What Is tank cycling ?

[brianguz760]

So the description pretty much says it all. Hey guys. So I have a 60 gallon tank and I always see people talking about tank cycling. What exactly is it and when do you know its happening and finished?

 

[BrotherReef]

You want to get your ammonia and nitrites to zero. Once that happens then your tank is cycled. If you use dry rock you might have to get some live Roch to aid or use some form of bacteria and some reef safe product to start the ammonia. Most use a fresh shrimp to do that, some use damsels. Pretty much your choice.

 

[brianguz760]

You want to get your ammonia and nitrites to zero. Once that happens then your tank is cycled. If you use dry rock you might have to get some live Roch to aid or use some form of bacteria and some reef safe product to start the ammonia. Most use a fresh shrimp to do that, some use damsels. Pretty much your choice.

Thanks for the response. Well I have 30 pounds live rock and a blue jewled damsel fish and a coral bandit shrimp will those help . The only thing is that I use test strips to check the water ?

 

[BrotherReef]

Loose the test strips. They just give you a guestamate on your parameters. API has a test kit that's more accurate or Salifert. But if you already have live rock then you'll just have a minor cycle. Secret is don't let your fish load exceed your biological load.

 

[dmh41532]

The damsel would work, but many people consider using a fish to establish the nitrogen cycle cruel, as the fish is exposed to harmful ammonia and nitrite. Damsels are generally territorial and can be pain to catch. I honestly doubt the shrimp would survive cycling. There are products, such as microbacter 7, and BioSpira that can aide in the cycle process. ammonia will spike first,then nitrate, once ammonia and nitrate tests read 0 the tank should be cycled.

 

[brianguz760]

Loose the test strips. They just give you a guestamate on your parameters. API has a test kit that's more accurate or Salifert. But if you already have live rock then you'll just have a minor cycle. Secret is don't let your fish load exceed your biological load.

Yeah ive been told to change for parameters I want to add about another 30 pounds of rock. I have a coral bandit shrimp blue jeweld damsel a small grey damsel a clownfish a yellow tang 20 hermit crabs a turbo snail and a halloween hermit crab

 

[brianguz760]

The damsel would work, but many people consider using a fish to establish the nitrogen cycle cruel, as the fish is exposed to harmful ammonia and nitrite. Damsels are generally territorial and can be pain to catch. I honestly doubt the shrimp would survive cycling. There are products, such as microbacter 7, and BioSpira that can aide in the cycle process. ammonia will spike first,then nitrate, once ammonia and nitrate tests read 0 the tank should be cycled.

Wait I don't understand. My tanks been running for 7 months when I firsr got it I gave it a month with just rock and live crushed corals and just dosed it and let it sit for a month before I started adding fish. Is that what you mean by cycling?

 

[dmh41532]

Yeah, sorry I misunderstood. I thought it was a new tank.

 

[brianguz760]

Yeah, sorry I misunderstood. I thought it was a new tank.

No worries. I Shouldve been more specific. Thanks for the help. . Do you know on how to go about adding more crush coral to a running tank I want a thicker layer

 

[asandbox]

cycle is when your tank goes threw different stages to balance its self, if your tank is done with the cycle adding more crush coral will make it go threw a mini cycle, some people add it little by little, like a quarter of a tank a month, a couple of methods to add it is get a pies of pvc that runs to the bottom of the tank and about 3 inches out the water with a funnel add the crush coral and it lands straight to the bottom or siphon it in with a tube like the one you clean the crush coral with but you have to elevate the sand over the tank, or just pour it out to the bottom with a cup

 

[bproctor]

Its pretty much been answered but tank cycle refers to the nitrogen cycle of your tank. Waste accumulates in you tank from fish poo, fish food, already in the water you add to the tank if using tap water. This waste breaks down and poisons the tank with ammonia (very bad stuff). Bacteria grows on you rock and sand and consumes ammonia and releases nitrite. You don not need to add this bacteria if there is waste it will form. There are products out there that can speed it up however are not needed. Nitrite is still very toxic and more bacteria will grow and convert this nitrite to nitrate. Ok so this is where ppl generally conside the cycle complete as nitrate is considered less toxic. Reality is nitrate can be further broken down to nitrogen gass which can just bubble out of your aquarium. This part is where ppl have problems. Canister filters, bio ballls and small internal filters or hangon backs cant do this effectively and ppl find their nitrates creeping up and solve only with water changes. Nitrate to nitrogen gass can only happen in low oxygen saturated areas, these area are found deep in rock and under deep sand or algae such as in a refugium or just growing on your rock work will also consume nitrate.
As for adding more sand i dont think you will see a mini cycle or any problem for that matter as long as you dont remove the old sand and dont go crazy with how much you add. I have doubled the amount of sand in the past with no issues. Just make sure to mix the sand about abit so not to cover all the old sand completly with new. Hope this helps you out.

 

[dmh41532]

No worries. I Shouldve been more specific. Thanks for the help. . Do you know on how to go about adding more crush coral to a running tank I want a thicker layer

I once added sand, I washed it really well, turned off all the pumps and then slowly added it. If you run a slimmer, the addition may temporarily mess up the skimmer but it will go back to normal.

 

[brianguz760]

Its pretty much been answered but tank cycle refers to the nitrogen cycle of your tank. Waste accumulates in you tank from fish poo, fish food, already in the water you add to the tank if using tap water. This waste breaks down and poisons the tank with ammonia (very bad stuff). Bacteria grows on you rock and sand and consumes ammonia and releases nitrite. You don not need to add this bacteria if there is waste it will form. There are products out there that can speed it up however are not needed. Nitrite is still very toxic and more bacteria will grow and convert this nitrite to nitrate. Ok so this is where ppl generally conside the cycle complete as nitrate is considered less toxic. Reality is nitrate can be further broken down to nitrogen gass which can just bubble out of your aquarium. This part is where ppl have problems. Canister filters, bio ballls and small internal filters or hangon backs cant do this effectively and ppl find their nitrates creeping up and solve only with water changes. Nitrate to nitrogen gass can only happen in low oxygen saturated areas, these area are found deep in rock and under deep sand or algae such as in a refugium or just growing on your rock work will also consume nitrate.
As for adding more sand i dont think you will see a mini cycle or any problem for that matter as long as you dont remove the old sand and dont go crazy with how much you add. I have doubled the amount of sand in the past with no issues. Just make sure to mix the sand about abit so not to cover all the old sand completly with new. Hope this helps you out.

Sorry for the late response I did not see your reply. But very great information . You helped me very much