Where is my cycle

[Tyler Roth]

I have a tank that has been running for about 8 years that I bought running with no life in the tank but two brittle start fish I moved the tank last Sunday with 50 gallons of the 120 that are in the tank and all of the live rock wet to my house and had the tank with 50 of the past water and the rest including sump of fresh salt water up and running Tuesday night fully with skimmer and a canister and ammonia been 0 for 4 days now never really had a cycle. I have two snowflake clowns this are healthy as can be. I would like to know how long h would wait for anything else to make sure the cycle doesn't sneak up on me? Does me having a skimmer running the reason why my CYCLE is prolonged?

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Since you started with a fully cycled establish long term tank you may not have a cycle at all. Ive moved tanks in the past with established ecosystems with less than 25% of the total water. Water doesnt hold you biologic filter. Your sump, sand, and live rock holds 99%. So you may never see a cycle. If you are worried I say three weeks and you are fine.

 

[Diesel]

It may never come as this tank had a healthy bio load to begin with.
Keep testing and keep feeding your fish, only than your establish a 100% bio load.
Welcome my friend.
I'm sure some other members will jump in on this but at the moment relax and sit back to enjoy or scroll this awesome reef site to learn more what R2R can do for you.

 

[Tyler Roth]

I didn't bother the sand left it alone in tank transfer with 1 inch of water over it

 

[Tyler Roth]

Some say the skimmer might be prolonging the cycle

 

[brandon429]

No the skimmer doesn't imo, I can't think of any limiter that would cause for bacteria--they access trace waste, it does not matter if you skim out proteins and leave more or less waste. Ulns systems have no trouble conducting nitrification as an example of sustainment that goes beyond skimming.

You did a skip cycle, we've had some threads on that lately from people moving tanks

you can do it by design and essentially just did even if unintended. Its how the tv show tanked sets up insta tanks, or pro aquatic displays or zoos, active surface transfer is insta tanking. What varies is loss of benthic life like worms and higher organism, so transfer in a way that doesn't kill them, I do all the time.

Nice skip cycle, not coming imo. Sometimes I drain my entire tank for quite a while during work, they are remarkably adaptable. API ammonia low readings at constant .25 are the root of nearly all mini cycles. Threads exist showing .25 from distilled water and verified ro di Tds zero, meaning mini cycles have been over attributed.

Anyone can bring home aged cured prime lfs reef rock wet in bags and set up nano reefs all day, no cycle, worms and LR animals don't mind tank switching, its kid gloves biologically speaking. Messing with aged and waste laden sandbeds is a true mini cycle risk. I like slower acclimation for fish who wants disease breakout...but just going for the bacteria they really transfer reliably.
B