Yet another Nitrogen cycle question

bikerman · 01/25/2010, 06:05 AM

My set up consists of the following,

39 gallon tank ( R O water used )
21 kg living rock
3" dep sand bed about 1/3 of which was living sand
fluval 205 external filter running activated carbon & crushed corral
V2 600 protein skimmer.
21 asorted hermitt crabs
15 snails
1 fighting conch
1 sand sifting star fish ( never brought just appeared on day four )
2 cleaner shrimps
2 regal damsels.

The tank was set up on the 9th January 2010
on 12th jan i added six snails & six crabs
all leval were tested & all at 0.0
on 15th jan i added five snails & five crabs
test results still at 0.0
18th jan two regal damsels added
nitrite went up to 0.1 for two days & then to 0.0 Amionia still 0.0
20th jan 10 crabs, 4 snails, 1 conch & two cleaner shrimp added
again nitrite went up to 0.1 this time for three days & then back to 0.0
All the inhabitants of the tank are going fine including the sand sifting star fish that we never brought it appeared on day four it is about 1 1/2" across & must have come out of the living rock !!!!

All of the levels I.E Nitrite, Amoinia & Nitrate are at 0.0

Is the tank still cycling ? has it ever cycled with those reading.
should i wait before adding any more fish & if so how long ?????????

Chiefsurfer · 01/25/2010, 07:50 AM

where'd you get your LR?

With those readins, and if you got it from your LFS or a fellow reefer, the tank is not cycling anymore, and every time the nitrite spiked a BIT, it did a mini cycle, which means that the bacteria are present. I would wait another 2-3 days of zero's, then you can add 1 or 2 fish. What other type of fish were you planning, because the damsels, especially introduced first, will not tolerate many other fish being added to their territory.

Chris27 · 01/25/2010, 08:14 AM

That's the beauty of using Live Rock for the initial set-up. The cycle is so much shorter because you are essentially moving an already established bio-filter into your new tank. I wouldn't be afraid to move a new fish in there now - after QT of course!

wooden_reefer · 01/25/2010, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris27

That's the beauty of using Live Rock for the initial set-up. The cycle is so much shorter because you are essentially moving an already established bio-filter into your new tank. I wouldn't be afraid to move a new fish in there now - after QT of course!

There is no beauty in this.

You can have nitrification before any LR. You don't need partly cycled LR. Bacteria will multipy in any suitable medium.

You can cycle in advance very well.

01/25/2010, 06:05 AM	#1
bikerman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 6	Yet another Nitrogen cycle question My set up consists of the following, 39 gallon tank ( R O water used ) 21 kg living rock 3" dep sand bed about 1/3 of which was living sand fluval 205 external filter running activated carbon & crushed corral V2 600 protein skimmer. 21 asorted hermitt crabs 15 snails 1 fighting conch 1 sand sifting star fish ( never brought just appeared on day four ) 2 cleaner shrimps 2 regal damsels. The tank was set up on the 9th January 2010 on 12th jan i added six snails & six crabs all leval were tested & all at 0.0 on 15th jan i added five snails & five crabs test results still at 0.0 18th jan two regal damsels added nitrite went up to 0.1 for two days & then to 0.0 Amionia still 0.0 20th jan 10 crabs, 4 snails, 1 conch & two cleaner shrimp added again nitrite went up to 0.1 this time for three days & then back to 0.0 All the inhabitants of the tank are going fine including the sand sifting star fish that we never brought it appeared on day four it is about 1 1/2" across & must have come out of the living rock !!!! All of the levels I.E Nitrite, Amoinia & Nitrate are at 0.0 Is the tank still cycling ? has it ever cycled with those reading. should i wait before adding any more fish & if so how long ?????????

01/25/2010, 07:50 AM	#2
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	where'd you get your LR? With those readins, and if you got it from your LFS or a fellow reefer, the tank is not cycling anymore, and every time the nitrite spiked a BIT, it did a mini cycle, which means that the bacteria are present. I would wait another 2-3 days of zero's, then you can add 1 or 2 fish. What other type of fish were you planning, because the damsels, especially introduced first, will not tolerate many other fish being added to their territory. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

01/25/2010, 08:14 AM	#3
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	That's the beauty of using Live Rock for the initial set-up. The cycle is so much shorter because you are essentially moving an already established bio-filter into your new tank. I wouldn't be afraid to move a new fish in there now - after QT of course!