Stalled my cycle?

[jlangston91]

New member here. Not exactly new to aquariums, but, this is my first attempt at saltwater. So I started my cycle a week ago today. I ordered 30 lb of caribsea live sand. 40 lbs of south seas dry rock for my fluval flex 32.5. In a rush, thinking I could scape later, I added all the rock undecided on which I would use. I knew I wouldn't need all of it. I started my cycle and now I'm realizing my mistake that the rocks really aren't stable enough for my liking now that I'm finally trying to figure the scape out a week later. So, I pulled them all out and am working on gluing and securing them better. Now, I know that I killed most of, if not, all bacteria on the rock, but, my hope is that there is enough in the sand and bio media I've added to my filter? I plan on purchasing another bottle of nitrifying bacteria to help kickstart the scape once added back. I might add that ammonia is at .25 ppm, nitrites are at 1 ppm, and nitrates are 40 ppm after small water change today.

 

[Dan_P]

New member here. Not exactly new to aquariums, but, this is my first attempt at saltwater. So I started my cycle a week ago today. I ordered 30 lb of caribsea live sand. 40 lbs of south seas dry rock for my fluval flex 32.5. In a rush, thinking I could scape later, I added all the rock undecided on which I would use. I knew I wouldn't need all of it. I started my cycle and now I'm realizing my mistake that the rocks really aren't stable enough for my liking now that I'm finally trying to figure the scape out a week later. So, I pulled them all out and am working on gluing and securing them better. Now, I know that I killed most of, if not, all bacteria on the rock, but, my hope is that there is enough in the sand and bio media I've added to my filter? I plan on purchasing another bottle of nitrifying bacteria to help kickstart the scape once added back. I might add that ammonia is at .25 ppm, nitrites are at 1 ppm, and nitrates are 40 ppm after small water change today.

Not easy to kill bacteria but if the rocks were completely dried out they could die, but then there is plenty in the sand. I wouldn’t overdo the ammonia addition. You don’t need to dose 1 ppm to check for activity, just enough to see an increase upon addition and decrease after 24 hours. Spike 0.25-0.50 ppm. No point in generating a bunch of nitrate. By the way the nitrate reading is invalid as long as nitrite is present.

 

[brandon429]

If my thread on why we shouldn’t dose 2ppm ammonia in a cycle hadn’t been censored at the request of trolls revolting at the notion, I’d link this fine advice thread to it he he.

it’s neat when we get to investigate new ways to cycle without threads getting closed. So far we are all in agreement / this will be easy to verify and I’ll bet the cycle bac aren’t dead from the light air work.

 

[exnisstech]

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[brandon429]

He’s thinking that air time will kill them

no death from air…here’s my whole reef plus corals drained for 33 mins straight:



nobody has tracked the max air exposure rocks can take before they uncycle. My bet: if not outside in heat, over a week. I bet inside the scums and insulation housing for bac lasts 5 days and can still oxidize a little - that remains to be tested one day. My bac were a lot more set in than a new tank but this shows the general idea of scum insulation

 

[Dan_P]

If my thread on why we shouldn’t dose 2ppm ammonia in a cycle hadn’t been censored at the request of trolls revolting at the notion, I’d link this fine advice thread to it he he.

it’s neat when we get to investigate new ways to cycle without threads getting closed. So far we are all in agreement / this will be easy to verify and I’ll bet the cycle bac aren’t dead from the light air work.

Question. Is anyone advocating starting the nitrogen cycle with sand and rocks in a bucket and then moving just the sand and rocks to a new aquarium for a near zero nitrate, nitrite, ammonia start?

 

[brandon429]

That's so ideal, talk about a clean start

I'll give you perma credit for that idea once I recommend it where possible

They don't have to do large water changes, or have to wait for a large test load of ammonia to clear on their kits. Anyone with easy access to the full cycling water column is certain to have an easy cycle for sure. Have only enough water to wet the rocks, efficient. nice

 

[dedragon]

Question. Is anyone advocating starting the nitrogen cycle with sand and rocks in a bucket and then moving just the sand and rocks to a new aquarium for a near zero nitrate, nitrite, ammonia start?

yea, that is why people cycle in brute trash cans all the time. Pretty common i think at least thats what I did

 

[Dan_P]

That's so ideal, talk about a clean start

I'll give you perma credit for that idea once I recommend it where possible

They don't have to do large water changes, or have to wait for a large test load of ammonia to clear on their kits. Anyone with easy access to the full cycling water column is certain to have an easy cycle for sure. Have only enough water to wet the rocks, efficient. nice

Yeah, minimal water. I don’t think there is any point in having all the water in the aquarium around to establish surface dwelling bacteria on the sand and rock.

 

[brandon429]

I would bet 400 bitcoin were i the owner of any bit coin that an efficient party could complete the job half full. No rock rotation needed

Fill halfway up, input the cycling brew, get a pump with a common sprinkler attachment and just spray the rest of the rock it doesn't have to be submerged for big jobs

These posts of large tanks might really like this, if they cycle within a 400 gallon setup that's a lot of algae nitrogen they're pumping in, especially since the masses follow 2ppm strictly. Or they're wasting big water changes to clean it out

You could clean cycle three brutes full of dry rock, on ten gallons of water apiece, powderized fish food, pump and spray up nozzle, and a bottle of any cycling bac brand made. Pump for ten days, rock is cycled for any marine setting on thirty total gallons. Testless cycle can't fail bc sw and inoc is present

 

[brandon429]

Your idea reduces cycling water consumption from 300 gallons to 30 that's article worthy. Your idea is a 90% reduction in cycling water wasting for the exact same bioload carry outcome

 

[jlangston91]

Not easy to kill bacteria but if the rocks were completely dried out they could die, but then there is plenty in the sand. I wouldn’t overdo the ammonia addition. You don’t need to dose 1 ppm to check for activity, just enough to see an increase upon addition and decrease after 24 hours. Spike 0.25-0.50 ppm. No point in generating a bunch of nitrate. By the way the nitrate reading is invalid as long as nitrite is present.

I've been reading nitrates for 4 days. I know I don't need to test everyday. Just keeping myself busy. I'm using the API tester and rinsing with rodi water when I'm done. I thought it was a sign the nitrites were being converted and the cycle was doing its job? Ammonia was going down and nitrites spiked. Now it's all settling down and today nitrites were a little less. Ammonia was barely registering. And nitrates are reading close to 80.

 

[jlangston91]

He’s thinking that air time will kill them

no death from air…here’s my whole reef plus corals drained for 33 mins straight:



nobody has tracked the max air exposure rocks can take before they uncycle. My bet: if not outside in heat, over a week. I bet inside the scums and insulation housing for bac lasts 5 days and can still oxidize a little - that remains to be tested one day. My bac were a lot more set in than a new tank but this shows the general idea of scum insulation

Thanks for the help. And yes, I was referring to the rock being exposed to air after being in a cycling tank for a week. Good to know I'm probobly okay. I had a bin of mixed rodi water and was dipping them to be sure. Made a heck of a mess on the floor though, taking them in and out trying to find the right pieces to fit.

 

[Dan_P]

I've been reading nitrates for 4 days. I know I don't need to test everyday. Just keeping myself busy. I'm using the API tester and rinsing with rodi water when I'm done. I thought it was a sign the nitrites were being converted and the cycle was doing its job? Ammonia was going down and nitrites spiked. Now it's all settling down and today nitrites were a little less. Ammonia was barely registering. And nitrates are reading close to 80.

Sounds like your nitrogen cycle is working