Joeysmissy
Reefing newb
All this talk about cycle has me confused. Does the tank cycle one time only when its new or is it always cycling? and whats the cycle process from beginning to end?
tank cycle
- Thread starter Joeysmissy
- Start date
Hello
I failry new but maybe I can help a little bit.
The cycle that most talk about is the first cycle that takes place to allow bacteria to grow to start your Nitrate cycle. Amonia is broken down into nitrate, which is then broken down to nitrite. Each step is less harmfull then the ladder. Once your bacteria colony is established you can start adding fish/coral. You want start slow so your bacteria colony can handle the "bioload".
The tank will always be cycling the amonia to nitrate to nitrite.
Hope this helps.
I failry new but maybe I can help a little bit.
The cycle that most talk about is the first cycle that takes place to allow bacteria to grow to start your Nitrate cycle. Amonia is broken down into nitrate, which is then broken down to nitrite. Each step is less harmfull then the ladder. Once your bacteria colony is established you can start adding fish/coral. You want start slow so your bacteria colony can handle the "bioload".
The tank will always be cycling the amonia to nitrate to nitrite.
Hope this helps.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Ammonia > nitrite > nitrate
Joeysmissy
Reefing newb
ok. so how do i know what part of the cycle im in? and how do i know when it has ended? is it when nitrate is up and ammonia and nitrite is down?
AdeptMrSniffles
I have a Blue Thumb
The end of your cycle should read 0 ammonia and nitrite.
Also, you can cause "mini-cycles" once everything is going by disturbing sand, adding too much at one time, etc. So take it slow, that's the key to SW aquariums. Good luck and we're here for ya if you have questions
PRC
Stop Quoting Me!
I'm new as well, but I think I can actually answer this question!! Woot. I'm sure others will add to it.
If you check out my build thread you can see the process of the cycle.
There are 3 primary stages to a cycle.
1. Ammonia
2. Nitrites
3. Nitrates.
Here's how it works. And I'll do this in layman's terms.
1. Set up your tank using RO/DI water ONLY! RO/DI stands for Reverse Osmosis. You can buy it per jug at Wal Mart or you can buy a RO/DI unit. If you use Tap water you're going to start out with an algae problem. (You also add salt...needs to be about 1.024-1.026 on your refractometer)
2. Add some live rock. (Generally between 1-2lbs per gallon of aquarium) At this point you don't need ALL of your liverock. You can add rock as you cycle.
3. Go to the grocery store and buy 1 piece of fresh shrimp. (dead obviously) Toss it in the tank. (You don't add live fish to a cycling tank)
At this point, your tank will begin to "cycle". The time it takes can differ but generally between 4-6 weeks can be expected. Now that you've tossed in the shrimp it will begin to decompose. The decomposing shrimp will cause Ammonia to rise in your tank. It is essentially eating the shrimp. (ammonia is very toxic and will kill fish, that's why you don't put a fish in a cycling tank)
Now, a few weeks later Nitrites will enter your tank, they come into the through the air and are attracted to the ammonia. They eat the ammonia. Nitrites are still very toxic to fish but not as much as Ammonia. (But you still don't put fish in)
At this point, your just reading about fish, corals, etc. (waiting)
Now the last phase of the cycle is Nitrates. Nitrates like to eat Nitrites, (so now the Nitrites have eaten all of the ammonia. The Nitrites have been eaten by the Nitrates), and you now have a cycled tank.
When the tank is cycled you should have ZERO Ammonia/ Zero Nitrites/ and your Nitrates should be under 20ppm (parts per million) with the goal of getting them as low as possible (which as I understand can be difficult)
I'd like to throw one more phase of the cycle in as well. It's called Diatoms. Diatoms are a type of algae (they're brown) You will more than likely get diatom growth near or at the end of your cycle. It will go away on it's own. The brown stuff that you see on your sand will be the diatom skeletons. This is natures way of telling you that you're just about done with your cycle. (or if you have an established tank, that you may not be taking proper care of it)
Here's what I've found, you can't rush the cycle. Period.
All you can do is take the time to learn as much as you can, while you're not having to take care of any living creatures.
You tank should only cycle at the beginning. When you initally finish your cycle the bacteria in the water that are keeping your water stable are not "mature" therefore, if you go willy nilly and start adding everything that your LFS (local Fish store) has to offer, you will certainly start another cycle. Look at it like this , the bacteria in the tank are babies..you need to feed them baby food at first, if you try to feed them a full plate of food (heavy bioload) they can't eat it, and you're going to have serious problems. So take it slow, add livestock slowly and enjoy the hobby. It's not a sprint it's a marathon.
Good luck.. Hope this helps.
If you check out my build thread you can see the process of the cycle.
There are 3 primary stages to a cycle.
1. Ammonia
2. Nitrites
3. Nitrates.
Here's how it works. And I'll do this in layman's terms.
1. Set up your tank using RO/DI water ONLY! RO/DI stands for Reverse Osmosis. You can buy it per jug at Wal Mart or you can buy a RO/DI unit. If you use Tap water you're going to start out with an algae problem. (You also add salt...needs to be about 1.024-1.026 on your refractometer)
2. Add some live rock. (Generally between 1-2lbs per gallon of aquarium) At this point you don't need ALL of your liverock. You can add rock as you cycle.
3. Go to the grocery store and buy 1 piece of fresh shrimp. (dead obviously) Toss it in the tank. (You don't add live fish to a cycling tank)
At this point, your tank will begin to "cycle". The time it takes can differ but generally between 4-6 weeks can be expected. Now that you've tossed in the shrimp it will begin to decompose. The decomposing shrimp will cause Ammonia to rise in your tank. It is essentially eating the shrimp. (ammonia is very toxic and will kill fish, that's why you don't put a fish in a cycling tank)
Now, a few weeks later Nitrites will enter your tank, they come into the through the air and are attracted to the ammonia. They eat the ammonia. Nitrites are still very toxic to fish but not as much as Ammonia. (But you still don't put fish in)
At this point, your just reading about fish, corals, etc. (waiting)
Now the last phase of the cycle is Nitrates. Nitrates like to eat Nitrites, (so now the Nitrites have eaten all of the ammonia. The Nitrites have been eaten by the Nitrates), and you now have a cycled tank.
When the tank is cycled you should have ZERO Ammonia/ Zero Nitrites/ and your Nitrates should be under 20ppm (parts per million) with the goal of getting them as low as possible (which as I understand can be difficult)
I'd like to throw one more phase of the cycle in as well. It's called Diatoms. Diatoms are a type of algae (they're brown) You will more than likely get diatom growth near or at the end of your cycle. It will go away on it's own. The brown stuff that you see on your sand will be the diatom skeletons. This is natures way of telling you that you're just about done with your cycle. (or if you have an established tank, that you may not be taking proper care of it)
Here's what I've found, you can't rush the cycle. Period.
All you can do is take the time to learn as much as you can, while you're not having to take care of any living creatures.
You tank should only cycle at the beginning. When you initally finish your cycle the bacteria in the water that are keeping your water stable are not "mature" therefore, if you go willy nilly and start adding everything that your LFS (local Fish store) has to offer, you will certainly start another cycle. Look at it like this , the bacteria in the tank are babies..you need to feed them baby food at first, if you try to feed them a full plate of food (heavy bioload) they can't eat it, and you're going to have serious problems. So take it slow, add livestock slowly and enjoy the hobby. It's not a sprint it's a marathon.
Good luck.. Hope this helps.
Last edited:
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
You will need to buy a test kit to test your water. You can get them at any LFS AVOID Test strips...they aren't always reliable. Get test drops. I use API, but there are other brands. You can get an API test kit that tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, & PH. Get that for starters. If you plan to keep a reef, you will need to get other test kits. But for now, get a kit that tests ammonia, nitrite, AND nitrates.
yote
In Memoriam
Looks like this question has been answered:D
+1 all the above.
+1 all the above.
andysgirl8800
Blenny Badlands
Excellent explanation PRC!
Reefrookie
Not so new anymore!
SeaBee
Ha Ha Thats Funny!
Don't forget the live rock and power heads!!! Any one mention that?
Joeysmissy
Reefing newb
ok..i went to the LFS yesterday to get the water tested. they said the ammonia and nitrites are down and nitrates are good. i started the whole tank in mid january but did not start to putting any LR or fish till this month. first the live rock on the first week and then two chromis 3 days after. so its been about 3 to 3.5 weeks since my fish were in the tank. i dont know what part its in. has it not hit the ammonia part of the cycle yet? or has it already gone through the cycle and starting another one? oh and also...i have a 29 gal with 17 lbs of live rock and two small chromis..is i balanced out good? or should i take out LR or Put more? add another chromis? add something to balance it out?
Last edited:
Ulta
REEFER
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYMzhUDicxQ]YouTube - Aquarium Care, Biological Filtration, and Cycling[/ame]
^ Little Video that will help you 'understand' the cycling process^
It sounds like your pretty much done with your cycle (ammonia and nitrites are down, at zero your done, and nitrates are appearing) and should be about good to go
Just be careful adding a bunch of stuff at once b/c if the bacteria population is not very high then you will get more 'cycles' b/c there will be more decay producing ammonia faster than the bacteria can convert it
(I'm just a noob too but reading up on it and that video I linked really helped me 'understand' the nitration cycle)
^ Little Video that will help you 'understand' the cycling process^
It sounds like your pretty much done with your cycle (ammonia and nitrites are down, at zero your done, and nitrates are appearing) and should be about good to go
Just be careful adding a bunch of stuff at once b/c if the bacteria population is not very high then you will get more 'cycles' b/c there will be more decay producing ammonia faster than the bacteria can convert it
(I'm just a noob too but reading up on it and that video I linked really helped me 'understand' the nitration cycle)
