J
jpucci1
Guest
I have added 100 LBS of live sand this last weekend. I had about 100 LBS earlier. Wondering how long it takes to start the denitrification process? I have 4 inches solid across my tank.
thanks
thanks
ocellaris_keeper
Active Member
With that much Live Sand and Live Rock you may not see much of a cycle - Your cycle could have occurred during the night. Dr. Jean Jaubert inventor of the Monaco Style filtration systems has observed live sand systems that were ready to go after two days.
I suggest you add a piece of raw shrimp into the tank and watch your parameters for any changes for three days. If no change remove the shrimp and add some fish.
I suggest you add a piece of raw shrimp into the tank and watch your parameters for any changes for three days. If no change remove the shrimp and add some fish.
sammystingray
Active Member
If we are talking about nitrate reduction, then the bacteria works the very same as aerobic bacteria would to the best of my knowledge........... as soon as nitrates and the proper anaerobic conditions are met...it should start forming bacteria immediately. Nitrates were surely added to the future anaerobic areas as the substrate was added, and that will get it started as far as nitrates, but the wait is on the oxygen level to drop. The oxygen depletion would of course depend on several factors. My guess, and it's an educated guess, is that bacteria is using nitrates within days, although it takes awhile for the numbers to be detectable. Just some DSB advice...oxygen is kept out of the layers by a couple reasons, and this also means nitrates are kept out of these layers by the same reasons. This is why it is so IMPORTANT to keep a DSB "alive" as possible. Nitrates don't get in there by osmosis to make the bed work....tiny creatures gently moving the sand allows nitrates in the water to reach the zones that will reduce them. Sand alone packed four inches high will do very little with nitrates.......the bed must be alive with life. People like Dr Ron, that talk about these beds often, have found untold thousands of tiny and microscopic critter species living in their sand, so theirs works because of this. If you bought actual "live" sand, then you should be fine, but if you bought the "live sand in a bag" stuff....you may want to consider alternative ways to add critters..the stuff in a bag is usually only bacteria. Any bubbles you see instantly in the sand may be just trapped air from when it was added, but later on ...bubbles forming and rising from the sand will be a tale-tell sign of nitrogen gas being formed and nitrates being converted. Of course, a nitrate test is the best way to see what's happening.
J
jpucci1
Guest
yes this is a 5 month old cycled tank. I added more sand to help with my nitrate. I bought 50lbs for swf.com(flordia keys) and 50lbs of live sand in a bag from my LFS. It does have little critters in it becuase i have used it before and found some worms and such. I took out my horseshoe crab about 1 week ago before adding more sand becuase i didnt want him eating all my little critters.
my levels:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40
PH: 8.2
Salt: 1.023
Temp: 81
I have also added a nitrate reducer type subtrate. I put it in a bag in my sump to help in my reduction of nitrates.
my levels:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40
PH: 8.2
Salt: 1.023
Temp: 81
I have also added a nitrate reducer type subtrate. I put it in a bag in my sump to help in my reduction of nitrates.
smellsfishy
Member
how often are you doing water changes?
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puffygrrl
Guest
SammyStingRay: "...If we are talking about nitrate reduction, then the bacteria works the very same as aerobic bacteria would to the best of my knowledge........... as soon as nitrates and the proper anaerobic conditions are met...it should start forming bacteria immediately. "
Just need to clarify because I teach biology and everyone should know whats "really" going on in your tank. Bacteria are alive, little animals to a certain extent, and they "eat" the ammonia (NH4) - fish waste - in the tank. Their waste is the form of Nitrite (NO3) and finally Nitrate (NO2). The nitrate is removed by water changes or plants. The entire process is AEROBIC (needing air).
Don't mean to be anal - just the teacher in me
Just need to clarify because I teach biology and everyone should know whats "really" going on in your tank. Bacteria are alive, little animals to a certain extent, and they "eat" the ammonia (NH4) - fish waste - in the tank. Their waste is the form of Nitrite (NO3) and finally Nitrate (NO2). The nitrate is removed by water changes or plants. The entire process is AEROBIC (needing air).
Don't mean to be anal - just the teacher in me
J
jpucci1
Guest
water changes every two weeks
sammystingray
Active Member
PuffyGrrl, I'm not sure if you found error in my statement or not.....I was speaking of the nitrogen cycle from nitrates on....anaerobic".....ammonia to nitrite is of course aerobic. My post was refering to nitrate to nitrogen gas in anaerobic conditions. I've heard a few definitions of "anaerobic zones, but the one that I subscribe to is basically ......"not enough oxygen for aerobic bacteria". This means oxygen may be present, but not in concentration enough of free oxygen for aerobic activity. Anoxic zones on the other hand are completely void of O2, and they may host bacteria that uses sulfides as well. This is where the "dreaded" hydrogen sulfide comes into play, but sulfide using bacteria zones expand and contract with the load just as any other bacteria hosting zones do.....any tank that may crash from hydrogen sulfide would have probably crashed anyway due to excessive bioload. The hydrogen sulfide deal doesn't get talked about as much lately, and rightfully so.....it's a myth really.