Cycle

[manuel josephh]

Hey guys, it’s day 20 of i kickstarted the nitrogen cycle and I’m not sure wether my tank cycled. My nitrite is at 0ppm but somehow my test kit shows that my ammonia is inbetween 0-0.25ppm. Is it normal for ammonia to be higher after the tank is cycled?

 

[brandon429]

Yes it’s done by this number of wait days in all cases like yours


see my post here for explanation on your testing

Total and free ammonia

Evening All, I have been reading and reading and was just wondering if someone could clarify something for me. I tested my DT yesterday and my ammonia had gone from 0to .25ppm on an API test kit. I have read that they can give false readings but also that the API meter kits test for total...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[attiland]

Hey guys, it’s day 20 of i kickstarted the nitrogen cycle and I’m not sure wether my tank cycled. My nitrite is at 0ppm but somehow my test kit shows that my ammonia is inbetween 0-0.25ppm. Is it normal for ammonia to be higher after the tank is cycled?

You are done

 

[Timfish]

You didn't mention if you've used any wild or maricultured live rock. If not I'd read Aquabiomics article and order some or check the LFS for some. There are very complex microbial processes going on in reef systems. Only a few percent can be cultured and stuck in a bottle. The best and only sources are from nature. Here's an excelllent article on establisihing a healthy microbiome:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

Here's some links by scientists studying reef ecosystems you might find informative:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title, both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

 

[attiland]

You didn't mention if you've used any wild or maricultured live rock. If not I'd read Aquabiomics article and order some or check the LFS for some. There are very complex microbial processes going on in reef systems. Only a few percent can be cultured and stuck in a bottle. The best and only sources are from nature. Here's an excelllent article on establisihing a healthy microbiome:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

Here's some links by scientists studying reef ecosystems you might find informative:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title, both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

While many of these links might be useful they are irrelevant for the question. The question was if OP is cycled? The answer is simple. Yes.

 

[brandon429]

Tim's into surface maturation like I'm into advising others to quarantine and fallow heh. love it. plus he has a matured system I don't even keep marine fish. I do have some matured reef rocks though.

 

[Timfish]

While many of these links might be useful they are irrelevant for the question. The question was if OP is cycled? The answer is simple. Yes.

Strictly speaking you're right. But "cycling" is really a non issue, it can't be stopped and adding the proper live rock and/or corals can bypass it. Establishing a healthy microbiomes is far more critical as proper microbiomes are as essential for healthy corals as they are for our own health. Based the apparent lack of understanding experessed by the OPs questions it seemed to me prudent to provide basic information on how critical microbiomes are to healthy reef ecosystems.