How do you know when tank is cycled?

Broderick · 11/01/2011, 08:51 PM

How do you know when tank is cycled? just wondering how to figure this out?

genxbigboy · 11/01/2011, 08:57 PM

You need to buy a test kit for ammonia nitarite and nitrate. You can also bring to LFS and pay them to check the water for you.

SushiGirl · 11/01/2011, 09:00 PM

When ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero.

dzfish17 · 11/01/2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SushiGirl

When ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero.

+1 and stay at zero. You can ghost feed the tank for a week after seeing 0 on both and they should remain at 0. At this point you can add your CUC and first fish.

yeoscove · 11/01/2011, 10:10 PM

What test kits do you all use? I have the Instant Ocean ReefMaster All in one kit. Is that a good one?

zvonmonet · 11/01/2011, 10:19 PM

API are not a bad one, but for a starter anyone will do... that is just my opinion when you get to sps and stuff then u need to invest like 50 bucks a kit

mjhall85 · 11/01/2011, 10:27 PM

Starting out API will work but like above mentioned once you get into corals and all that if you decide to go that route you will need another test kit to test for more things to ensure healthy corals

00Warpig00 · 11/02/2011, 12:11 AM

Testing...

your day 1 saltwater will be 0 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate

You put something in the tank to start the cycle. A raw shrimp from the local seafood counter, ghost feed, a small piece of live rock. Any of those should do. then you test your water frequently/daily or every other day is a good frequency. You should first see Ammonia raise above 0. Down the road a few days/weeks or so you will see Nitrite raise above 0. Still after more testing and waiting you will see Nitrate start to rise above 0 and Ammonia and Nitrite should fall back down to 0. When you have a Nitrate reading above 0 and Ammonia/nitrite readings back at 0 you have the required bacteria present to run your tank (cycled), however you may not have ENOUGH of them yet to support a big load on your tank water. Opinions vary from person to person, but I added my first small fish a couple weeks after I was showing 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and I was probably at about 5 Nitrate. I think of cycling as preparing my filters to filter my water not as preparing my water. Your filtering system needs these bacteria to help keep your water in a state that the fish can live in.

Nick

11/01/2011, 08:51 PM	#1
Broderick Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Brandon,Fl Posts: 186	How do you know when tank is cycled? How do you know when tank is cycled? just wondering how to figure this out?

11/01/2011, 08:57 PM	#2
genxbigboy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rowland Heights Posts: 103	Test kit You need to buy a test kit for ammonia nitarite and nitrate. You can also bring to LFS and pay them to check the water for you.

11/01/2011, 09:00 PM	#3
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	When ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero. __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

11/01/2011, 10:19 PM	#6
zvonmonet Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 179	API are not a bad one, but for a starter anyone will do... that is just my opinion when you get to sps and stuff then u need to invest like 50 bucks a kit __________________ I Keep looking at my pool and always wonder how much Live Rock and Corals I would need to make it a Reef! Current Tank Info: 270 Gallon mixed Reef - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20737850&posted=1#post20737850

11/02/2011, 12:11 AM	#8
00Warpig00 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Schaumburg, IL. Posts: 621	Testing... your day 1 saltwater will be 0 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate You put something in the tank to start the cycle. A raw shrimp from the local seafood counter, ghost feed, a small piece of live rock. Any of those should do. then you test your water frequently/daily or every other day is a good frequency. You should first see Ammonia raise above 0. Down the road a few days/weeks or so you will see Nitrite raise above 0. Still after more testing and waiting you will see Nitrate start to rise above 0 and Ammonia and Nitrite should fall back down to 0. When you have a Nitrate reading above 0 and Ammonia/nitrite readings back at 0 you have the required bacteria present to run your tank (cycled), however you may not have ENOUGH of them yet to support a big load on your tank water. Opinions vary from person to person, but I added my first small fish a couple weeks after I was showing 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and I was probably at about 5 Nitrate. I think of cycling as preparing my filters to filter my water not as preparing my water. Your filtering system needs these bacteria to help keep your water in a state that the fish can live in. Nick __________________ 180G - 5 Yellow Tail Blue Damsels, Two Lined Sleeper Goby, Royal Gramma, Flame Angel pair, Yellow Stripe Maroon Clown, Pearlscale Butterfly, Australian Harlequin Tuskfish, Magnificent Foxface, Yellow Current Tank Info: 180G FOWLR Established 10/2010 Last edited by 00Warpig00; 11/02/2011 at 12:17 AM.

11/01/2011, 10:10 PM	#5
yeoscove Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 22	What test kits do you all use? I have the Instant Ocean ReefMaster All in one kit. Is that a good one?

11/01/2011, 10:27 PM	#7
mjhall85 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Phoenix,AZ Posts: 535	Starting out API will work but like above mentioned once you get into corals and all that if you decide to go that route you will need another test kit to test for more things to ensure healthy corals

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