Is my tank cycled???

[ReefMonkey13]

Is my tank cycled???
Some background on the tank. It's an Elos Mini with a 10g tank. It has an SCA 301 skimmer (still breaking in). There is 20lbs of rock and 20lbs of sand. Both the rock and sand were formally live and let dry out for 2-3 months. I seeded the tank with a couple piece of live rock rubble from a friend's established tank.

Just seems really fast But it looks like the ammonia is be consumed and converted as needed.

Here are the test results I have gather in the past couple of weeks. I seem to have seen the ammonia and nitrite peak then go to zero. Cycling started on Sept. 26, 2013.

10/16/2013:
Temp: 79.8 F (via apex)
pH: 8.12 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

==> Ghost Feeding everyday(2 times since last test)

10/14/2013:
Temp: 80.0 F (via apex)
pH: 8.13 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

==> Ghost Feeding every other day.
==> Water change on 10/10

10/09/2013:
Temp: 80.1 F (via apex)
pH: 8.15 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

==> Performed a 5 gallon water change

10/04/2013: (Test result in first image of this post)
Temp: 80.1 F (via apex)
pH: 8.05 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.020
Ammonia: 0.5 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm

==> "Ghost Fed" some pellets

10/01/2013:
Temp: 79.1 F (via apex)
pH: 8.05 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.018
Ammonia: 0.5 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: undetectable

***

 

[robbrouse]

Ammonia and Nitrite should be 0, then you will be cycled.

 

[josh4107]

+1 ammonia and nitrite should be undectable when your cycle is over.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

+1 ammonia and nitrite should be undectable when your cycle is over.

Yup . . as of my last couple of tests (10/14 and 10/16) . . ammonia and nitrite are at zero

 

[josh4107]

Sorry was looking at them backwards haha. I would say yea your cycled. Have you tested phosphate yet? Only thing I would be worried about is where the rock was sat out for a couple months if it's putting out phosphate. If it's at a low level if say your good to go!

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Forgot to mention the rocks had a lathnam and vinegar bath prior to getting on the tank.

At this time there is no algae of any kind in the tank.

Thanks again for your insight

 

[Reefing Madness]

Looks as if you may have it cycled. But because your Ammonia amount did not get very high, I wouldn't go throwing in a bunch of fish all at the same time. But, one would be a safe bet.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Looks as if you may have it cycled. But because your Ammonia amount did not get very high, I wouldn't go throwing in a bunch of fish all at the same time. But, one would be a safe bet.

That is what I was thinking . . do you think a pair of clowns would be too much to start with?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yup, I think thats to much. But thats just me. You got the ammonia to show, but you didn't sustain it, so your bacteria count is not very high in there. A pair of fish is liable to be to much for the low Nitrate count bacteria.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Yup, I think thats to much. But thats just me. You got the ammonia to show, but you didn't sustain it, so your bacteria count is not very high in there. A pair of fish is liable to be to much for the low Nitrate count bacteria.

Makes sense . . . maybe i will look for something to elevate the ammonia readings and see how that goes . . if all goes well I will get a slimmed down clean-up crew.

Thanks again for your input

 

[Reefing Madness]

Right on.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Reefing Madness thanks for the suggestion in trying to find a more potent ammonia source.

It looks like the tank is not quite ready for life stock. I added a table shrimp on 10/16 and there was a "spike" in Ammonia and Nitrite but the readings are still fairly low.

Here are the test results:

10/18/2013:
Temp: 79.9 F (via apex)
pH: 8.13 (via apex)
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm

I will leave the shrimp for another few days and retest.

I expect the ammonia source to be constant while the shrimp is in there. I'm hoping my bacteria population can catch up within the next week and drive the ammonia and nitrite values back to zero.

 

[ifarmer]

Your tank needs to have a spike in Ammonia and Nitrite first. After the spike, if they come down to close to zero or very low then that is when you know your tank is cycled

 

[The_Stig]

I wold turn tht skimmer off for a little while then see what happens. I know not everyone agrees how to cycle tank, but in my opinion you should't be running any mechanical or chemical iltration during cycling.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yea, now you've got it. The shrimp will continue to break down, and thus the other bacteria will need to keep up with it. But, I would wait a week I would wait a week or betterto let that shrimp break down. I'd also put it in a net in the tank, so that when its time to take it out you don't have a mess to clean out, it will all be contained in the net.

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Your tank needs to have a spike in Ammonia and Nitrite first. After the spike, if they come down to close to zero or very low then that is when you know your tank is cycled

That is exactly what I'm trying to see. During the course of this cycling process I have used pellets as my primary ammonia source. I figured that the bacteria is present because the test shows the progression of an ammonia and nitrite rise then fall. Nitrates are present which is a good sign that the cycle is progressing.

Per the suggestion above, I'm now using a more potent ammonia source to see how the tank reacts. So far I think it has reacted well but want to see the ammonia and nitrite back to zero before getting some live stock. :smile:

 

[ReefMonkey13]

Yea, now you've got it. The shrimp will continue to break down, and thus the other bacteria will need to keep up with it. But, I would wait a week I would wait a week or betterto let that shrimp break down. I'd also put it in a net in the tank, so that when its time to take it out you don't have a mess to clean out, it will all be contained in the net.

the shrimp is in a mess bag so that i can easily take it out.

This all kinda works out because i was not scoping in getting life stock until the first week of november.