Newbie Cycle Question

[rtsen]

Hey all,

i'm into day 4 of my water cycle and i'm seeing some unexpected results. I'm trying a fishless cycle; cycle with LR and live sand.

75 gallon Tank
100 lbs of cure LR
10 gallon water from a established tank (the rest of the water was RO water)
Sand from an established tank

Salinity - 1.024
PH - 8.1
Temp - 80 F

Day 2:
Ammonia - ~0.25 ppm
Nitrite - 2 ppm
Day 4:
Ammonia - ~0.25 ppm
Nitrite - 1.5 ppm

I was expecting to see a big spike in ammonia at the start but my ammonia levels have been low. Is this normal? should I add some fish food and let it declay? or a fresh dead cocktail shrimp?

[Quagmire]

The established sand will already have bacteria,and the LR could be cycled or partly cycled when you got it.So maybe only a smaller start up cycle.Check to see if your Nitrates are going up,if so then your bacteria are doing the first part.Keep an eye on your Ammonia,it should climb up or down to 0 from here,depending if there is any dead stuff in your LR or not.If it stays the same over the next few days,you may want to get a new test kit.Myself.I wouldn't add anything other than your rock.Also once your tank has cycled,your still not done.It will cycle over and over a bit smaller each time.Untill you add livestock,then an other cycle will occur due to feeding and waste.Give it another week and see where your at.Smelly uncycled LR will take 6 or more weeks to cycle,so be patient it shouldn't take too long with cleaner rock.

[rtsen]

it looks like the tank will only go through a small cycle. My ammonia and nitrites levels are decreasing:

Day 6
Salinity - 1.024
PH - 8.2
Temp - 80 F

Ammonia - ~0 ppm
Nitrite - 0.4 ppm

I dont have a nitrate test kit yet so no reading but i'll pick one up on the weekend.

[Quagmire]

Ya looks good,but still keep an eye on it.You may still get some bacteria die off causing ammonia again.Oce you get 0 ammonia and 0 Nitites.Do a big waterchange.Over 50%,that will help knock your Nitrates down and help stablize your Alk,PH etc.

[Johnny Reefer]

Sounds like your experiencing the magic of a Live Rock instant cycle.:smile:
I'd bet dollars to donuts that your Nitrates will read < or = to 5mg when you test them on the weekend.

[Quagmire]

Sounds like your experiencing the magic of a Live Rock instant cycle.:smile:
I'd bet dollars to donuts that your Nitrates will read < or = to 5mg when you test them on the weekend.


That would be good,Ive only ever gotten that when I swapped tanks.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I'm experiencing the same thing....but you know that! Going on week two and have always had very very low readings of ammonia and nitrites. Low nitrates, too. Huh. I'm ok with it :-)

[kwirky]

what brand of test kits are you using?

[rtsen]

what brand of test kits are you using?

I'm using Salifert brand test kits.

[rtsen]

My cycle looks like it's done. I'll wait a week or 2 before I start adding fish. Should I turn on my lights before I add fish or after?

[Quagmire]

Wait to put the fish in before you turn on the lights.No need to waste electricity.

[rtsen]

cool, thanks for the help Quagmire :biggrin: