Tank never cycled and still no Nitrate spike

reefnewbie83177 · 12/27/2011, 06:02 PM

Here is my tank setup:

90 gallon
130lbs Live Rock
80 lbs live sand
JNS protein skimmer
eheim 1262 return
30 gallon sump with refugium
macro algae and mangrove in refugium

Ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0-5ppm
pH 8.0
SG 1.0235

My tank has been cycling for almost 3 weeks now. I never saw an ammonia or nitrite spike. After about 10 days from initial setup, my LFS suggested that we add in some of the maintenance crew so I added about a dozen snails and a dozen crabs. Everyone happy. about a week later we added another dozen snails. I have hair algae, brown algae that i needed to get under control. The tank is full of life. a couple of days ago we put in two shrimp. I feed every other day with some brine shrimp.

Still no nitrate spike. I just don't understand. I did get very high quality rock, and I can understand possibly skipping the ammonia and nitrite spikes if I already had a very healthy population of bacteria. I really don't think I have anything to worry about, but just wanted to get any other opinions as to why I have yet to see a nitrate spike.

Thanks for the advice.

Reefmedic79 · 12/27/2011, 06:20 PM

If you LR was well cured, you may be correct and missed a spike in those parameters. Your adding everything at a good pace, a dozen individual clean up critters every 7-10 days. I suggest testing your water before purchasing each addition just to make sure things are staying in control. Keep adding at this pace until you get to the maximum number of critters, which should take 3-4 more weeks.

SushiGirl · 12/27/2011, 06:20 PM

If you didn't test every hour of every day, you don't really know whether you had any ammonia or nitrite spike. If you have measurable nitrates, then you had ammonia and nitrite, the cycle never "skips" ammonia and nitrite, it's a process & you only get nitrate if you've had ammonia converted to nitrite then nitrite converted to nitrate. Since the shrimp are surviving and you have algae, I'd say you just had a short initial cycle due to the use of all live rock.

Dustin1300 · 12/27/2011, 07:08 PM

Agreed with sushi girl. How often were you testing?

cmw · 12/27/2011, 07:18 PM

You won't see a "spike" in nitrate levels unless the conditions of your local water supply changes or you're overfeeding the tank. Nitrate levels continually rise over the rest of the life of the tank and are mitigated by regular water changes.

reefnewbie83177 · 12/27/2011, 07:19 PM

Thanks everyone. I have been testing every day for the past 3 weeks (sometime twice a day). I always test prior to going to the LFS. I was able to get high premium live rock for a pretty decent deal, and I think that was what helped speed up my cycle. I was just expecting it to take quite a bit longer.

12/27/2011, 06:02 PM	#1
reefnewbie83177 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 200	Tank never cycled and still no Nitrate spike Here is my tank setup: 90 gallon 130lbs Live Rock 80 lbs live sand JNS protein skimmer eheim 1262 return 30 gallon sump with refugium macro algae and mangrove in refugium Ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 0-5ppm pH 8.0 SG 1.0235 My tank has been cycling for almost 3 weeks now. I never saw an ammonia or nitrite spike. After about 10 days from initial setup, my LFS suggested that we add in some of the maintenance crew so I added about a dozen snails and a dozen crabs. Everyone happy. about a week later we added another dozen snails. I have hair algae, brown algae that i needed to get under control. The tank is full of life. a couple of days ago we put in two shrimp. I feed every other day with some brine shrimp. Still no nitrate spike. I just don't understand. I did get very high quality rock, and I can understand possibly skipping the ammonia and nitrite spikes if I already had a very healthy population of bacteria. I really don't think I have anything to worry about, but just wanted to get any other opinions as to why I have yet to see a nitrate spike. Thanks for the advice.

12/27/2011, 06:20 PM	#2
Reefmedic79 Life and Reef Saver Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Tavares, Florida Posts: 6,202	If you LR was well cured, you may be correct and missed a spike in those parameters. Your adding everything at a good pace, a dozen individual clean up critters every 7-10 days. I suggest testing your water before purchasing each addition just to make sure things are staying in control. Keep adding at this pace until you get to the maximum number of critters, which should take 3-4 more weeks. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> How much deeper would the ocean be if it didn't have sponges? P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sid Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder, 20L Sump, 10G Fuge, JBJ A.T.O, 4" Reef Octopus, DIY Stand & Canopy, RapidLED Dimmable 36 Kit on 3 6" MakersLED Heatsink, MP10es

12/27/2011, 06:20 PM	#3
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	If you didn't test every hour of every day, you don't really know whether you had any ammonia or nitrite spike. If you have measurable nitrates, then you had ammonia and nitrite, the cycle never "skips" ammonia and nitrite, it's a process & you only get nitrate if you've had ammonia converted to nitrite then nitrite converted to nitrate. Since the shrimp are surviving and you have algae, I'd say you just had a short initial cycle due to the use of all live rock. __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

12/27/2011, 07:08 PM	#4
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	Agreed with sushi girl. How often were you testing? __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

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12/27/2011, 07:18 PM	#5
cmw Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 38	You won't see a "spike" in nitrate levels unless the conditions of your local water supply changes or you're overfeeding the tank. Nitrate levels continually rise over the rest of the life of the tank and are mitigated by regular water changes.

12/27/2011, 07:19 PM	#6
reefnewbie83177 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 200	Thanks everyone. I have been testing every day for the past 3 weeks (sometime twice a day). I always test prior to going to the LFS. I was able to get high premium live rock for a pretty decent deal, and I think that was what helped speed up my cycle. I was just expecting it to take quite a bit longer.