Cycling question

[Cmcdowell666]

I started my cycle on 11/13/19. Ten days in now looking to see if I’m heading on track with levels. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[brandon429]

If you added true live rock it was cycled first day. Post pics of rock

If you brought home wet rock that’s cycled, and if dry that’s the kind we add items and wait

What’s the known submersion history of the live rock, what container did it come from at the lfs etc

Wet sand= brought in full bac as well, doubly. The reported numbers aren’t the deciding factor, we can find Api readings in five year old reefs to match those. It’s all about the rocks wet vs dry

 

[Cmcdowell666]

If you added true live rock it was cycled first day. Post pics of rock

 

[brandon429]

Nice setup for sure

Hey check out this first page and see if yours qualifies as group B

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-microbiology-of-reef-tank-cycling.214618/
We cover neat ways to visually verify if that rock was pre cycled. If it was wet when you brought it home/came from water at lfs you have a skip cycle system and the test readings are covered above in linked examples of api readings collected from both cycling and matured tanks.

 

[Cmcdowell666]

Nice setup for sure

Hey check out this first page and see if yours qualifies as group B

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-microbiology-of-reef-tank-cycling.214618/
We cover neat ways to visually verify if that rock was pre cycled. If it was wet when you brought it home/came from water at lfs you have a skip cycle system and the test readings are covered above in linked examples of api readings collected from both cycling and matured tanks.

Awesome information, thank you very much. Being a first time salt tank I’m paranoid of messing something up.

 

[brandon429]

The only way that could not be fully cycled is if it’s painted on coralline

If that’s real purple coralline the rock could be underwater the last fifty years lol who knows. Coralline alone back in the day was the worlds easiest skip cycle clue, but around 2014 the painted on / formed and dyed items came about and we had to include sponges, small tufts of algae, pods, any type of anchored worms as secondary visual indicators of a completed cycle (these are inclusions that always take longer to adhere/associate than cycling bacteria)
Does your live rock have any other verified forms of life attached

 

[brandon429]

You know that rule that nothing good happens fast in reefing

We’ve almost arrived at the detail you might be ready for your first candy cane coral frag, the worlds most ideal first stony coral.

If Reef2Reef wasn’t such a cool and inclusive place I could get drummed out of town for saying that above ha nice. At any moment a welcomed alternate take might be posted

Once we seal the deal on that being true aged live rock from the pet store vs painted on live rock, it’s candy time

Did you add any ammonia to that setup at the start or just add rocks