Too Cycle or not to cycle, that is the question
- Thread starter p fish
- Start date
T
thomas712
Guest
Try challenging the cycle with a raw dead cocktail shrimp. And Hey, anything is possible, kinda hard to believe, but possible.
What test kits are you using?
6 weeks and not even a diatom?
ammonia, nitrite or even nitrate unmeasurable?
What test kits are you using?
6 weeks and not even a diatom?
ammonia, nitrite or even nitrate unmeasurable?
D
daniel411
Guest
I believe it is possible. I had no cycle when I set up my recent 38g. Started off with around 60 pounds of pre-packaged live sand along with a plenum. Also removed all of the live rock that was covered in life from my 90g aquarium. Filled the new aquarium up with 2/3 old aquarium water, topping off with new saltwater. Never noticed a bump in the readings. I actually still never read anything on the nitrogen cycle test kits. I also know that my test kits work.
bededog
Member
I have had my tank (46) up and running for six weeks. I have had readings of ammonia of about 0.25 for the past four weeks. I had three damsels for a weeks, two of the died, and the other one has been in there for nearly four weeks. I feed him lots of food with the idea that maybe I could get a spike and "push" my tank through a cycle. I put a raw shrimp in for 36 hours and then took it out to put in two big chunks of uncured live rock. I have had the rock in the tank for a week with no spike. Ammonia still reading about 0.25. I took a water sample to the LFS to check and my numbers are right.
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
pH 8.2
specific gravity 1.023
I don't know what the heck is going on. I added two scooter blennines yesterday and they look great. I also found a little brown thing that looks like it has hexagon shapes on it. I assume it is a coral. Anyone know what it is? I can't get a photo until I get my camera back.
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
pH 8.2
specific gravity 1.023
I don't know what the heck is going on. I added two scooter blennines yesterday and they look great. I also found a little brown thing that looks like it has hexagon shapes on it. I assume it is a coral. Anyone know what it is? I can't get a photo until I get my camera back.
lesleybird
Active Member
Originally posted by P Fish
Was just wondering is it possible for a new tank not to cycle if you add enough live sand and cured rock??? Its been six weeks and nothing
Yes, yes, yes....I have done two tanks that I did not cycle. I add live sand, a bunch of curred live rock, a wet/dry filter, part of a bottle of cycle bacteria, and a few fish on day one and no amonia, no nitrite on either tank. Fish are fine. It can be done...even though people will tell you it can't. I did weekly partial water changes early on to protect lite load of fish. Lesley
lesleybird
Active Member
Forgot to mention that my live sand in one of the tanks came from another tank that had been up for two months that had plenty of fish waste in it to keep the bacteria colony kicking....!
calvindo
Member
that is absolutely possible. i'd cycled my tank with all cured lr and ls. never had a spiked in my tank. it's been over two months and water perameters is stable and good.
I test my perameters the first week, everything registered very well. Didnt feel comfortable and went out to get another brand test kit. Both registered the same. The kit i use is Salifert and the other is some other brand that i dont know, off the top of my head.
I test my perameters the first week, everything registered very well. Didnt feel comfortable and went out to get another brand test kit. Both registered the same. The kit i use is Salifert and the other is some other brand that i dont know, off the top of my head.
jlem
Active Member
The people that don't get cycles usually are just moving an existing reef from one tank to another or at least use rock from an established reef as part of their reef from the beggining. Granted if you take rock from an existing reef and let it sit out or sit in water with low temp and no waterflow then you probably will experience some sort of dieoff and some sort of cycle but if you move stuff from one system to another quickly then I think that is very possible to not experience a cycle because the reef cycled itself whenever it was first setup in what ever tank that was. 90% of my reef that I have now was in my 90 gallon for 2 years and before that was in a guys 100 gal for 4 years and before that was in a dentist office for like 10 years. That reef only cycled once 16 or so years ago even though it has now been in 4 tanks.
dreeves
Active Member
A tank not cycling is about as impossible as one surviving a nuclear detonation in their neighborhood...
Whether the readings are high, measurable, or what ever...new water combined with new components, etc, will cycle. May be extremely small, but a cycle will still take place.
Cycling isnt dependent upon what most experience..it is a term to title an event regardless of magnitude...
Whether the readings are high, measurable, or what ever...new water combined with new components, etc, will cycle. May be extremely small, but a cycle will still take place.
Cycling isnt dependent upon what most experience..it is a term to title an event regardless of magnitude...
squidd
Active Member
The "Nitrification Processes" on a whole is a delicate balance of many factors...ammount of nitrosomas bacteria, nitrobactor bacteria, waterflow,oxygen levels-oxic-suboxic-anaerobic,surface area,nutrients present for each type and level of bacteria...
In a well established tank these levels are almost self regulating and are able to increase and decrease to small changes as they occur in the tank...the cycling process is still/constantly going on, you just won't see any "measurable" changes other than maybe nitrAtes going up.
In a "New tank" these levels are out of "balance" and "measurable' amounts of ammonia,nitrIte,etc allow us to "chart" the progress of the cycle and determine when the tank is "safe' for inhabitants...which when added changes the balance of "nutrients to bacteria" and can cause a "mini cycle"/measurable changes...until the tank becomes "established" with large amounts of LR/LS (surface area for bacteria) good water flow (oxygen) and clean up crews (to "preproccess waste) at which point it becomes "self regulating"
Moving large amounts of this "established rock/sand to a new tank will help jump start the process of "becoming a established/balanced" system, but the inherent changes from disturbing the sand bed (mixing oxic-suboxic and anaerobic zones) as well as the change of nutrient levels in the water column will still need to readjust to "maintain" colonies of bacteria at self sustaining levels.( the imbalances will work themselves out,mini- cycle)Whether or not these reach "measurable" amounts.
So YES, it is possible to NOT have a "major/harsh" cycle in a new tank, (control the cycle) with the addition of LR/LS/bacterial boosters...as well as experience a "cycle" in moving an established tank.
It all depends on how 'close" to a balanced self regulating level of "biological filtration" you have in your tank.
In a well established tank these levels are almost self regulating and are able to increase and decrease to small changes as they occur in the tank...the cycling process is still/constantly going on, you just won't see any "measurable" changes other than maybe nitrAtes going up.
In a "New tank" these levels are out of "balance" and "measurable' amounts of ammonia,nitrIte,etc allow us to "chart" the progress of the cycle and determine when the tank is "safe' for inhabitants...which when added changes the balance of "nutrients to bacteria" and can cause a "mini cycle"/measurable changes...until the tank becomes "established" with large amounts of LR/LS (surface area for bacteria) good water flow (oxygen) and clean up crews (to "preproccess waste) at which point it becomes "self regulating"
Moving large amounts of this "established rock/sand to a new tank will help jump start the process of "becoming a established/balanced" system, but the inherent changes from disturbing the sand bed (mixing oxic-suboxic and anaerobic zones) as well as the change of nutrient levels in the water column will still need to readjust to "maintain" colonies of bacteria at self sustaining levels.( the imbalances will work themselves out,mini- cycle)Whether or not these reach "measurable" amounts.
So YES, it is possible to NOT have a "major/harsh" cycle in a new tank, (control the cycle) with the addition of LR/LS/bacterial boosters...as well as experience a "cycle" in moving an established tank.
It all depends on how 'close" to a balanced self regulating level of "biological filtration" you have in your tank.
