Cycle over already??

Bpainter3 · Apr 15, 2019

Hey everyone, so I work for an aquarium maintenance company and I acquired a 150 gallon tank for free three weeks ago. I had planned on cooking the rock but decided against it. I let the 100 lbs live rock sit on a trash can for a week while I painted the stand and plumbed everything how I wanted it. I went with the herbie drain (It’s so quiet!). After everything was ready I just rinsed the live rock with a hose and let it dry for a day in the sun. I used probably about 40 Lbs of of that live rock, 30 lbs of live rock I had from a previous tank that sat outside for about a year that I also washed with a hose and let dry and about 20 lbs of live rock I took from work. I also used 6 bags of live sand and Dr Tims bacteria the day I filled it up. I added 1 small chromis a few days after I filled it up and he’s doing great.

So now about the cycle Every tank we install is either a move containing all cured rock so there is no cycle or all new live rock with die off so we always see the cycle progress normally. Mine has been different and was curious what y’all think I set the tank up on the 6th and tested it every day since. After about 3 days my ammonia crept up to around 3ppm and stayed there until I tested it tonight the 15th which read 0 or <.25 hard tell with the stupid api test kits (I tested it three times) nitrite and nitrate were zero. Yesterday around 1 while watching the masters (Go Tiger!) ammonia was still 2 or 3 and my nitrites and nitrates were zero and I started to see diatoms cover the rocks and parts of the sand. I am running two protein skimmers and phosphate remover Incase the old rock leaches PO4. Do y’all think the rock that sat in the trash can for a week (which still felt wet when I took it out) and the bacteria I added was enough to kick start the tank to where I won’t see nitrites or nitrates spike since the ammonia has dropped drastically? Curious to see what you guys think. TIA!

Sorry I wasent sure where to post this so posted two spots

drstardust · Apr 15, 2019

I wouldn't rush it and wait a couple of weeks with ongoing monitoring of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. I would ghost feed (or feed that chromis I guess haha) or add pure ammonia and see how the system can handle it by monitoring those levels. Just my opinion!

BadFish619 · Apr 15, 2019

Typically would consider it cycled when ammonia is a constant 0 or .25 like you said api test kit reads horrible. It also reads total ammonia so it's a false positive. So ammonia 0 nitrate 0 and some reading on the nitrate and I'd consider it cycled.
Great looking tank!

Bpainter3 · Apr 15, 2019

drstardust said:
I wouldn't rush it and wait a couple of weeks with ongoing monitoring of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. I would ghost feed (or feed that chromis I guess haha) or add pure ammonia and see how the system can handle it by monitoring those levels. Just my opinion!

Yea I’m definitely waiting and monitoring. I just thought it was super weird to see the ammonia drop so quick and to not see any nitrites or nitrates. Never seen that in my 4 years working for a maintenance company. Thanks for the reply

Bpainter3 · Apr 15, 2019

T

BadFish619 said:
Typically would consider it cycled when ammonia is a constant 0 or .25 like you said api test kit reads horrible. It also reads total ammonia so it's a false positive. So ammonia 0 nitrate 0 and some reading on the nitrate and I'd consider it cycled.
Great looking tank!

thanks! My wife said it can’t come in the house unless it’s grey.... haha