Is it possible that my tank is almost cycled in a week?

Some of you may have followed previous posts and will know that I started my tank cycling a week ago. ON Sunday last week we scored a massive amount of LR (roughly 150kg) which we put in the DT and had about another 20kgs from the other 3 ft tank (which has been struggling with nitrate problem) which we placed in the sump. I tossed ina prawn and some bacteria (quick start).

On the eve of the second day: Ammonia 0.4 (didn't test for anything else)
Third day: Ammonia 0.6 Nitrite 0.05 Nitrate 8
Fourth day: Ammonia 0.8 Nitrite 0.01 Nitrate 50
Fifth day: Ammonia 0.4 Nitrite 0.1 Nitrate 40
Sixth day: Ammonia 0.1 Nitrite 0.15 Nitrate 40
Seventh day Ammonia (minute amt) Nitrite 0.05 Nitrate 15

Okay so I'm guessing with the elevated nitrate levels, those have leached out of the problem LR and are now stabilising. It seems that by tomorrow my nitrite levels may well be 0.

General plan is to add weed tomorrow to start eating the nitrates.

Question: can I add cuc tomorrow if nitrites are 0?

Also, I have a giant hermit crab that REALLY needs out of my small tank - is it safe to add him to the big tank? I think I probably need to re-home him as he will get stuck into my cuc given half a chance...

Thoughts?
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
It would be odd for your nitrate levels to drop without a water change?

Ammonia is converted to nitrite and then nitrite is converted to nitrate...I've never heard of it leaching out of rock? So as your nitrite drops your nitrate should rise. The bacteria that converts nitrate to nitrogen gas, usually take a long time develop if they do.
 

redneckgearhead

Active Member
Use a different test kit to verify the results, the lifeforms that turn nitrate into nitrogen live deep in the rock, but I don't think they work that quick. (Lee would know) One question...Is there any hair algae in the tank? HA is VERY efficient at consuming nitrates. And yes I believe nitrates can leach out of LR. And yes once the trites hit 0 a CUC can be added.
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
Nitrate does not bind to rock or sand. It's possible something on the rock is decaying and causing nitrate, but it is not leaching from the rock.

Since you are at the end of the cycle and nitrate is the byproduct of the cycle, I see no reason to speculate it's coming from anywhere else?
 
The LR I put in the sump has a wonderful crop of HA from the old 3ft tank I inherited from a friend who'd lost interest. The "new" LR I got last weekend is clean - no algae except some with good coralline growth, loads of worms pods etc. I put that in the DT. The rock was moved wet in big barrels and placed straight into the tank in which water and sand had been circulating for some time - a couple of weeks.
 

redneckgearhead

Active Member
Nitrate does not bind to rock or sand. It's possible something on the rock is decaying and causing nitrate, but it is not leaching from the rock.

Since you are at the end of the cycle and nitrate is the byproduct of the cycle, I see no reason to speculate it's coming from anywhere else?
True, but also his nitrates are dropping when they should be rising. But upon reading his post about the HA on the rocks, I am betting that is where the nitrate is going.

But the nitrate WILL be released back into the water IF the HA dies. I would remove the HA covered rock, scrub the HA off with a new tooth brush and a clean bucket of SW and put the rock back in.
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
True, but also his nitrates are dropping when they should be rising. But upon reading his post about the HA on the rocks, I am betting that is where the nitrate is going.

But the nitrate WILL be released back into the water IF the HA dies. I would remove the HA covered rock, scrub the HA off with a new tooth brush and a clean bucket of SW and put the rock back in.

All true, but still doesn't explain why you're looking for nitrate leaching from rock? Makes no sense to me? Nitrate dropping so we're looking for a source of nitrate? And we already know the source of the nitrate. And nitrate can't get bound to rock so it can't leach it.

Nitrates rose to 40 then went to 15. I still say it's odd for the nitrate to drop without water change. Translation...I'm not sure I believe they're at 15. Or better translation...I don't think the OP should believe they are at 15. Test again, get a second opinion.
 

yankieman

Well-Known Member
phosphates I think will leach out of the rock ,,, my "old" rock that had sat around IN WATER for over a year but with no circulation I used along with new live rock and home made rock and they turned totally brown with diatoms while the rest of the rock remaind "normal" looking during my cycle , I was told by santa monica that my ATS was sucking the phosphates outa my old rocks ,, when the cycle completed they went back to looking like all the rest of the rocks ,, it was weird to see rocks just scattered in various places with diatioms all over them all brown looking while the ones around them wasnt,,,,
 
I'll test for phosphates to see where we're at - I put in a reactor on the second day of the cycle because of the old rock - they shouldn't be too high if that new you-beaut stuff is doing it's job... RowaPhos.
 
True, but also his nitrates are dropping when they should be rising. But upon reading his post about the HA on the rocks, I am betting that is where the nitrate is going.

But the nitrate WILL be released back into the water IF the HA dies. I would remove the HA covered rock, scrub the HA off with a new tooth brush and a clean bucket of SW and put the rock back in.

I'll get rid of the HA today and see what happens. Thanks for the feedback.
 
OK Levels as of this morning:

Ammonia (maybe the smallest trace amount - the colour shows yellow, no sign of green at all, but is slightly cloudy)
Nitrite 0.05
Nitrate 30 (colur between 20 and 50 on the chart - really difficult to tell)

PO4 levels are 1 - down from 2 (5 days ago).

I think maybe I need to get a more accurate Nitrate test - I'm using the Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit.

So I think the drop in Nitrate levels may have been a combination of my reading error, and maybe the HA doing a nitrate reduction job?
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
Makes sense. Get a second opinion on the nitrites also, I think that kit has a tendency to give a false low reading.
 

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
The stock Red Sea nitrite test often hangs at 0.05

+1 and maybe the HA doing a nitrate reduction job

your lr was very cured right?
 
The LR came straight from an established tank, into barrels, covered with water from the tank, straight home and into my tank which had been circulating with salt and sand for about 2 weeks. I din't scrub it or anything. Very clean stuff.
 

dmatt88

Has been struck by the ban stick
Add another shrimp. Get the ammonia source to kick the cycle off.

.............stay thirsty my friend.
 
OK, added shrimp 2 days ago. Added some fish pellets as well. I have a hermit crab in the tank with the idea that if I get an ammonia spike I can fish him out and put him back in the other tank. Reckon his poop may be good for feeding ammonia bacteria as well? Marginal rise in ammonia levels to 0.2 the following day, this evening only a trace. The test colour is yellow, and a bit cloudy, so I'm counting that as a positive. Question:

When I test I read the results in the specified time period. I've noticed that if I leave the vials for a while after, the colour definitiely changes and gets deeper all round. What does this actually mean? I reckon that if the test shows basically zero for ammonia and half an hour later looks like a positive reading there must be something in there surely?
 
Cool, I will leave him. He's a massive giant hermit crab with a helluva appetite, so am feeding him generously - in part so see if the tank reacts to the bioload. If the bacteria hasn't established itself properly I guess I will see it in the test results! If the levels don't go up again by the weekend and my ammonia and nitrates are zero do you think it's safe to say that the tank has cycled? My nitrates are getting up there now - about 30. If all goes to plan, I think will do a w/c over the weekend. Thoughts?

Do you think I can move the fish over soon? 1x foxface, 1x chromis, 1x scopus tang, 1 x mystery tang - brown in colour - a bit like a thompsons?
 
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