Help for Cycle

[norner]

Hi R2R,
I have a question regarding the cycle of my new Fluval Flex 32.5 g.
I was started up 10 days ago with a mix of newly mixed RODI water and water from my LFS reef tank.
in the tank I have aragonite and and Reef ceramics (dead) which I used in my old tank.
Furthermore, I have a pounds of live rock to seed the system.

My question is: I have seen NO diatoms this far or anything that could tell they a cycle is taking place. Is it me who is to impatient or should I do anything to kickstart the cycle?
I am awaiting test kit which off course also leaves me a bit “blind” at this point.
Looking forward to hear your thoughts!

 

[HD_Reefer]

You need an ammonia source for the bacteria to start growing and colonizing your rock. Without a test kit, we're all flying blind. There are several different ways to get the cycle started, start here:

Beginner Topic Ammonia & Your Tank's Own Nitrogen Cycle

 

[Cell]

Live rock provides an instant cycle. I'd add a fish to keep the bacteria up and multiplying.

 

[brandon429]

It will take twenty days for the bac from the live rock to transfer out to inert surfaces and the rock alone will carry a bioload in relation to water contact. It will take one day to bring up all surfaces if you add an eight dollar bottle of biospira

so, add cycling bac to this mix and you’re done whole tank in 24 hours.

 

[brandon429]

Cell lol at five am when my eyes are barely opening I’m on rtr with an iPad in bed hunting for stuck cycles, this is admitted. Surely the overall situation is due for a vast improvement in 2021 lol bring on the awesome.

 

[Cell]

It will take twenty days for the bac from the live rock to transfer out to inert surfaces and the rock alone will carry a bioload in relation to water contact. It will take one day to bring up all surfaces if you add an eight dollar bottle of biospira

so, add cycling bac to this mix and you’re done whole tank in 24 hours.

Curious where the 20 day measurement came from. Is that from a known constant for nitrifying bac growth?

 

[brandon429]

Connecting Established Reef To New Tank

EDIT: In conclusion, if using the method I did - connecting an established reef to a new system with dry rock (clean), I recommend the following: 1. Dose your new tank prior to connecting to your old tank with NO3 and PO4 enough to raise to your established tank levels. 2. Take your skimmer...

www.reef2reef.com

That's such an important work thread for multiple microbiology fronts

Proves that reef water has lots of cycling bacteria floating. And so do surfaces, both. Hobby said prior water had none. Dr Tim said that too at a macna talk fair points.

Shows what to expect for uglies phasing when moving established corals to all dry rock systems

 

[brandon429]

His contact only cycled new tank showed massive new mass of filter bacteria and he gave no extra feed, no bottle bac, dry sand.

They resourced naturally

Met the timeframe from a cycling chart, we're big on that repeating clue

Able to carry an entire established reefs bioload all at once not in ramp ups


That thread has about fifteen ways new rules were shown i love the thread lol

 

[brandon429]

lastly

In my opinion contact cycling like that is where cycling charts shine. that, and when people use bottled bacteria because those start with known active sources of bacteria and we measure a transfer time vs measuring how completely inert systems naturally take on both cycling bacteria and feed, from the environment, even if we provide none.

a common cycling chart cannot help with that aspect of reef cycling: a marine system will not be ready in twenty days if an initial source isn't provided, so that's a shortcoming of the common cycling chart. the systems will by rule eventually self cycle, but no person knows how long that takes in reefing bc nobody has bothered to test.

The cycling chart however does work for freshwater, exactly as stated, a stack of bricks in a bucket of clean dechlor tap water self-cycles fully unassisted in 30 days if left outside or in a common living room like mine, where some dusting could be beneficial.

getting reef tank ready saltwater bacteria from largely freshwater and dry environments seems to be an obvious source of delay, because boosting with them in any sort of way makes marine cycles become very very compliant and timely, all our cycling posts show in my opinion.

 

[norner]

It will take twenty days for the bac from the live rock to transfer out to inert surfaces and the rock alone will carry a bioload in relation to water contact. It will take one day to bring up all surfaces if you add an eight dollar bottle of biospira

so, add cycling bac to this mix and you’re done whole tank in 24 hours.

Might get this to boost the system and wait for fish until the different water parameters are stable. Guess at least nitrite, nitrate and amonia!

 

[brandon429]

You wouldn’t have to wait, it’s designed for skip cycling. If you add in a pinch of fish food to boost the current setup it will be done in twenty days. Dont add the bottle bac if you are waiting the normal time that’s wasted cash. People buy it to be ready tomorrow, what the test kits say won’t matter much as they range in accuracy but being able to read a little nitrate is always handy to show that bacteria have been working