Input?

[Apenagos33]

hello there quick question might be dumb, when do you know when your aquarium is cycled? Thanks in advance!

 

[happyhourhero]

You will have had live rock and an ammonia source. Over time bacterial populations will build up and convert the ammonia to nitrite which you will see as you test and then more time will pass and the nitrite will get converted to nitrate. Once the ammonia and nitrite are testing 0, you can begin slowly adding livestock.

 

[Apenagos33]

Tha

You will have had live rock and an ammonia source. Over time bacterial populations will build up and convert the ammonia to nitrite which you will see as you test and then more time will pass and the nitrite will get converted to nitrate. Once the ammonia and nitrite are testing 0, you can begin slowly adding livestock.

thank you!

 

[sundog101]

Short answer:
Ammonia and nitrite test 0

Long answer:
I don't like the term "cycled." IMO it's misleading.
Your tank is never cycled. It just builds up enough bacteria to handle the current bioload. For example if you "cycle" your tank with a shrimp and wait for ammonia to hit 0, your tank can now process the bioload of 1 shrimp.
When you hear that a tank is cycled, that does not mean you're good to go and can add whatever you want. It means the tank can process the amount of ammonia you put in to start the cycle.

 

[Apenagos33]

Short answer:
Ammonia and nitrite test 0

Long answer:
I don't like the term "cycled." IMO it's misleading.
Your tank is never cycled. It just builds up enough bacteria to handle the current bioload. For example if you "cycle" your tank with a shrimp and wait for ammonia to hit 0, your tank can now process the bioload of 1 shrimp.
When you here that a tank is cycled, that does not mean you're good to go and can add whatever you want. It means the tank can process the amount of ammonia you put in to start the cycle.

Thank you, good to know!