ORP during cycle??

[M_norrick]

I just started to cycle my 180 on Christmas Eve using dry rock, live sand, and dr tims one and only. I've been dosing ammonium chloride to manually spike ammonia for the cycle. Has anyone monitored thier ORP during cycle? I'm curious if there is supposed to be a drastic change once the Benificial bacteria populates completing the cycle. Any info is greatly appreciated!

 

[brandon429]

Too many other variables will impact it before the collective amount of nitrifiers do (aerobes, respiration, waste acids etc)

although I don't recall any specifics I predict that two tanks cycling in the same home will have different variances due to variables like organic waste stores and the like. I think the most impactful aspect of ORP to your cycle is that regardless of the flux, if you've put water in a box the bacteria will grow, time is the only variable and / ppm bioload supported relative to time in ramp up of cycle. poor or very good ORP will not impact the overall cycle. water+nutrient+no direct antibiotics are all that's needed for bac to adapt into our tanks. we don't even have to add them for all that's necessary to get in (a time variable)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

None of the components of the nitrogen cycle, meaning ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, are particularly redox active.

ORP will certainly be changing in the early stages of an aquarium as organics and trace metals begin to stabilize, but not because of the ammonia, etc. So I would not use ORP as any indication of "cycling". :)

 

[M_norrick]

Thank you all very much! That definitely answered my question.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing!