Live Rock cycle questions. Nitrates showing up first?

Reticle · 10/30/2008, 08:52 PM

I have always been under the impression that Nitrates are the last thing I should see in a cycle but 1 week into this Live Rock cycle my readings are:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: ~10ppm

The LR was bought from my lfs and was supposedly cured. It went straight from their tank to mine. I am new to this, so if more info is needed, please let me know.

ETA: ~35 lbs LR/35 lbs base rock in an 80 gallon tank.

WaterKeeper · 10/30/2008, 08:54 PM

Sounds like the LFS gave you a straight story. It appears that the rock is fully cured. That means less headaches so enjoy!

Reticle · 10/30/2008, 09:18 PM

That's good to hear, they have always seemed to be an extremely reputable place. So, I will still see a full cycle, correct?

Aquarist007 · 10/30/2008, 09:23 PM

a good test for you when in doubt

put a raw shrimp in your tank for twelve hours. At the end of the 12 hours take an ammonia reading. If the ammonia readings are still zero then
first remove the shrimp!
and you know your tank can handle a bioload about the same amount that the shrimp was.

Aquarist007 · 10/30/2008, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Sounds like the LFS gave you a straight story. It appears that the rock is fully cured. That means less headaches so enjoy!

I believe that is what is commonly known as an oxymoron

Reticle · 10/30/2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
a good test for you when in doubt

put a raw shrimp in your tank for twelve hours. At the end of the 12 hours take an ammonia reading. If the ammonia readings are still zero then
first remove the shrimp!
and you know your tank can handle a bioload about the same amount that the shrimp was.

Good deal, that'll give me a good reason to pick up a few pounds on the way home tomorrow.

Thanks for the help guys.

Aquarist007 · 10/30/2008, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reticle
Good deal, that'll give me a good reason to pick up a few pounds on the way home tomorrow.

Thanks for the help guys.

good luck--keep us posted and remember to remove that shrimp after 12 hours

Reticle · 11/01/2008, 06:30 PM

Ok, I just tossed in the shrimp. I waited an extra day to do one more test and the Ammonia was still @ 0ppm. It still just baffles me that I haven't seen a trace of ammonia yet. Today is the 10th day that the live rock has been in and the 25th day that the sand has been in.

One thing I never really considered, is it possible that the sand cycled the tank? It was added (~150 lbs) straight from an established setup, but I didn't start testing until I added the rock.

CoRPS · 11/01/2008, 06:37 PM

Sounds to me like you're already cycled my friend. If you have the patience, I'd wait another 1-2 weeks with a few tests along to way to be 100% sure. But if the shrimp didn't add an ammonia spike then you are golden. Your LR is filtering everything it needs to!

tmz · 11/01/2008, 06:40 PM

Yes the sand would have also moved the cycle along. I'd waitr a week or two just in case you get some type of secondary cycle but it looks good.

_E_ · 11/01/2008, 06:44 PM

You haven't seen a trace of ammonia because the rock and the sand that you added already had the beneficial bacteria that consumes ammonia. That's the great thing about buying fully cycled rock...you get to start putting the fun critters in the tank quicker.

Reticle · 11/01/2008, 06:52 PM

Yea, I'm in no rush. I just dropped the shrimp in an hour ago, so I'll pluck it in the morning and see where I'm at.

Aquarist007 · 11/01/2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reticle
Ok, I just tossed in the shrimp. I waited an extra day to do one more test and the Ammonia was still @ 0ppm. It still just baffles me that I haven't seen a trace of ammonia yet. Today is the 10th day that the live rock has been in and the 25th day that the sand has been in.

One thing I never really considered, is it possible that the sand cycled the tank? It was added (~150 lbs) straight from an established setup, but I didn't start testing until I added the rock.

then you are good to go
suggested way to go:
start adding your cleanup crew over the next week

then the lps corals over the next week

and finally start adding fish

I would also suggest that you set up a quarantine tank and qt each fish that you get --this way you start with a healthy disease free tank and keep it that way.

Reticle · 11/01/2008, 07:02 PM

Wow, I must have made this post about the CUC as you were making your last post.

10/30/2008, 08:52 PM	#1
Reticle Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Charleston SC Posts: 33	Live Rock cycle questions. Nitrates showing up first? I have always been under the impression that Nitrates are the last thing I should see in a cycle but 1 week into this Live Rock cycle my readings are: Ammonia: 0ppm Nitrite: 0ppm Nitrate: ~10ppm The LR was bought from my lfs and was supposedly cured. It went straight from their tank to mine. I am new to this, so if more info is needed, please let me know. ETA: ~35 lbs LR/35 lbs base rock in an 80 gallon tank. Last edited by Reticle; 10/30/2008 at 09:19 PM.

10/30/2008, 08:54 PM	#2
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Sounds like the LFS gave you a straight story. It appears that the rock is fully cured. That means less headaches so enjoy! __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

10/30/2008, 09:23 PM	#4
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	a good test for you when in doubt put a raw shrimp in your tank for twelve hours. At the end of the 12 hours take an ammonia reading. If the ammonia readings are still zero then first remove the shrimp! and you know your tank can handle a bioload about the same amount that the shrimp was. __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

11/01/2008, 06:40 PM	#10
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Yes the sand would have also moved the cycle along. I'd waitr a week or two just in case you get some type of secondary cycle but it looks good. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

11/01/2008, 06:44 PM	#11
_E_ Professional Lurker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Du Quoin, Illinois Posts: 1,169	You haven't seen a trace of ammonia because the rock and the sand that you added already had the beneficial bacteria that consumes ammonia. That's the great thing about buying fully cycled rock...you get to start putting the fun critters in the tank quicker. __________________ Eric "If you think things can't get worse it's probably only because you lack sufficient imagination." Current Tank Info: 140 DSA with basement sump room

10/30/2008, 09:18 PM	#3
Reticle Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Charleston SC Posts: 33	That's good to hear, they have always seemed to be an extremely reputable place. So, I will still see a full cycle, correct?

11/01/2008, 06:30 PM	#8
Reticle Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Charleston SC Posts: 33	Ok, I just tossed in the shrimp. I waited an extra day to do one more test and the Ammonia was still @ 0ppm. It still just baffles me that I haven't seen a trace of ammonia yet. Today is the 10th day that the live rock has been in and the 25th day that the sand has been in. One thing I never really considered, is it possible that the sand cycled the tank? It was added (~150 lbs) straight from an established setup, but I didn't start testing until I added the rock.

11/01/2008, 06:37 PM	#9
CoRPS Big Time Reefer Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: P-RINE Posts: 2,887	Sounds to me like you're already cycled my friend. If you have the patience, I'd wait another 1-2 weeks with a few tests along to way to be 100% sure. But if the shrimp didn't add an ammonia spike then you are golden. Your LR is filtering everything it needs to!

11/01/2008, 06:52 PM	#12
Reticle Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Charleston SC Posts: 33	Yea, I'm in no rush. I just dropped the shrimp in an hour ago, so I'll pluck it in the morning and see where I'm at.

11/01/2008, 07:02 PM	#14
Reticle Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Charleston SC Posts: 33	Wow, I must have made this post about the CUC as you were making your last post. Last edited by Reticle; 11/01/2008 at 07:19 PM.