Double cycle?

[Cigar Sherlock]

Ok so I know I haven't done this for 12 years but I am now confused as to what my tank is doing. I had initially dropped one chunk of liverock in and two dead feeder shrimp (seachem 1") to get the cycle going. I never really saw a spike in Ammonia but I did have a diatom bloom some 5 days ago that is now gone. I measured today and found ammonia at a level between 0.25 and 0.50. The water is slightly cloudy which indicates the ammonia eating bacteria are at work. I'm thinking it's a full swing cycle now but that makes me mad! Measurements are SG 1.026, Ammonia 0.25 <> .050, 0 Nitrates, 0 Phosphates. I do not have a nitrite test. Do you all think I'm correct or is it just an ammonia swing from maybe too much feeding (though I keep it light).

 

[dwilliams87]

How long has the tank been setup? How long ago did you put the rock and shrimp in? Did you have a cycle then? Have you added anything since?

 

[Cigar Sherlock]

I started it April 15th, put the rock and shrimp in 2 to 3 days later. Waited until around the 22nd or so before I added two damsels. I then got a diatom bloom that is now gone. I'm thinking I never really got a full cycle and it's just starting a new one.

 

[pickupman66]

Rob,

a tank can and will cycle MANY times. I have personally witnessed it. I am not a big fan of the dead shrimp method and now days there are some great "bacteria in a bottle" products. I am guessing you removed the shrimp then put in the two new fish? if so, then yes, you are seeing a cycle start because you now have fish that are polluting the water.

 

[mixer911]

Yep, I agree with Lindsey. You can have cycles many times. Anytime you increase the bio load a cycle can happen. Ammonia rises, Bacteria has to recolonise and produces nitrite.

 

[dwilliams87]

Yeah man, you're cycling.

 

[Cigar Sherlock]

Actually the shrimp I put in decomposed. I should have researched more on the quick cycle additives they have available now. No big deal. I'll continue to monitor the water until my nitrates rise. Thanks people..I knew the answer in my heart, but I was hoping it was a quick cycle to get started on some corals. Oh well, patience is key.

 

[Dowtish]

Just go get some "prime" from seachem to keep the ammonia from killing the damsels.

 

[gmoney243]

You started the cycle with shrimp but the reason I don't like that method and suggested a single fish is because that shrimp produced very little amm which means your bacteria are very few. It will take a month or two of having a constant load to be able to add more fish without seeing more cycle. I've never had a fish show any problems with low amm .25 or lower

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[Zef004]

Alot of good points. Most of the time a full cycle tanks over a month with out adding any Bactria.

 

[Cigar Sherlock]

I'm expecting a month, but after I saw the diatom bloom I got my hopes up that it was an early cycle. Ammonia back down to .25 now and I'm betting it's going to lower to 0 within the next 2 days. Little fish are doing ok so far and I didn't want to use them for the ammonia part, but I guess the shrimp didn't do it.

 

[iiluisii]

Use biospyra it works great


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[Mogwai]

Ok so I know I haven't done this for 12 years but I am now confused as to what my tank is doing. I had initially dropped one chunk of liverock in and two dead feeder shrimp (seachem 1") to get the cycle going. I never really saw a spike in Ammonia but I did have a diatom bloom some 5 days ago that is now gone. I measured today and found ammonia at a level between 0.25 and 0.50. The water is slightly cloudy which indicates the ammonia eating bacteria are at work. I'm thinking it's a full swing cycle now but that makes me mad! Measurements are SG 1.026, Ammonia 0.25 <> .050, 0 Nitrates, 0 Phosphates. I do not have a nitrite test. Do you all think I'm correct or is it just an ammonia swing from maybe too much feeding (though I keep it light).

My 13.5 gallon tank is going through a second cycle. I'm pretty sure I know why it happened. I forgot to turn the ato back on after my weekly water change. It was unplugged over 24hrs and the salinity rose aswell as the temp killing off my bacteria. Plugged ato back in and had a massive bacteria bloom of dead free floating bacteria. Decided to run parameter checks 2 days later and found very very low nitrites. All this with 2 Damsels, 1 cleaner shrimp and 5 snails already in the water from before the second cycle started. Smh!!!

 

[musicman223]

Have you added any live rock from another tank or corals?

I'm wondering if you've had a way to introduce and pods and stuff like that to your tank yet. They can really help with cycling and algae, etc.

Also, I don't think it would hurt to add Dr. Tim's or something like that either. There are many strains of bacteria, and in general the more the merrier at this point.