Cycled without ammonia spike?
- Thread starter bigarn
- Start date
rossim
Member
Here's a little more info.
Set up the tank with 50 lbs LR and 60 lbs LS from SWF. LS was 20 lbs live and 40 lbs live by pre-packaged.
I let everything sit and tested every day for the first week. After about 4 days diatoms appeared on the sand and glass. Ammonia and Nitrite stayed at 0 and Nitrates were at a steady 20 after the second day (first day of testing).
I was getting nervous and wanted to see an ammonia spike so I threw a frozen shrimp in the tank and kept it in there for three days. When I took it out, half of it went into my PH and got thrown back out into the water in a million tiny pieces. Tested each day and again, levels did not change.
As of today, the readings are still the same. 0 ammmonia, 0 nitrite, 20 nitrate. I thought the spike would happen a little sooner than this. Its been close to two weeks already.
Oh ya, if you couldn't tell, I'm his nephew. :yes:
Set up the tank with 50 lbs LR and 60 lbs LS from SWF. LS was 20 lbs live and 40 lbs live by pre-packaged.
I let everything sit and tested every day for the first week. After about 4 days diatoms appeared on the sand and glass. Ammonia and Nitrite stayed at 0 and Nitrates were at a steady 20 after the second day (first day of testing).
I was getting nervous and wanted to see an ammonia spike so I threw a frozen shrimp in the tank and kept it in there for three days. When I took it out, half of it went into my PH and got thrown back out into the water in a million tiny pieces. Tested each day and again, levels did not change.
As of today, the readings are still the same. 0 ammmonia, 0 nitrite, 20 nitrate. I thought the spike would happen a little sooner than this. Its been close to two weeks already.
Oh ya, if you couldn't tell, I'm his nephew. :yes:
T
tizzo
Guest
If you added live rock from an on line source, in other words- mail order, and you are STILL not seeing that spike then I have to first question your tests!! Has it started to stink yet at least?? I think it was about 4 days when mine got putrid! You have a heater right? Powerheads? Are you running carbon?
rossim
Member
No carbon. Have a protien skimmer running, but not letting any air in, so its basically acting as a PH. Also have another PH running. Temp is 81. Salinity 1.025. 130 watts PC light.
As for the tests, I was first using a quick test dip stick that read 0. After that (about a week ago) I switched to another powder based test (forgot the company) and its still reading 0. I plan on ordering the salifert kits from SWF, but I don't think its the test kit (since two have read 0)
Edit - No smell to the water.
As for the tests, I was first using a quick test dip stick that read 0. After that (about a week ago) I switched to another powder based test (forgot the company) and its still reading 0. I plan on ordering the salifert kits from SWF, but I don't think its the test kit (since two have read 0)
Edit - No smell to the water.
T
tizzo
Guest
Weird. 2 weeks you say? Stll no smell... did I mention... wierd? Your not doing water changes are you??
rossim
Member
Nope. No water changes. Just topping off the evaporated water. And even that I'm trying to do only a couple times a week. I would think that the shrimp would have really got the ammonia going. Especially since it was shreeded thoughout the tank thanks to the PH and my stupidity 
Diatoms are all over the sand and the glass (not that bad on the glass) and I'm starting to get some alage in some small patches on the LR (some bubble alage as well).
I still think its a little quick for a new tank to cycle instantly, but is it possible? I'd like to get some clean-up crew in there to take care of the alage.
Edit - Oh ya, the tank was set up with RO water and the top-offs are done with RO water.
Diatoms are all over the sand and the glass (not that bad on the glass) and I'm starting to get some alage in some small patches on the LR (some bubble alage as well).
I still think its a little quick for a new tank to cycle instantly, but is it possible? I'd like to get some clean-up crew in there to take care of the alage.
Edit - Oh ya, the tank was set up with RO water and the top-offs are done with RO water.
ericholcek
Member
this happened to me in my 55 gallon tank. I used 60 pounds of live sand and 60 pounds of live rock and threw in a shrimp. I had absolutly no cycle. I waited to months though till I added my first fish and still nothing. Maybe you got REALLY GOOD QUALITY ROCK.
T
tizzo
Guest
Well....:notsure: ... or maybe you live right next door to SWF and the rock was still dripping when you put it in your tank. I got mine from SWF and my ammonia levels went beyond 6.0 the very first night!!!
rossim
Member
I was expecting to be able to cycle with the LR. It was shipped two day air during some really hot and humid days. The package was almost ripped open by the time it got to me, but the rocks were still in one piece. The LR was still damp, but not nearly wet.
I'm still going to wait a while for any fish to be introduced, but do you think I'm safe with a cleanup crew? I was going to order the 20-55 gallon package from SWF.
I'm still going to wait a while for any fish to be introduced, but do you think I'm safe with a cleanup crew? I was going to order the 20-55 gallon package from SWF.
T
tizzo
Guest
Just to be on the safe side, I would first go to the LFS and buy 1 snail, and maybe 1 hermit.(don't forget the empty shells) and if they survive then get the reef package. I'd hate to see you spend all that money THEN your cycle starts!
hipusmc
New Member
same here my tanks been set up for almost two months now with never noticing any ammonia spike....i have a 55 gallone with 70 lbs of aragonite sand with 5lbs live sand to seed from a friend.....and 85 lbs of cured live rock and also 25 gallon refuge i think with 3 different kind of macro algae and runnig on carbon, filter floss, .....first week barely noticed any ammonia....second week added my first fish 3 small chromis ammonia went to barely .01ppm or around there, second week added 1 clown fish. third week. 1 engineer goby and 2 small yellow goby, 4th week pistol shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a yellow tang...i know its too soon to add alll these fishes...i no...my parameters are as follows
ph 8.0-8.3
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
kind of weird huh...oh yeah i use tap water.....so i think there is a possiblity that ur tank COULD be ready....
ph 8.0-8.3
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
kind of weird huh...oh yeah i use tap water.....so i think there is a possiblity that ur tank COULD be ready....
rossim
Member
Checked the levels again last night, and they're still at 0. It is strange...
I think I'll throw in a couple snails and crabs this weekend and see how they do. If they are doing good in a week and I still don't see a spike, I'll get a clean-up crew package from SWF. If after a week or two after that everything still looks good, I guess I'll get my first fish in there.
Does this sound like a safe plan. At the time I put my first fish in there, it'll be a little over a month since I've set the tank up (with no ammonia spike).
I think I'll throw in a couple snails and crabs this weekend and see how they do. If they are doing good in a week and I still don't see a spike, I'll get a clean-up crew package from SWF. If after a week or two after that everything still looks good, I guess I'll get my first fish in there.
Does this sound like a safe plan. At the time I put my first fish in there, it'll be a little over a month since I've set the tank up (with no ammonia spike).
rossim
Member
Wocka, good idea. I'll bring some water to the LFS so they can test it as well.
I just thought of something. Since its only a 29 gallon tank and I added so much LR and LS (about 110 lbs worth combined), do you think that could be the reason it seems that I cycled in a week? And the reason why after that week, a frozen shrimp decaying in the tank caused no spike at all?
I just thought of something. Since its only a 29 gallon tank and I added so much LR and LS (about 110 lbs worth combined), do you think that could be the reason it seems that I cycled in a week? And the reason why after that week, a frozen shrimp decaying in the tank caused no spike at all?
birdy
Active Member
Foxxy- the fiji rock from here is drop shipped from walt smith, as all LR from fiji is, anytime you order it online you should expect to have a lot of die off, it is just how it goes. When you get it from you LFS they just cure it there so you don't have as much Die off when you put it in your tank. No matter where you buy your rock from, if it is fiji it will have a lot of die off. I have ordered from several different online vendors and it was all the same.
bean 1
Member
I've gone through similar cycles in the past. The first tank I cycled never experienced an ammonia spike. It was a 100g seeded with live sand and 150# of LR from SWF.com and the ammonia never spiked. This tank has been up and running for well over a year and the only fish I lost was a green chromis at the hands of a tank mate.
My 75g and 46g were cycled with uncured LR and I had ammonia spikes that went through the ceiling and took over a month for all the water parameters to normalize.
I'm currently cycling another 75g with 125# of LR from swf.com and 30# LS addedto a 5-6" DSB and haven't had a spike in ammonia, nitrites...My tank has diatoms on the sand and rock and is covered with pods!! I would say mine has cycled after just 1-2 weeks. I'm going to give my tank another week and then add a small clean up crew. I've got feather dusters, and macro's coming out of the rock! I've always been pleased with the LR from this site!!
Good Luck..Bean
My 75g and 46g were cycled with uncured LR and I had ammonia spikes that went through the ceiling and took over a month for all the water parameters to normalize.
I'm currently cycling another 75g with 125# of LR from swf.com and 30# LS addedto a 5-6" DSB and haven't had a spike in ammonia, nitrites...My tank has diatoms on the sand and rock and is covered with pods!! I would say mine has cycled after just 1-2 weeks. I'm going to give my tank another week and then add a small clean up crew. I've got feather dusters, and macro's coming out of the rock! I've always been pleased with the LR from this site!!
Good Luck..Bean