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- Dec 9, 2014
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- tejas
- What state or country do you live in
- Alaska
all cycling threads have to have a section on submerged duration being -part- of the end cycle assessment, it cannot be based on an oxidation test alone since bottled bac may be doing the work in suspension vs adhered to the critical areas in our tank as the true cycling goal/locus. after a few weeks submerged with any form of cycle boosting into place, and then a passed oxidation test = cycled or at least the ability to handle entry level bioload without having an ammonia event. A key factor in cycle completion is % water change wont affect the tank's ability to process nitrogenous waste... even multiple 100% water changes back to back in a flushing manner will not strip an active tank of bacteria. A tank that hasn't met its submerged time period is depending on no water change so that critical bac aren't removed before they adhere and reproduce.
Maturation is ongoing but we need a term that deems a start date complete, some time we can move in animals based on various needs and I like the term cycled for that specific allowable start date.
most of the cycles here need to have a minimum 3-4 weeks underwater so that suspension cycling isn't giving the reading. when there's a need for an emergency hospital/relocation tank, its ok to have the type of cycle where whats in the water column is doing all the work. being dynamic in your cycling gives you massive control over your aquarium.
Any surface area you put into a reef immediately starts to become colonized with bacteria as soon as its hydrated (terrestrial bac were covering the surfaces before and make fine food dieoff for nitrifiers btw) but if I had to estimate how quickly nitrifiers will colonize the surface area to the point you can do the water change oxidation test on them Id predict its between 8-30 days depending on the combination of boosters we use. to get anywhere near the 8-15 day mark it has to be an ideal setup, most speed cycling is capped at 2 weeks minimum duration.
if you are using bottle bac, a few rounds sustained 2 ppm ammonia and accurate ammonia testing you can be legit cycled in two weeks submersion time.
Maturation is ongoing but we need a term that deems a start date complete, some time we can move in animals based on various needs and I like the term cycled for that specific allowable start date.
most of the cycles here need to have a minimum 3-4 weeks underwater so that suspension cycling isn't giving the reading. when there's a need for an emergency hospital/relocation tank, its ok to have the type of cycle where whats in the water column is doing all the work. being dynamic in your cycling gives you massive control over your aquarium.
Any surface area you put into a reef immediately starts to become colonized with bacteria as soon as its hydrated (terrestrial bac were covering the surfaces before and make fine food dieoff for nitrifiers btw) but if I had to estimate how quickly nitrifiers will colonize the surface area to the point you can do the water change oxidation test on them Id predict its between 8-30 days depending on the combination of boosters we use. to get anywhere near the 8-15 day mark it has to be an ideal setup, most speed cycling is capped at 2 weeks minimum duration.
if you are using bottle bac, a few rounds sustained 2 ppm ammonia and accurate ammonia testing you can be legit cycled in two weeks submersion time.
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Atleast none that I see yet. I would like it to start though so I could add some of the clean up crew.
Cant wait to see your tank going.

