Cycle in record time!?! Can a jump start be this fast?

[k8eydid]

Hi All!
Upgrading from my 55 reef (established 5 years) to a 220 and used every jump start method I could to get the cycle started with the exception of adding (torturing) any livestock. After 6 days I have Diatoms!
Day 1 pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024, Temp 76, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 0
Day 2 pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024,Temp 76, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 0
Day 3 - pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024,Temp 78, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 0 Added 4 cups of crushed coral substrate and about 20# of LR from the 55 to the sump and stole 2 cups of bio balls from the fluval canister to put in the bio ball section of the sump. Also added 8mL Phytoplex
Day 4 pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024,Temp 78, NH3 0.1, NO2 0, NO3 0 added 8mL Phytoplex
Day 5 pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024,Temp 80, NH3 0.1, NO2 0.1, NO3 0, PO4 0, Ca 340 added 8mL Phytoplex
Day 6 pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024,Temp 80, NH3 0.1, NO2 0.1, NO3 5, PO4 0, Ca 340 - appearance of diatoms - added 12mL Marine Snow - located 3 BL hermits that ended up in the sump and moved them into the display. Figured they survived 3 days in the dark, may as well put them in the display.
Day 7 pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024,Temp 80, NH3 0, NO2 0.1, NO3 5, PO4 0, Ca 340 - significant increase in diatoms - added added 8mL Phytoplex
Day 8 pH 8.4, Salinity 1.024,Temp 80, NH3 0, NO2 0.1, NO3 5, PO4 0, Ca 340, Kh 100 - significant increase in diatoms - added added 8mL Phytoplex
So, ammonia appears to be gone, just waiting for the NO2 & NO3 levels to return to 0 and the gradual movement of livestock will take place. Since I have a LARGE sebae anemone that may move around until it finds a home, it is going first, along with the Clarkii clown
Has anyone ever experienced such a fast cycle?
Thanks!
Kate

 

[junyoungmin]

i cycled my 20g in 7 days, using stability. my fish is still doing great after 8 months

 

[stdreb27]

If your live rock was already cured, as well as the sand. And all you did was move it to a bigger tank and add water, you shouldn't have much of a cycle, unless your LR and Sand were out of the water for a period of time.

 

[k8eydid]

Thanks for the input - the LR and CC came right out of the 55 and into the sump of the 220 - very well cured (5 years). My only concern is the diatoms - I want to wait until the bloom disapates. Also, I have 3 fish, more BL hermits, 1 sally lightfoot, 1 purple lobster and more LR to go into the display. Along with a list of corals. I have read I should make the move gradually, adding 1 thing every 4-5 days and testing daily. Any other advise is always welcome.

 

[sepulatian]

It has cyled quickly just from disturbing your rock. There were dead spots in the previous tank. Don't worry about the diatoms, they happen in any new tank or with a cycle. They will subside. Move the rest of the rock and the substrate gradually. Then add the rest of whatever rock and substrate you will be using for the larger tank. Be sure to keep testing durring all of this. Then move the fish, then the corals when ammonia and nitrite fall back to zero and stay there for at least a week.

 

[k8eydid]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Don't worry about the diatoms, they happen in any new tank or with a cycle. They will subside. ...Then move the fish, then the corals when ammonia and nitrite fall back to zero and stay there for at least a week.
Thanks SQ! If the parameters are all at 0 for 1 week before the diatoms are gone, it is still OK to move the fish and corals right?
I still have some LR with no corals attached that I am going to move first, smaller pieces into the sump and larger ones in the display, but my largest piece has an 8" young soft, some Zoanthid polyps and about 10 discosoma attached. I will have to wait to move that to the display.