10 days into cycle
- Thread starter dpdiver
- Start date
sea goblin
Member
What are you using to cycle the tank with, and have your levels been anything differant than what you have now?
Sea Goblin
Sea Goblin
sea goblin
Member
Hmmm....I am curious about the results..I would think that after 10 days that there would be some detectable amounts of something in there. I suppose that it could be just taking a bit for the cycle to kick into gear. Hopefully in a couple of more days it will get up to speed. Keep us posted
Sea Goblin
Sea Goblin
saltwaterdave
Member
Have you had any ammonia spike at all? Was the LR cured or uncured? You should see some sort of ammonia spike,that will basically show you that you are starting the cycle.
David
David
michaeltx
Moderator
usually the ammonia goes up and the starts to fall as the nitrite rises and then falls the nitrate rise and stays there until a water change is done. thats the main reason the levels loo off because a newly cycle tank should nitrate in it.
you minght try taking a water sample to your LFS and have them check it your test kit might not be reading right.
Mike
you minght try taking a water sample to your LFS and have them check it your test kit might not be reading right.
Mike
saltwaterdave
Member
Did you have any spike of the NO2? After the ammomia spike the No2 should have risen ,then as the No2 rises the NO3 would rise up,without getting in a long post abput the nitrogen cycle,that is basically how it happens.Normal on the spikes seem to be quite indiviual,not everyone see's the excat same reading.I would just let the tank run for a few more weeks and see how it goes.No reason to be in any hurry! What kind of test kits are you using? I think I would do what MichaelTX says and take a sample to the LFS and see if they match your test results.
David
David
E
elan
Guest
you could be very lucky in a very fast cycle... i wouldnt disoucnt that idea due to the amount of live rock you have...
I would wait it out another week or so and do some more testing....
PS, i dont think there is any tank which has been "normal"....lol
I would wait it out another week or so and do some more testing....
PS, i dont think there is any tank which has been "normal"....lol
broomer5
Active Member
If you bought the cured rock locally and it was clean rock - placing 80 lbs in a 46 gallon tank, along with the 60 lbs of live sand ............. you may not see any more spikes at all.
Even if you bought the rock online - there's a chance the die off was minimal. It all depends on the source and curing of the rock.
The traditional curves we always refer to when discussing the nitrogen cycle ... normally assume a new tank without bacteria present.
Ammonia spikes - falls
Nitrite spikes - falls
Nitrate is end result
This of course is the way we always read how it happens.
I still feel that many of these descriptions "assume" you are starting out with a new tank - no rock, no live sand .... no bacteria.
Once we load a tank up with a lot of live rock and live sand - it's very hard to tell what the cycling period will do.
It all depends on the condition of the rock, amount of die off and amount of established bacteria colonies.
I guess what I'm saying is your tank may have cycled - but not in a traditional way. The old 4-6 weeks to cycle a tank may not hold true when using that much rock and sand ( bacteria )
The peaks and falls of ammonia compounds may not follow the curves we've all seen either. May .. or may not.
It's always safe to wait for a few more weeks - continue to monitor the tankwater - and see what happens.
It may just not happen the way we think it should.
Even if you bought the rock online - there's a chance the die off was minimal. It all depends on the source and curing of the rock.
The traditional curves we always refer to when discussing the nitrogen cycle ... normally assume a new tank without bacteria present.
Ammonia spikes - falls
Nitrite spikes - falls
Nitrate is end result
This of course is the way we always read how it happens.
I still feel that many of these descriptions "assume" you are starting out with a new tank - no rock, no live sand .... no bacteria.
Once we load a tank up with a lot of live rock and live sand - it's very hard to tell what the cycling period will do.
It all depends on the condition of the rock, amount of die off and amount of established bacteria colonies.
I guess what I'm saying is your tank may have cycled - but not in a traditional way. The old 4-6 weeks to cycle a tank may not hold true when using that much rock and sand ( bacteria )
The peaks and falls of ammonia compounds may not follow the curves we've all seen either. May .. or may not.
It's always safe to wait for a few more weeks - continue to monitor the tankwater - and see what happens.
It may just not happen the way we think it should.
dpdiver
Member
Broomer5,
Thanks for the information. I am going to wait atleast 4 weeks before I put anything more into my tank than the 3 Damsels I currently have. They are in great shape and they are eating well. I have Alge growing, I've seen worms in the sand up against the glass, and I have thousands of little bug like creatures. I've seen a post on the board about them before and I need to go back and look it up again. There is deffinately life in the tank.
As a diver I think this is as close as I can get to being in the ocean 100% of the time. I appreciate all your replys and I look forward to reading the board daily!
Thanks A million!
Milt
Thanks for the information. I am going to wait atleast 4 weeks before I put anything more into my tank than the 3 Damsels I currently have. They are in great shape and they are eating well. I have Alge growing, I've seen worms in the sand up against the glass, and I have thousands of little bug like creatures. I've seen a post on the board about them before and I need to go back and look it up again. There is deffinately life in the tank.
As a diver I think this is as close as I can get to being in the ocean 100% of the time. I appreciate all your replys and I look forward to reading the board daily! Thanks A million!
Milt