Cycled by day 5… Surely not?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 30, 2023

Nman said:
@vetteguy53081 can you give us your wealth of knowledge please since you’ve kept saltwater for well over 30 years . Just to give this member the correct information he needs please

Im in year #41 . . . LOL

vetteguy53081 · Oct 30, 2023

Smithrz said:
Okay, here’s the short version, my tank has been cycling for 4 and a bit days, and these are my test results:

165ltr total water volume
Fishless cycle
Caribsea live stand
ExoReef dry rock
Skimmer on 24/7, plus a filter sock
All Salifert tests
Ammonia: 0.15 (was 0.25 yesterday)
Nitrite: 0.00
Nitrate: 2.50 (same as yesterday)

i’ve been ghost feeding with 1/4 cube of frozen mysis for 4 days (so, one whole cube in total), and dosing 15ml of “Microbe-lift Nite-out II starter bacteria” for 5 days (5 total doses).

I understand that it’s difficult for Salifert ammona tests to register total zero, and what’s more important is that it shows a reduction. So with all of this in mind (lowering ammonia, zero nitrites, and 2.50 nitrates), does this mean i’m cycled? It just seems so soon, I expected it to take longer, so I’m sorta questioning if it’s confirmation bias on my behalf, lol.

What do you all think?

Thanks!

There is a chance you are cycled. A cycle is called a cycle when two activitiess occur. . . . when ammonia rises then falls and reaches a steady reading of Zero for at least 5 days and when nitrate rises and falls and holds at 20 or below- you are cycled.
Did you add ammonia chloride or something to increase ammonia initially ?
A typical cycle period is up to 14 days and you want to stock very slowly to allow denitrifying bacteria to keep up with new bioload as tank matures
Adding 1.5ml per ten gallons daily for next 2 weeks will assure bacteria is sufficient and supported.

Smithrz · Oct 31, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
There is a chance you are cycled. A cycle is called a cycle when two activitiess occur. . . . when ammonia rises then falls and reaches a steady reading of Zero for at least 5 days and when nitrate rises and falls and holds at 20 or below- you are cycled.
Did you add ammonia chloride or something to increase ammonia initially ?
A typical cycle period is up to 14 days and you want to stock very slowly to allow denitrifying bacteria to keep up with new bioload as tank matures
Adding 1.5ml per ten gallons daily for next 2 weeks will assure bacteria is sufficient and supported.

I’ve been ghost feeding mysis every day as my ammonia source. I’m continuing to monitor it for a few days.