Tank cycle time

[bkostuch]

I have seen the cycle timeline graph but I have been told that some tanks cycle faster than others based on multiple factors. I have done the following and currently on day 4 since I would think my cycle should start.

Tank is 120g

1. Added live sand ~20lbs (I had 80lbs of non live sand already)
2. Added live rock ~ 15lbs (had about 75lbs of base rock)
3. Started using stability at the recommendation of The Fish Store
4. Added 2 smaller Damsels

What should I be expecting in my cycle? algae growth? Should I add more of one or more of the above? I am not sure if I have enough live stock either.

Thanks guys!

 

[walterp1982]

cycling with livestock is a practice on its way out, since it's dangerous to the fish. Many people (and fish) do fine by it, but it's becoming more common to place an uncooked table shrimp in the tank, which gets the cycle going just as well.

Your cycle is finishing up and ready for a good snail cleanup crew as soon as you see your rock turning brown with diatoms (brown algae cover)

 

[rdnelson]

walterp1982;1035033 wrote: cycling with livestock is a practice on its way out, since it's dangerous to the fish. Many people (and fish) do fine by it, but it's becoming more common to place an uncooked table shrimp in the tank, which gets the cycle going just as well.

Your cycle is finishing up and ready for a good snail cleanup crew as soon as you see your rock turning brown with diatoms (brown algae cover)

+1

It will be hard to resist but I wood wait some time before adding any other fish. A cycle is an on going thing. It is not something that starts and ends. While I agree it is best not to use living animals in the process that boat has sailed. But that does not mean you need to continue down that path.

In a few weeks, you can add another fish or two. Then wait again. Each time you add more bio load the bacteria needs to catch up. If you add too much at any time, the ammonia levels will climb higher than the established bacteria can process and livestock will suffer or perish.

Over the next several months, you are going to see many things come and go. Diatoms is usually the first but there will be others. Take it slow, wait each of these out and do lots of research. If you hurry it you will not be successful, get dry dry frustrated and quit. If you can be patient, you will have a gorgeous tank before you know it.

 

[jbdreefs]

In my experience base rock always turns green in the first few months. Don't worry about it. Agree with every thing said above.

 

[russ-iv]

live rock will need to accomodate the bacteria load of only 2 damsels in a 120. Nitrite needs to be in the 100s ppm before fish will be affected but ammonia needs to stay nonexistant. ( <1 ppm). I doubt fish-in cycles will die considering the bacteria in a bottle products. however, bacteria can die and you would have to keep on top of it and expect the worst in this hobby if the product you chose expired.
stability works well but prime will stall a cycle IME.

next tank you could chuck windex in there and it would work the same.

test for ammonia every morning and evening and do water changes if parameters are going out of whack. If nothing changes in a week except nitrates increasing you have a cycled tank.

some early indicators of a cycle are brown diatoms dusting the substrate and glass. also pods will be floating around like glowing fairies in your tank under the light. green algae usually happens afterward.
you could be cycled but nitrate and phosphate hasnt accumulated yet to give you the dustings. id expect a month before the algae starts happening.

 

[bkostuch]

walterp1982;1035033 wrote: cycling with livestock is a practice on its way out, since it's dangerous to the fish. Many people (and fish) do fine by it, but it's becoming more common to place an uncooked table shrimp in the tank, which gets the cycle going just as well.

Your cycle is finishing up and ready for a good snail cleanup crew as soon as you see your rock turning brown with diatoms (brown algae cover)

So I started seeing the brown algae cover on my sand and some of my rocks... I assume this is still beginning of my cycle and I will see the diatoms pop back up again in a few weeks. Or should i grab some snails?

 

[russ-iv]

get an api test kit for ammonia and nitrite. you may want a better one for nitrate but itll work as well. You can get them at petco/smart or lfs. if the ammonia and nitrite read 0 still after a week then go ahead with cleanup. Dont go overboard on cleanup or they will starve.

Every tank is different.

 

[walterp1982]

A few snails to process the diatoms would be a good idea now as said above, assuming your water is in check. If this moment isn't great for getting a kit, most LFS will do a free water test for you on the spot. Takes 5 min, and you only need to bring a shot glass worth of agua.

 

[walterp1982]

Make sure they also test your SG, it will confirm you don't have a hydrometer/refractometer out of calibration. My tank came with one (swing arm), and it told me I was at 1.025, and found out it was trash. LFS showed me I was actually at 1.030!

 

[bkostuch]

Thanks, I'll test the water, I bought a test kit a few weeks back expecting this, I'll hold on the crew until I test and verify its stable enough for them.

 

[bkostuch]

Russ-IV;1035043 wrote: live rock will need to accomodate the bacteria load of only 2 damsels in a 120. Nitrite needs to be in the 100s ppm before fish will be affected but ammonia needs to stay nonexistant. ( <1 ppm). I doubt fish-in cycles will die considering the bacteria in a bottle products. however, bacteria can die and you would have to keep on top of it and expect the worst in this hobby if the product you chose expired.
stability works well but prime will stall a cycle IME.

next tank you could chuck windex in there and it would work the same.

test for ammonia every morning and evening and do water changes if parameters are going out of whack. If nothing changes in a week except nitrates increasing you have a cycled tank.

some early indicators of a cycle are brown diatoms dusting the substrate and glass. also pods will be floating around like glowing fairies in your tank under the light. green algae usually happens afterward.
you could be cycled but nitrate and phosphate hasnt accumulated yet to give you the dustings. id expect a month before the algae starts happening.

Looks like I am in full cycle, alot of diatoms and pods now floating around. I need to start testing water and watching numbers. If my numbers are off, should i be running a 10% water change everytime? or just once per week?

Thanks

 

[russ-iv]

bkostuch;1035284 wrote: Looks like I am in full cycle, alot of diatoms and pods now floating around. I need to start testing water and watching numbers. If my numbers are off, should i be running a 10% water change everytime? or just once per week?

Thanks

If you arent confident in 0 ammonia and nitrite i would change accordingly. Like i said each tank is different. If someone told you to change every week or whatever, i would question their judgement. Your tank is yours... it will have it's own thing going on.

You have 2 damsels and a 120. The bioload is minimal at best. Even if you dry cycled, you wouldnt lose the fish.

I would test weekly. If ammonia is .5 ppm change. I would also test daily. You dont want to see ammonia go from 0 to .25 in 1 day and then wait a week.... so test test and test.

nitrite is B.S unless your PH is idiotically low (below 7.8)
Nitrite is more for fresh water where it can really kill stuff off.

Test daily...
realize that a 10% water change only removes 10%... eg: if you have 2 ppm ammonia, 10% will only get it down to 1.8 ppm. So bigger changes will be needed. Test kits are the best solution here... not the life that you see or the charts you follow from others.

I mean... you could set a new tank up...and that tank could be a royal pain compared to others. Just be proactive. Bacteria dont have a colonizing time card they clock in at.

hope that makes sense.

P.S.
if you really want a canary in the coal mine... throw in a skunk cleaner shrimp. He will tell you everything if you pay attention.

 

[bkostuch]

Russ-IV;1035286 wrote: If you arent confident in 0 ammonia and nitrite i would change accordingly. Like i said each tank is different. If someone told you to change every week or whatever, i would question their judgement. Your tank is yours... it will have it's own thing going on.

You have 2 damsels and a 120. The bioload is minimal at best. Even if you dry cycled, you wouldnt lose the fish.

I would test weekly. If ammonia is .5 ppm change. I would also test daily. You dont want to see ammonia go from 0 to .25 in 1 day and then wait a week.... so test test and test.

nitrite is B.S unless your PH is idiotically low (below 7.8)
Nitrite is more for fresh water where it can really kill stuff off.

Test daily...
realize that a 10% water change only removes 10%... eg: if you have 2 ppm ammonia, 10% will only get it down to 1.8 ppm. So bigger changes will be needed. Test kits are the best solution here... not the life that you see or the charts you follow from others.

I mean... you could set a new tank up...and that tank could be a royal pain compared to others. Just be proactive. Bacteria dont have a colonizing time card they clock in at.

hope that makes sense.

Makes sense, just been away from the hobby for too long, hence the live fish cycling :confused2:. Thanks for all the answers on the questions Russ

 

[russ-iv]

bkostuch;1035288 wrote: Makes sense, just been away from the hobby for too long, hence the live fish cycling :confused2:. Thanks for all the answers on the questions Russ

anytime... just make sure you use those test kits for corals.

Fish are FAR more forgiving. and have fun!

 

[russ-iv]

walterp1982;1035177 wrote: Make sure they also test your SG, it will confirm you don't have a hydrometer/refractometer out of calibration. My tank came with one (swing arm), and it told me I was at 1.025, and found out it was trash. LFS showed me I was actually at 1.030!

hydrometers are calibrated at 60 degrees usually... the higher temp of reefs will throw it off by 2-3 degrees on the hydrometer..

eg if you have an 80 degree tank and your hydrometer read 1.025 it would actually be 1.028. Keep the hydrometers a bit lower due to temp calibrations. 1.030 would not be out of line of the calibration imho.