A quick question about cycling...

[Dom]

So I'm cycling a new system. It's small; maybe 25 gallons total volume between the display and the sump.

Currently, the display is empty and the sump contains about 5 pounds of live rock taken from the sump of another system.

I've installed an ammonia alert badge, and have fed one full size brine shrimp cube to the tank. Now, some questions...

Is one cube of frozen brine shrimp enough to jump start the cycle?

If the ammonia alert badge doesn't indicate the presence of ammonia, does it mean I didn't feed enough to get the cycle started? Or, does it mean the amount of live rock was enough to address the ammonia from decaying food.


Thank you,
Dom

 

[Cell]

I'd vote that it's an indicator your live rock is doing its job rather than not enough ammonia.

 

[Dom]

I'd vote that it's an indicator your live rock is doing its job rather than not enough ammonia.

Yes, I'm inclined to believe that the colony of nitrifying bacteria in the live rock is doing the job. But I'm not 100% sure, hence the post.

 

[V A R I A N T]

Agree the live rock drawn from another system is doing the job and you're good to add your first bit of livestock. For peace of mind, you could add say 15-20 drops of ammonium chloride (like Dr Tim's fishless cycle), adding just enough to turn that first indicator on the ammonia badge to light green, and then watch that convert back to base yellow. Or some other form of ammonia introduction, food, cooked shrimp, etc. If the rock has spent a month or more in a different system and is now in your sump, you're likely safe to proceed.

 

[Dom]

Agree the live rock drawn from another system is doing the job and you're good to add your first bit of livestock. For peace of mind, you could add say 15-20 drops of ammonium chloride (like Dr Tim's fishless cycle), adding just enough to turn that first indicator on the ammonia badge to light green, and then watch that convert back to base yellow. Or some other form of ammonia introduction, food, cooked shrimp, etc. If the rock has spent a month or more in a different system and is now in your sump, you're likely safe to proceed.

Yes... the 125 I just finished (3 months running) was set up with live rock from 2 other systems. Moved the rock and inhabitants from both tanks immediately into the 125 and everything has been fine; never had any indication of ammonia on the badge.

So I expect the same with this tank, but wasn't 100% sure. Better safe than sorry.

Thank you!

 

[taricha]

let's guesstimate...

1 cube = 3 grams
mysis = 90% water
of the 10% dry weight, 70% protein so 70% of 10% of 3 grams = 0.21 g = 210mg protein.
protein = 16% Nitrogen so 210mg * 0.16 = 34mg N
in 25 gal = 100L that gives 0.34mg/L N
0.34 ppm Nitrogen if it were all NH4, would be 0.44ppm NH4
So less than 0.5ppm ammonia.

And it takes a couple of days for it to be broken down to ammonia from the original food, so <0.5ppm ammonia spread over multiple days.
This is not enough to stimulate any cycling or tell you much of anything about ammonia processing.

(I'm sure the live rock is fine anyway. Just pointing out this is not enough protein to demonstrate anything about ammonia.)

 

[KK's Reef]

So I'm cycling a new system. It's small; maybe 25 gallons total volume between the display and the sump.

Currently, the display is empty and the sump contains about 5 pounds of live rock taken from the sump of another system.

I've installed an ammonia alert badge, and have fed one full size brine shrimp cube to the tank. Now, some questions...

Is one cube of frozen brine shrimp enough to jump start the cycle?

If the ammonia alert badge doesn't indicate the presence of ammonia, does it mean I didn't feed enough to get the cycle started? Or, does it mean the amount of live rock was enough to address the ammonia from decaying food.


Thank you,
Dom

I don't think you'd be able to read the ammonia from one shrimp right away. You'll need to allow it to break down over a week or more. You might be better off dosing ammonium chloride (ie: Dr. Tim's).