Cycling Process? how long?

[keleighr]

Originally Posted by Thomas712
Call it a general outline for most tanks, all cycles will have their certain variables, but basically the same. The more room you have and available surfaces the more bacteria colonies you may have, but this also depends on bio load. Increase the bio load and the bacteria colonies will increase to handle the bio load.

you are so smart.
now what about the other question i had.
I am wondering cause of this ten gallon I have started.

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by keleighr
What if you have life rock, live sand and have used water from an already established tank as well as the tank not being brand new just converted from a fresh to a salt??

Saltwater bacteria and freshwater bacteria are different, you can't just take a freshwater filter and use it on a saltwater tank. Also the water is not really what holds the bacteria but the filters, rocks, sand and other surfaces. Just using established water will not help a cycle. You would need to transfer the surfaces on which the bacteria colonies are established for it to do any good, and they would have to be saltwater bacteria colonies.
Thomas

 

[keleighr]

Even if my test are reading that everything is perfect??
Live rock came from an established tank.(over 6 months old) Live sand???? Just bought it.
I am just wondering. I plan on cycling.

 

[so_major]

Just some words of advice. Have patience.

 

[thomas712]

keleighr ~ So what is it you truly want to know?
If you use live rock and live sand then yes it should help with the cycle, but there will still be a cycle, perhaps not as long as the general list I posted, but the water you add will still have to be conditioned for that particular eco system. More than likely you will still have algae blooms.
It may even be possible to have nearly no cycle at all if you use all live rock that needs no further curing, all live sand, and water from an established tank. But it will still be a new tank and will need to mature for a new bio load. Those bacteria colonies I mentioned will shift and grow to the new bio load.
Does that help?
Thomas

 

[keleighr]

What I am wanting to know- Pretty much you hear on here is TEST TEST TEST.
So I am wondering why is that so crucial if my tank has only been cycling for 4-5 days??
Just so you know I have tested Every day and it is where it should be.
Just wondering why so far my testing has come out so well.
knock knock knock knock (knocking on wood)
I was assuming that it was
1. What I out into the tank.
2. That it was because it really isn't a big tank.
Then I saw your cycling break down and I that lead to these questions.
My other salt water tanks are bigger 36 glln and an 80 glln. I let the 80 gallon cycle for way more than a month, it was closer to two months.

 

[so_major]

Originally Posted by keleighr
What I am wanting to know- Pretty much you hear on here is TEST TEST TEST.
So I am wondering why is that so crucial if my tank has only been cycling for 4-5 days??
Just so you know I have tested Every day and it is where it should be.
Just wondering why so far my testing has come out so well.
knock knock knock knock (knocking on wood)
I was assuming that it was
1. What I out into the tank.
2. That it was because it really isn't a big tank.
Then I saw your cycling break down and I that lead to these questions.
My other salt water tanks are bigger 36 glln and an 80 glln. I let the 80 gallon cycle for way more than a month, it was closer to two months.
It all depends on how fast you want fish. In fact, there is no point in cyclying these days. All you got to use is bio spira. Then once you added that, you can put your most prized fish in your tank. My friend put 2 nurse sharks the day he set up his 210 gallon. And he has done this many times. Its a very dependable product.
I rest my case............

 

[promisetbg]

I can't agree with your statement..there is no way bio-bacteria will eliminate a cycle in all cases.What would you suggest to the person who starts out with uncycled rock? It is'nt that cut and dry...every tank and situation is different. I have used a bottled bacteria in an LFS when large quantities of fish were about to be put into a system. I would'nt use it in my home tank.

 

[thomas712]

Yeah my 90 took nearly two months.
One reason to tell someone (mostly newbies) to test every other day or so is to get them used to doing the tests. You've read these forums where so many of them just say "the water tests perfect" and of course we are left wondering If they truley are or not. There are many who say they have "NO" or "ZERO" nitrAtes. I can tell you there are almost always some nitrAtes in a tank.
Test everyday? I can also tell you when I set up my 90 gallon I put a huge Prawn in there and didn't test for the first two weeks. I knew what was happening in there anyway, so why waste the test kits? When I finally did test my ammonia and nitrates were both off the chart. I still waited near the two month mark, did a 30% water change and then had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and about 20ppm for nitrates.
More variables here as well, testing may be very important "Everyday" if an event occurs in which there are living fish, inverts and such in the aquarium, such as how this thread started, with living things in the balance in a bucket right now, needing to be placed back in as soon as possible.
So I know what you mean.

Like I said there are so many variables to a cycling tank. But I can't imagine the bacteria's getting together and saying that since this a smaller tank we don't have to wait so long, this will be easy. Like the female of our species and getting pregnant, just because the woman is larger or smaller doesn't mean it won't take 9 months right? many variables there to the human process as well, things don't alwyas take 9 months just because someone set the standard.
What I posted is rather based on salt water only with no bacteria colonies in existance when started.. Now if you add bacteria colonies due to rock, sand or other surfaces then you may very well change the time it takes to cycle. Also there will need to be a source of ammonia, a constant source. The amount produced will dictate how many of those first stage bacteria it will take to break it down into the second stage nitrItes. Thus we get into the bio load area of it again.
Hope that answers your questions
Thomas

 

[so_major]

Originally Posted by promisetbg
I can't agree with your statement..there is no way bio-bacteria will eliminate a cycle in all cases.What would you suggest to the person who starts out with uncycled rock? It is'nt that cut and dry...every tank and situation is different. I have used a bottled bacteria in an LFS when large quantities of fish were about to be put into a system. I would'nt use it in my home tank.
He also set up an 180 gallon with angels and triggers in one day just by using bio spira and all of his fish lived. He knows what he was doing. Plus he didn't have the help of lr nor live sand so yes it can be done.
Thats just your opinion promisetbg.

 

[keleighr]

Like I said there are so many variables to a cycling tank. But I can't imagine the bacteria's getting together and saying that since this a smaller tank we don't have to wait so long, this will be easy. Like the female of our species and getting pregnant, just because the woman is larger or smaller doesn't mean it won't take 9 months right? many variables there to the human process as well, things don't alwyas take 9 months just because someone set the standard.
Love it. I like how you put that.
Thanks for the advice on the testing. They are expensive.
The patientience on my part is easy cause I have already been there, twice.

Yes Thomas you helped big time. Thanks

 

[nancysalt]

Thack so much for everyones opinons. I am going to see if my LFS can take care of my fish & corals until the tank is stable. Thenk it doesn't matter how long it takes. Thanks so much for the help. Oh my reading today are
Ammonia= .25 ppm
nitrites= 5 ppm
nitrates= 20 ppm
ph= between 7.8 & 8 but it looked closer to 8
Thanks again to everyone, Nancy :happyfish

 

[so_major]

Originally Posted by keleighr
Like I said there are so many variables to a cycling tank. But I can't imagine the bacteria's getting together and saying that since this a smaller tank we don't have to wait so long, this will be easy. Like the female of our species and getting pregnant, just because the woman is larger or smaller doesn't mean it won't take 9 months right? many variables there to the human process as well, things don't alwyas take 9 months just because someone set the standard.
Love it. I like how you put that.
Thanks for the advice on the testing. They are expensive.
The patientience on my part is easy cause I have already been there, twice.
Explaining it to a 6 year old is another story!

Yes Thomas you helped big time. Thanks

who's the 6 year old?

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by so_major
who's the 6 year old?
That's a line from the movie Philadelphia story, nobody's pointing any fingers.

 

[keleighr]

Originally Posted by so_major
who's the 6 year old?

I am thinking about this time....that it is you.
Cause my 6 year old acts a whole lot older than you

 

[keleighr]

Originally Posted by Thomas712
That's a line from the movie Philadelphia story, nobody's pointing any fingers.

you need to go into the Aquarium and then maybe you might change your mind
Under Pics of my tattoos

 

[mythrenody]

I started mine in Nov/December and it's still cycling

Damn nitrites!

 

[vtfishies]

i started my cycle 10 days ago..with 2 raw uncooked shrimp..cycled after 9 days..even the pet store checked..everything at 0..ph is 8.0 temp is 78... some say put 1 shrimp per 50 gal. i used 2 due to i have a 75 gal...

 

[nancysalt]

ok, so I didn't buy anything more because the tank is still cycling but I did get some more LR and I found a few baby feather duster on the Lr. Should remove them because the tank is still cycling or should I leave them alone? will they survive?
tank is at
.25 ammonia
2 nitrite
20 nitrate
:notsure:

 

[promisetbg]

They should be fine. Did the LFS help you out w/ the fish and coral situation?