When can I expect cycle to start?

dinki

dinki

Member
Hey guys, I'm trying to get my 55 gal to cycle but it doesn't seem like it's started yet. Perhaps I'm being impatient. Here's the timeline:
Nov 11th: Tank filled with SW; heater set to 80F
Nov 13th: Live Sand from LFS added; SG 1.025; temp 80F; PH 8.0
Nov 16th: 45lbs LR from SWF.com added; SG 1.025; temp 80F; PH 8.0
Temp, SG and PH have stayed the same throughout testing. I have yet to see any ammonium (amonia?) or nitrite in my tests in the days following adding the LR.
Am I being impatient? Is there anything I should do to give things a kick start? Cocktail shrimp/ghost feeding?
 
lmarc78

lmarc78

Member
If you read alot of the post on this sight you will see that all it takes is time.
My first tank was a rush and a crash all within a year.
My second take is doing great after a year. Don't rush it I know for a fact, just forget the tank is there for day's at a time and you will be ready in no time.
 
scubaguy

scubaguy

Member
Originally Posted by dinki
Hey guys, I'm trying to get my 55 gal to cycle but it doesn't seem like it's started yet. Perhaps I'm being impatient. Here's the timeline:
Nov 11th: Tank filled with SW; heater set to 80F
Nov 13th: Live Sand from LFS added; SG 1.025; temp 80F; PH 8.0
Nov 16th: 45lbs LR from SWF.com added; SG 1.025; temp 80F; PH 8.0
Temp, SG and PH have stayed the same throughout testing. I have yet to see any ammonium (amonia?) or nitrite in my tests in the days following adding the LR.
Am I being impatient? Is there anything I should do to give things a kick start? Cocktail shrimp/ghost feeding?

Add a Raw shrimp, also how much Live Rock do you have?
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Do you have a powerhead in the tank? Your ammonia will spike. Give it another week. If you still don't see a spike then add the raw shrimp.
 
bjoe23

bjoe23

Active Member
Originally Posted by ScubaGuy
Add a Raw shrimp, also how much Live Rock do you have?
he said 45 lbs
 
dinki

dinki

Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
Do you have a powerhead in the tank? Your ammonia will spike. Give it another week. If you still don't see a spike then add the raw shrimp.
Right now I am running a HOB filter that has a turnover rate of ~300 gal/hr and also a powerhead with a rate of ~180 gal/hr.
I have two maxi-jet 1200's on the way as well as an Aqua C Remora protein skimmer.
I'm not in an awful hurry to get a cleaning crew and fish in the tank. I'm more curious as to when things will start changing. I'll let it run and check it again in a few days. If needed, I'll add a shrimp.
Thanks for the insight folks.
 
dinki

dinki

Member
So it's been a week since I introduced the LR and still no traceable ammonia. I added a cocktail shrimp earlier this morning to get things going. How long do I leave it in? Does it stay there and rot or do I eventually fish it out and dispose of it?
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by dinki
So it's been a week since I introduced the LR and still no traceable ammonia. I added a cocktail shrimp earlier this morning to get things going. How long do I leave it in? Does it stay there and rot or do I eventually fish it out and dispose of it?
Leave it in till you start testing positive for amonia.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by dinki
Cool, thanks. Any idea on about how long this will take?
Again it is hard to say. Could be a week more or less.
 
dinki

dinki

Member
It's been a week and I've tested periodically for Ammonia and Nitrites and never got a reading (although it is so difficult for me to read the Ammonia colors). Last night I decided to test the Nitrates just for kicks and found that it was at 20. I hadn't been testing for Nitrates as I assumed that I'd see the Ammonia and Nitrates level rise before I had any detectable Nitrates.
What does this mean? Is my test kit faulty or did I just miss the Ammonia/Nitrite readings? I was really only testing for Ammonia but did occassionally test for Nitrites. The tank is going on three weeks since it was first set up.
I would greatly appreciate if _anyone_ can give me some insight on what might have happened or what may be happening. Please :)
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Do you test for nitrites? If you have 0 amonia and are getting trates then you cycle may very well be over. IMO I would do a 10 to 15% water change using RO water and salt, and test a day after the change. If levels are good you can start to add a clean up crew.
 
dinki

dinki

Member
This is what I'm hoping, but I'm just surprised I didn't see any evidence of ammonia the whole time. The tank looks really good, but I am starting to get a little algae growth on my LR. I'd like to add my clean up crew soon to keep it in check, but I don't want to torture the little guys if the tank isn't ready.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
You can try another amonia test kit or have your LFS test it for you. But IMO If its 0, then water change retest and add clean up crew. You IMO should be all set. You may want to test for trites just to be sure your not in the middle of the cycle. The point where amonia has changed to trites and then to trates.
 
oneradtek

oneradtek

Active Member
ya i never really had a big punch of ammonia because it spiked quickly , but the nitrites i had were unbeleivable ........
also when i had a really high amount of nitrites , my nitrates were about 20ppm just so you know
so if u havent already tested for nitrites, i would do that first before adding a clean up crew
 
dinki

dinki

Member
I tested for nitrites last night and it definitely read 0. I guess I'll be on the safe side and bring a water sample with me to the LFS when I go to buy my cleaning crew.
 
dinki

dinki

Member
I spent an hour at the LFS and the lady there was extremely helpful. She checked my water sample and everything looked good. I ended up getting 5 hermits and 5 snails along with two false percs. She did tell me something funny. She said that 90% of LFS sales people don't know what they're talking about and that I'd do best researching fish myself. She told me that she was not perfect but that she does have a biology degree. I knew that it was important to do my own research, but it was funny that she told me that.
Oh well, now I've got more than LR to stare at!
 
rcoultas

rcoultas

Member
Congrats on the new family additions
now you can begin to reschedule your life so that you can dedicate the seemingly mandatory 30hrs a week (or more) for staring at the tank.
 
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