your tank need time for things like pH to stabilize, for silica to be consumed by diatoms. Time for life to propagate into the sand and time for new equipment to break in. If you rush stocking your tank before giving it time to mature your setting yourself up for issues down the road.

I know I've not a great job of trying to explain this but can't think of a better way. What do other experienced reefers think?

[Serk]

I concur... A freshly cycled tank might have the bacteria load ready to handle Ammonia->Nitrite->Nitrate but there are so many other things going on, some we understand, and some we quite frankly don't even understand yet, going on than need to stabilize before a new system can truly support life...