Cycled already?

ReefRusty

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Have recently started cycling my wb130.4

Used about 6kg of live rock established from my 2ft tank ehich has been 12 months and also a large media pure block that's been in my 2ft for 5 weeks. And also 35kgs of Old macro dry rock thats been dry for 10 months, used to be live for 12 months.

Now day 1 I dosed a full bottle of Dr tims one and only and then the correct amount of ammonia, the right amount for 120gal.

Today 24 hours later my readings are.

All salifert test kits.
Ammonia 0.15 hard to tell
Nitrite 0- 0.1
Nitrates 2.5 - 5ppm

What are the chances its ready? Will obviously dose ammonia tomorrow day 3 with the same amount of ammonia for 120gal and then re test on day 4..

What are your thoughts?

And @brandon429 what you think?
 
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ReefRusty

ReefRusty

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Yeah I know this is the second tank now for me, I will follow the chart as I'm currently doing now.

However after doing 2 or 3 lots of ammonia, and its still not detectable yet Nitrate is then I would suggest I would be cycled.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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Agreed. You’d have to have a dead bottle for it not to be able to handle a quick bioload, we have more than one cycle test from this forum showing on seneye and other tests too that Dr Tims handles ammonia right when it’s dosed, it is active vs dormant and then for sure the extra added live sources contribute. Agreed that tank can carry a starting bioload :)
 

LiamPM

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6kg from a running marine tank thats been running for 12 months?

Then yes, your tank didnt really need to cycle. That maturing rock from an already running tank already has sufficient bacteria on it to process the nitrogen cycle. You "theoretically" arent actually cycling - The rock already good to process waste.
 
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ReefRusty

ReefRusty

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Yes 6 kgs of live rock and also a marine pure block. Will let it run for a few more days and add ammonia today (day3) as per Dr tims. But you could be right that it never had to go through a cycle process due to the added live rock ect. However its a much bigger tank and more dry rock.
 

Azedenkae

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Yes 6 kgs of live rock and also a marine pure block. Will let it run for a few more days and add ammonia today (day3) as per Dr tims. But you could be right that it never had to go through a cycle process due to the added live rock ect. However its a much bigger tank and more dry rock.
Yeah sounds like your tank instantly cycled.
 

Jedi1199

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Looks cycled to me. As mentioned above, you aren't actually cycling a tank. With the amount of existing cycled rock plus the block you added, you have more than enough beneficial bacteria to have added fish straight from day 1. Assuming of course you aren't planning to add in 2 dozen 8" fish straight from the gate lol
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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The way it works is (also a fair summary of dr reefs bottle bac thread in my opinion):

truly cycled means no degree of water change can undo the process. When bottle bac is newly added, before adherence to surfaces a 100% water change would export it out from suspension effectively being the same as not dosing any help bacteria. What's in suspension is carrying bioload, not what's attached.


But given the known deposition date per mix you can pretty much do what you want to the tank and the cycle will be the last thing to go, that's truly cycled. Surfaces do the work not what's in suspension.
 
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ReefRusty

ReefRusty

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D
Looks cycled to me. As mentioned above, you aren't actually cycling a tank. With the amount of existing cycled rock plus the block you added, you have more than enough beneficial bacteria to have added fish straight from day 1. Assuming of course you aren't planning to add in 2 dozen 8" fish straight from the gate lol

At this stage has 2 onyx clowns and a purple tang awaiting for me to pick up at the fish store have completed their QT process and another small blue tang, coral beauty and a handful of chromis, plus CUC ect.. just don't want to add them and have a ammonia spike and fish start dropping off. But appears there is enough beneficial bacteria to process it anyways.

Im guessing only a large Water change is necessary if my nitrates are very high correct. If I'm seeing below 10 is there a need to export water?
 
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ReefRusty

ReefRusty

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Did a ammonia test on both tanks

Established tank 0 obviously and
New tank read the same.

Nitrate still at 2.5


Will dose ammonia today to confirm my cycle tomorrow. I know you guys have said it never needed to do a cycle but its for my piece of mind too
 

Azedenkae

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Did a ammonia test on both tanks

Established tank 0 obviously and
New tank read the same.

Nitrate still at 2.5


Will dose ammonia today to confirm my cycle tomorrow. I know you guys have said it never needed to do a cycle but its for my piece of mind too
Absolutely, peace of mind is very important! Good luck. ^_^
 

vetteguy53081

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Did a ammonia test on both tanks

Established tank 0 obviously and
New tank read the same.

Nitrate still at 2.5


Will dose ammonia today to confirm my cycle tomorrow. I know you guys have said it never needed to do a cycle but its for my piece of mind too
Continue with your plan. At this point- Test the aquarium daily for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, logging the information on graph paper or perhaps in a spreadsheet or app. The more data points you collect over time will graph the rise and fall of each of these parameters.
No livestock of any kind should be placed in the aquarium as long as you have any measurable traces of ammonia or nitrite because these are toxic to fish and invertebrates. Start planning what you'll want to put in your aquarium while you test. There's no reason to rush this process. A good solid foundation will benefit your future reef and handle the bioload adequately.
Also - If you are running the system with a sump that has a refugium or Algae Turf Scrubber section, don't add any light or plants because the system is too clean.
 
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ReefRusty

ReefRusty

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Continue with your plan. At this point- Test the aquarium daily for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, logging the information on graph paper or perhaps in a spreadsheet or app. The more data points you collect over time will graph the rise and fall of each of these parameters.
No livestock of any kind should be placed in the aquarium as long as you have any measurable traces of ammonia or nitrite because these are toxic to fish and invertebrates. Start planning what you'll want to put in your aquarium while you test. There's no reason to rush this process. A good solid foundation will benefit your future reef and handle the bioload adequately.
Also - If you are running the system with a sump that has a refugium or Algae Turf Scrubber section, don't add any light or plants because the system is too clean.
Have a 2ft at the moment that will transfer everything over to the 4ft. Corals and fish.

On day 3 and have done all tests and all read as it should obviously not the ammonia it appears to be processing this quickly within 24 hours anyways.
 

LiamPM

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Peace of mind is always a good thing in this hobby, so to is patience that you clearly have.

The tank is however processing the waste perfectly and the 3 you have waiting for you won’t be an issue being added when your ready.
That’s the beauty of using rock/media from mature tanks. It pulls across the life that was with it. Bigger tank or not that rock has enough to handle plenty of waste and the 3 inhabitants won’t be an issue in that aspect.

Congrats on the new tank
 
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ReefRusty

ReefRusty

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So appears my salifert test kit was faulty. Not expired till 10/22

Took a sample to LFS and
Ammo 4.2
Nitrate 3
Nitrite 0

All my readings have been 0.15 and 0

Hopefully haven't stalled my cycle in anyway
 

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