Tank Cycling.. stages??

[treystang]

Are there any stages that a properly cycling tank goes through??
I am one week into the tank cycling process (I do not have proper lights yet.. they have been ordered and will be here tomorrow) I have a 72G tank and about 12 lbs of live rock and 4 very small fish...
Right now.. the sand is starting to be covered in brown stuff. the rocks are beginning to get brown algea..
I am pretty sure nothing needs to be done to the tank during this process.. however, I am curious if everything is moving along as it should be??
Thanks
Trey

 

[bigarn]

Sounds about right, but why are you cycleing with fish? A frozen shrimp would kick off the cycle WO killing fish. As mentioned the brown algae is Diatoms, perfectly normal for a cycleing tank. Your ammonia level should spike followed by nitrite level. Once these levels are 0 your nitrate level should be high. Do weekly 10% water changes to bring the nitrates down and then you 're ready to go.

 

[viper_930]

It is very inhumane to cycle a tank with live fish. There is a reason why we need to cycle the tank.

 

[treystang]

Originally posted by jwtrojan44
Are you testing the water parameters? The brown algae (diatom bloom) is normal. What fish do you have in there?
All the water params are the same as before I put the LR and Fish in. which are all 0 except for amonia which went up to .25. should amonia being going up a lot more then that? should allthe other water levels be going up too?
Originally posted by bigarn
Sounds about right, but why are you cycleing with fish? A frozen shrimp would kick off the cycle WO killing fish. As mentioned the brown algae is Diatoms, perfectly normal for a cycleing tank. Your ammonia level should spike followed by nitrite level. Once these levels are 0 your nitrate level should be high. Do weekly 10% water changes to bring the nitrates down and then you 're ready to go.
Sounds good, my wife would not allow a dead shrimp and for some reason she wanted fish in there. Should I check these levels daily?? right now we are checking it ever 5th day?
Originally posted by ViPeR_930
It is very inhumane to cycle a tank with live fish. There is a reason why we need to cycle the tank.
I agree it is inhumane.

 

[bigarn]

It's still early in the cycle...12lbs of LR isn't alot for a 75gallon so it may take longer IMO. As evidenced by the riseing ammonia level the cycle may be starting.

 

[treystang]

Originally posted by bigarn
It's still early in the cycle...12lbs of LR isn't alot for a 75gallon so it may take longer IMO. As evidenced by the riseing ammonia level the cycle may be starting.
thanks for the info.. I just went and grabbed another 10lbs of LR and chunked it in there.

 

[treystang]

ok, I am still new to this so bare with me...
My tank has been cycling for about 1 1/2 weeks now, last weeks numbers were..
amonia - .50, nitrites - 0, nitrates 5
This weeks numbers are
amonia - .50, nitrites - 0, nitrates 10
Should nitrites be rising too?? why is the amonia not going up shouldn't it be rising as well??
tank setup is still - 72G's, with about 16-17 lbs LR & 40lbs LS, w/ 40lbs CC. (yes I mixed the two )
any ideas?

 

[bigarn]

The ammonia level probably hasn't risen enough. Once it does spike it will turn to nitrite and you'll get a reading.
The nitrate reading is probably being caused by both feeding the fish and their waste. IMO

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by treystang
...Should nitrites be rising too?? why is the ammonia not going up shouldn't it be rising as well??
any ideas?
Every cycle is going to be a "little" different but ALL will go through the same basic changes...
Depending on what and how much LR, LS, cured or uncured, Bacteria additives, fish or feeding load, size or number of dead shrimp and the size of your tank...All these things are variables that will affect your readings to a certain extent...
Basically any organics...fish, food, shrimp,LR"die off"...will show up as Ammonia on your test kit...
There is one "type' of bacteria that converts it to NitrIte...
So as "food" load goes up, you see it as Ammonia, which can "peak" at different numbers for different scenerios...
As the first bacteria consume and multiply, ammonia is converted to NitrIte...you may or may not see ammonia levels dropping at this point (depends on food load at the "front end" of the equation) but you should see NitrIte levels rising...
HOWEVER, if you had "some" of the second type of bacteria (the ones that convert NitrIte to NitrAte ) present in your tank (possibly from the LR) the first "load" of NitrIte may be converted to NitrAte and you won't see a reading...
BUT, as the first string of bacteria continue to multiply and dump more and more NitrIte into the tank...and before the "second" string of bacteria can multiply to match and consume/convert it you Will see the NitrIte level rising...
As the first stringers catch up to the food load Ammonia levels will drop to 0...as the second stringers catch up to the production of the first string NitrIte levels will drop to 0...and NitrAte levels will rise...
That's the point at which the tank is considered "cycled" and bacteria levels are balanced with "their" food supply...
At this point you are still early in the cycle...continue to "monitor" levels (every 3 days is fine)...and you will see the peaks and drops.

 

[edwar050]

I'm interested in seeing if your fish lives? I used shrimp to cycle my tanks and saw the ammonia level go through the roof. Good Luck

 

[treystang]

Originally posted by Squidd
Every cycle is going to be a "little" different but ALL will go through the same basic changes...
Depending on what and how much LR, LS, cured or uncured, Bacteria additives, fish or feeding load, size or number of dead shrimp and the size of your tank...All these things are variables that will affect your readings to a certain extent...
Basically any organics...fish, food, shrimp,LR"die off"...will show up as Ammonia on your test kit...
There is one "type' of bacteria that converts it to NitrIte...
So as "food" load goes up, you see it as Ammonia, which can "peak" at different numbers for different scenerios...
As the first bacteria consume and multiply, ammonia is converted to NitrIte...you may or may not see ammonia levels dropping at this point (depends on food load at the "front end" of the equation) but you should see NitrIte levels rising...
HOWEVER, if you had "some" of the second type of bacteria (the ones that convert NitrIte to NitrAte ) present in your tank (possibly from the LR) the first "load" of NitrIte may be converted to NitrAte and you won't see a reading...
BUT, as the first string of bacteria continue to multiply and dump more and more NitrIte into the tank...and before the "second" string of bacteria can multiply to match and consume/convert it you Will see the NitrIte level rising...
As the first stringers catch up to the food load Ammonia levels will drop to 0...as the second stringers catch up to the production of the first string NitrIte levels will drop to 0...and NitrAte levels will rise...
That's the point at which the tank is considered "cycled" and bacteria levels are balanced with "their" food supply...
At this point you are still early in the cycle...continue to "monitor" levels (every 3 days is fine)...and you will see the peaks and drops.
forgot to mention, This post was very useful information and apprciate the time you spent to respond
Originally posted by edwar050
I'm interested in seeing if your fish lives? I used shrimp to cycle my tanks and saw the ammonia level go through the roof. Good Luck
Currently, imo all signs point to yes.. but then again I am a beginner and probably dont really know

 

[squidd]

No problem...
The "cycle" is such a basic and fundamental process, but it is the foundation that the whole "ecosystem" of our tanks depend on...
Having a good understanding of the process and interrelationships goes along way toward diagnosing (and avoiding) probably "most" of the problems the new aquariest runs into...

 

[reptij]

Are there different kinds a visual signs as well to look for during these different stages of cycling?

 

[reptij]

bump

 

[fallnhorse]

Dasmels are noted to surviving a tanks cycling. Even still they go through alot of stress. You can just just drop a couple of tablespoons of urine in your tank and accomplish the same thing.

 

[rasguedo]

Originally Posted by fallnhorse
Dasmels are noted to surviving a tanks cycling. Even still they go through alot of stress. You can just just drop a couple of tablespoons of urine in your tank and accomplish the same thing.
Human?