Did I just kill my cycle?

[chasing4rabbits]

Hey. I made an embarrassing mistake. When I put in my new heater for my reef tank, I somehow forgot to put the temperature reading gauge in the tank to monitor the temp and base the heat off the gauge. Therefore my heater was constantly heating up and my tank ended up at 96°F… Thank god I was just cycling, but did that super hot water just kill off all of the beneficial bacteria in order to cycle my tank? Do I have to start over?

 

[Dan_P]

Hey. I made an embarrassing mistake. When I put in my new heater for my reef tank, I somehow forgot to put the temperature reading gauge in the tank to monitor the temp and base the heat off the gauge. Therefore my heater was constantly heating up and my tank ended up at 96°F… Thank god I was just cycling, but did that super hot water just kill off all of the beneficial bacteria in order to cycle my tank? Do I have to start over?

Dose a little ammonia chloride to the aquatrium and see if it is consumed.

 

[BeanAnimal]

If memory serves, I think most of the nitrifiers can survive temperatures close to 120°F

I assume that there is other fauna that did not fare so well, but that likely just became food for the nitrifiers.

 

[MnFish1]

If memory serves, I think most of the nitrifiers can survive temperatures close to 120°F

I assume that there is other fauna that did not fare so well, but that likely just became food for the nitrifiers.

I agree - but did fine this: "High temperatures also can kill or damage nitrifying bacteria. If the bottle is exposed to 110°F for a day or so, the bacteria can be killed. Prolonged exposure to temperatures over 95°F drastically reduces the shelf life of nitrifying bacteria."

 

[BeanAnimal]

I agree - but did fine this: "High temperatures also can kill or damage nitrifying bacteria. If the bottle is exposed to 110°F for a day or so, the bacteria can be killed. Prolonged exposure to temperatures over 95°F drastically reduces the shelf life of nitrifying bacteria."

Certainly - I would assume that the bacterial counts in a closed bottle with limited food and oxygen would not fare as well as those in a display. Bottles of bacteria getting warm/hot never crossed my mind, I was speaking in reference to the display.

 

[MnFish1]

Certainly - I would assume that the bacterial counts in a closed bottle with limited food and oxygen would not fare as well as those in a display. Bottles of bacteria getting warm/hot never crossed my mind, I was speaking in reference to the display.

Actually it would depend on how the bottles etc were kept - so - IMHO - either one of the choices would be bad. Also depends on which nitrifiers one is talking about. Heterotrophs vs autotrophs - and potential sporulators. But - I think we both agree - the temperature should not have 'totally killed' his bacterial load