Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[anon9896]

I disagree, semantically. A single nitrogen cycle is just that: bacteria eliminating the ammonia and nitrite from the single source that caused the ammonia.

All cycles have ends so maybe cycling isn't the correct term.

Regardless, my one complaint is users apply the term cycling to everything on here. The nitrogen cycle is not the same thing as a tank maturing its homeostasis. I get a little itch when people use 'cycling' to discuss tank maturation.

My early morning petty complaint, sue me.

tehnically we can speak of a cycle :p
the 02 and carbonate cycle used in the tank denitrification process
oh and the nitrogen too obviously :P

 

[anon9896]

If I recall correctly , it's the Nitrogen cycle wich is normally correctly used
NVM , I just read back and realized we say the same thing.
My english is only clever and unfortunately , we might never get the chance to debate in my main language lol

 

[anon9896]

There is one cycle I wish I could elucidate,
phage <-> bacterias
I'm sure there could be some applied benefits into our aquariums.
Let's pray our god CRISPR/Cas9 for GMO bioluminescent corals

 

[anon9896]

ok fun fact here ,
Did you know that every ml of ocean water contains between 2X10^6 and 10X10^6 Virus (2 000 000 - 10 000 000)
(1ml = 0,0610237 square inch )

 

[Brew12]

I disagree, semantically. A single nitrogen cycle is just that: bacteria eliminating the ammonia and nitrite from the single source that caused the ammonia.

I think we actually agree, even semantically. I'm not saying that the nitrogen cycle isn't a true cycle, it absolutely is.
The issue I have is that it is an ongoing cyclic process, its not a process where we can say it is complete and our tank is ready for fish. Makes me cringe when I hear people say their tank has cycled. They sure better hope that it starts cycling again when they add fish!!!

 

[anon9896]

I think we actually agree, even semantically. I'm not saying that the nitrogen cycle isn't a true cycle, it absolutely is.
The issue I have is that it is an ongoing cyclic process, its not a process where we can say it is complete and our tank is ready for fish. Makes me cringe when I hear people say their tank has cycled. They sure better hope that it starts cycling again when they add fish!!!

maybe people tend to say the cycle is completed when the amonia tends to zero wich.
that's a differential question , and answer too as it appears.
Ok , i'm out I have things to do see you later lol

 

[living_tribunal]

I think we actually agree, even semantically. I'm not saying that the nitrogen cycle isn't a true cycle, it absolutely is.
The issue I have is that it is an ongoing cyclic process, its not a process where we can say it is complete and our tank is ready for fish. Makes me cringe when I hear people say their tank has cycled. They sure better hope that it starts cycling again when they add fish!!!

Oh definitely 100%

Like when it takes them 5 days to complete a 1ppm ammonia cycle. Just because ammonia and nitrite are 0 doesn't mean they are done.

With you on everything there.

 

[Why-Me]

Should be called the initial cycle since A converts to B then to C and C to Zero...the initial cycle has been completed but as you both point out @living_tribunal @Brew12 it's a cyclic process, thus never truly ending.
We usually just watch for that initial process from A to Zero.

 

[living_tribunal]

Should be called the initial cycle since A converts to B then to C and C to Zero...the initial cycle has been completed but as you both point out @living_tribunal @Brew12 it's a cyclic process, thus never truly ending.
We usually just watch for that initial process from A to Zero.

Everyone needs to watch HOW FAST it clears. You need everything cleared at least at 1ppm a day.

 

[Magellan]

Hey, mines just a 2/10 so it's better than mine!

I was just messing with you..at the ridiculousness of your “2/10” rating! this is what 2 out of 10 would look like

 

[Brew12]

Everyone needs to watch HOW FAST it clears. You need everything cleared at least at 1ppm a day.

I agree that how fast it clears matters, just not in these terms. If I were adding a pair of clowns to a 20g system I would want it clearing 1ppm in a day.
If I were adding a pair of clowns to a 200g system it would be overkill if it cleared 0.5ppm per day. A 200g system clearing 0.1ppm in a day processes just as much ammonia as a 20g system clearing 1ppm per day.

 

[anon9896]

OK I feel like I must admit something to you guys.
When I start an aquarium, I dump rocks and salt in the water(as wanted), 1 week after I start dosing vodka slowly raising it for a week then I ad things in there mainly the most sturdy inhabitants.
3 weeks after everything is in there and I have fish.
not a single test has been made.
In this process I do have
-skimmer
-weekly 10% water change
-food added incrementally
And I think that's pretty much it.
In my main aquarium I didnt do a water test for like 1 or 2 years except for salt and temperature....
i'm lazy , very lazy.
For me a cycle is waking up , feeding aquarium and going back to sleep.
I hope I raise many questions and people question my ways lol.
I know I should do tests and I do some for others on startup but in my overal experience ... No stress is given about those cycles, EVERY AQUARIUM will have some algaes problems , peaks in the denitrification process and the best way to deal with a problem , is to understand the SOURCE not the outcome.
here is my aquarium live
You can see the rumbles I added for my pistol shrimp to play around with, im a nice guy.

 

[Brew12]

OK I feel like I must admit something to you guys.
When I start an aquarium, I dump rocks and salt in the water(as wanted), 1 week after I start dosing vodka slowly raising it for a week then I ad things in there mainly the most sturdy inhabitants.
3 weeks after everything is in there and I have fish.
not a single test has been made.
In this process I do have
-skimmer
-weekly 10% water change
-food added incrementally
And I think that's pretty much it.
In my main aquarium I didnt do a water test for like 1 or 2 years except for salt and temperature....
i'm lazy , very lazy.
For me a cycle is waking up , feeding aquarium and going back to sleep.
I hope I raise many questions and people question my ways lol.
I know I should do tests and I do some for others on startup but in my overal experience ... No stress is given about those cycles, EVERY AQUARIUM will have some algaes problems , peaks in the denitrification process and the best way to deal with a problem , is to understand the SOURCE not the outcome.
here is my aquarium live
You can see the rumbles I added for my pistol shrimp to play around with, im a nice guy.

I don't see a problem with this, especially if you are using live rock and not dry rock.

You do touch on one of my other pet peeves... and that is algae. Why are reefers so against the stuff? I understand why we eradicate the stuff that we can't find critters to eat. Why worry about the rest? A healthy reef would be overrun with algae if you removed the algae eaters. Why wouldn't we want our tanks to go the same way?

I also never worry about ammonia in a tank with healthy algae. Most algaes process ammonia very efficiently.

 

[JoshH]

Vader is my favorite!

Vader is my wife's favorite too. Hmmmm

Heck I didn't know I had SO many fans!

Is that an extra bolt on tge carpet? Lol!

You noticed it too????

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I know I'm late to the party but I do want to address this. Trying to figure out if one "cycles" faster or slower is a completely wrong mindset. We use the term cycling because of the term "nitrogen cycle", it has nothing to do with something being started and then complete. It is an ongoing process. The rock maturing and reaching a chemical equilibrium is an ongoing process. Even the "ugly phase" is actually an ongoing process that we can repeat without taking precautions.

All other factors being equal, a nano will be ready for a pair of clownfish at the same time as a 180g system (unless you are relying on dilution from the 180g system to keep your fish safe).

I know all about repeating the ugly phase!!! Lol... it's easily corrected tho, at least in my case.

 

[anon9896]

I don't see a problem with this, especially if you are using live rock and not dry rock.

You do touch on one of my other pet peeves... and that is algae. Why are reefers so against the stuff? I understand why we eradicate the stuff that we can't find critters to eat. Why worry about the rest? A healthy reef would be overrun with algae if you removed the algae eaters. Why wouldn't we want our tanks to go the same way?

I also never worry about ammonia in a tank with healthy algae. Most algaes process ammonia very efficiently.

I'm 100% with you on that one , I control algaes by having some nice ones
look at this hidden large red algae ...
and this forest like side aquarium
I think it's pretty
View attachment 1322104

 

[Brew12]

I know all about repeating the ugly phase!!! Lol... it's easily corrected tho, at least in my case.

Yup, easily corrected. Add H2O2, remove everything that died, reboot. ;Blackeye;Facepalm

I have come to see maintaining a reef tank as being all about balances. Figuring out what we need to balance, and how to accomplish it, is the challenge. The tanks let us know pretty quickly when we get out of wack and are much slower to let us know when we are heading the right direction.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Insert music from the Star Wars Canteen

The Empire music?

You do give off that darth vader vibe?

I'm WAY behind, but... Han shot first.

 

[Magellan]

@Brew12 thank you for exactly the detailed explanations I was looking for! I want to know “why” something happens, not just that it does.

This is my first time around the sun so to speak, but I’ve noticed at least 3 distinct “cycles” in my tank, in addition to it first completing the initial “ok ammonia is zero time for a clownfish”.

After a few months, the uglies calmed down and the algae went away (the first time!). Then I bought some reef roids. The algae came back for a while, covered my back wall completely. But died off on its own once the tank compensated and it used up the extra nutrients.

I started feeding phyto feast, same story but to a lesser degree. Took a while to settle down again.

started feeding oyster feast as well. this time around I kinda got the feeling i was feeding too much, and significantly decreased reef roids. Algae disappeared again.

if I were able to chart the amount of algae in my tank over time, it would look like a wave, and the peaks would correspond to any changes I have made in relation to nutrient import, with the troughs and ultimate flatline corresponding to balance.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Yup, easily corrected. Add H2O2, remove everything that died, reboot. ;Blackeye;Facepalm

I have come to see maintaining a reef tank as being all about balances. Figuring out what we need to balance, and how to accomplish it, is the challenge. The tanks let us know pretty quickly when we get out of wack and are much slower to let us know when we are heading the right direction.

I ignored signs of needing a water change for about 3 months. When I finally did one, the SPS was toast and my frogspawns had bailed out, but the rest of my LPS is so full and happy now. GHA that I didnt manually remove is melting and I have a little cyano to clean up in the next change but it was almost an overnight transformation.