more cycling questions

ccochrc · 10/28/2009, 09:35 PM

started my tank a week and a half ago.

here is the first post i put up before adding shrimp
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1728321

didnt see any rise in ammonia or nitrites nitrates. I added 1/2 a jumbo shrimp 5 days ago to help kick start the cycle per some reef central advice. I have tested with 2 kits and still no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates? Shouldnt I be seeing them by now?

On a side note I have some lovely diatoms, hair algae, macro algae, many small starfish and what I believe to be brown zoanthids doing well and seem to be looking better as time goes by.

Should be putting some pictures up when my new camera comes in the mail.

Sisterlimonpot · 10/28/2009, 10:09 PM

Give it some time, it'll take longer than a week to start seeing ammonia. Was the live rock that you put in the tank "Cured"?

Flipper62 · 10/28/2009, 10:18 PM

Depending on what you put in the tank to start can affect the time of the cycle.

Like Sister said.....Cured Live Rock ??? Live sand ???

In general it will take more then 1 week to go through the cycle

socalmiket · 10/28/2009, 10:57 PM

The last two systems I setup using cured live rock never showed any ammonia or nitrite spike (or it was so small and so quick I missed it).

The system may already be able to handle the decaying shrimp. The hair and macro may be using up the nitrates as they are produced.

Or, it hasn't started producing ammonia yet. I'd give it more time with the raw shrimp, if you still get nothing after another week, try some clean up crew critters and see how they do.

- Miket

PRDubois · 10/29/2009, 03:59 AM

I'd give it more time with the raw shrimp, if you still get nothing after another week, try some clean up crew critters and see how they do.

wooden_reefer · 10/29/2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccochrc

started my tank a week and a half ago.

here is the first post i put up before adding shrimp
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1728321

didnt see any rise in ammonia or nitrites nitrates. I added 1/2 a jumbo shrimp 5 days ago to help kick start the cycle per some reef central advice. I have tested with 2 kits and still no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates? Shouldnt I be seeing them by now?

On a side note I have some lovely diatoms, hair algae, macro algae, many small starfish and what I believe to be brown zoanthids doing well and seem to be looking better as time goes by.

Should be putting some pictures up when my new camera comes in the mail.

The rate of decay and thus generation of ammonia is much dictated by the physical aggregate of the decaying matter. To ensure a sharp pulse of ammonia that will be detected, the shrimp must be emulsified. Have you blended the shrimp to milk?

I don't like the word "kick" in kick starting. It implies that a cycle would start even though more slowly without the shrimp. This is not necessarily true. Without the added ammonia source, a cycle may or may not start at all, ever.

If the decay is slow, there may be enough nitrification bacteria to handle the slow decay and slow generation of ammonia. This may be good per se, but you can't confirm that it is good. You want to be very sure about the completion of a cycle.

dsn112 · 10/29/2009, 12:25 PM

I used live sand from premium aquatics that comes out of there curing tanks and is usually over 4 months old. I also bought some semicured rock from my LFS and had it in a tub with two powerheads for about two weeks, with 2 water changes.

I saw no cycle like we typically look for since I tried my hardest to get it done ahead of time

ccochrc · 10/29/2009, 03:07 PM

Thanks for the replies. I will keep testing and hold off for another week at the least.

The shrimp I put in was emulsified. I blended it up with some RO/DI then used a turkey baster to put it all over the tank. I could see it everywhere for a couple days but I don't see any of it now.

10/28/2009, 09:35 PM	#1
ccochrc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 31	more cycling questions started my tank a week and a half ago. here is the first post i put up before adding shrimp http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1728321 didnt see any rise in ammonia or nitrites nitrates. I added 1/2 a jumbo shrimp 5 days ago to help kick start the cycle per some reef central advice. I have tested with 2 kits and still no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates? Shouldnt I be seeing them by now? On a side note I have some lovely diatoms, hair algae, macro algae, many small starfish and what I believe to be brown zoanthids doing well and seem to be looking better as time goes by. Should be putting some pictures up when my new camera comes in the mail.

10/28/2009, 10:09 PM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Give it some time, it'll take longer than a week to start seeing ammonia. Was the live rock that you put in the tank "Cured"? __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

10/28/2009, 10:18 PM	#3
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	Depending on what you put in the tank to start can affect the time of the cycle. Like Sister said.....Cured Live Rock ??? Live sand ??? In general it will take more then 1 week to go through the cycle __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

10/29/2009, 03:59 AM	#5
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	I'd give it more time with the raw shrimp, if you still get nothing after another week, try some clean up crew critters and see how they do. __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

10/29/2009, 12:25 PM	#7
dsn112 Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: South Jersey Posts: 1,139	I used live sand from premium aquatics that comes out of there curing tanks and is usually over 4 months old. I also bought some semicured rock from my LFS and had it in a tub with two powerheads for about two weeks, with 2 water changes. I saw no cycle like we typically look for since I tried my hardest to get it done ahead of time __________________ 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

10/28/2009, 10:57 PM	#4
socalmiket Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lawndale, Ca Posts: 1,230	The last two systems I setup using cured live rock never showed any ammonia or nitrite spike (or it was so small and so quick I missed it). The system may already be able to handle the decaying shrimp. The hair and macro may be using up the nitrates as they are produced. Or, it hasn't started producing ammonia yet. I'd give it more time with the raw shrimp, if you still get nothing after another week, try some clean up crew critters and see how they do. - Miket

10/29/2009, 03:07 PM	#8
ccochrc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 31	Thanks for the replies. I will keep testing and hold off for another week at the least. The shrimp I put in was emulsified. I blended it up with some RO/DI then used a turkey baster to put it all over the tank. I could see it everywhere for a couple days but I don't see any of it now.