Live Rock Cycle Question....?

Ryan Rioux

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hey all , recently setup a small 20 gallon tank off stuff I had leftover from my Last tank. I've been planning to do this for a while and I finally found nice liverock at a great price . $2 per LB! So I set the tank up this weekend . It's got about 20lbs of liverock in it , the rock was fully cured , and when I transported it home It was in a covered 5 gallon bucket fully submerged in water . So no
Die off if any, but my question is , I set the tank up with the liverock and some fresh saltwater mix . I let the water clear up for a day to rearrange the rocks I dropped in , then yesterday I decided to add a full 75 gallon rated bottle of biospira . I then added almost 2 ML of ammonia . Today when I tested the water less then 24 hours later , my levels are ALL at 0 except for nitrates . Did the tank being setup with all liverock help drop those levels in a 24 hour period along with the bottle of biospira ? Nitrates were at 40ppm.
 

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Do a big water change to get the no3 down and you should be good to go!
 
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Ryan Rioux

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Do a big water change to get the no3 down and you should be good to go!
I added another 2.5 ml of ammonia and tomorrow at the same time I'll check it again to be sure ! The only reason I can think of for the levels to be 0 is because of starting it with all liverock!
 
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Ryan Rioux

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Do you test the ammonia level right after you add it? And are you sure the ammonia kit is giving you a good reading?
I tested the ammonia 30 minutes after adding it , and I believe it is. It's also testing 0 for nitrites as well. So I added 2.5 ml ammonia then tested again 30-40 minutes later and it read almost 4.0 ML
 
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Ryan Rioux

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Do you test the ammonia level right after you add it? And are you sure the ammonia kit is giving you a good reading?
I'm guessing I'll just test again tomorrow for all 3 and if it is down to 0 the. The liverock must have done something
 

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as long as ammonia is back down to 0 within 12 (or so) hours, you're good!

I added another 2.5 ml of ammonia and tomorrow at the same time I'll check it again to be sure ! The only reason I can think of for the levels to be 0 is because of starting it with all liverock!
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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Ryan we can use your thread here today in our big cycling thread

It's relevant because your testing supports all aspect of group B rock + key terms and measures without seeing the thread first reviewed here:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

You transported live bacteria

Brief moves and air exposure didn't kill off the rock at all, my whole tank stays drained for half an hour many times.

You set up your tank just like they do tanks with far more bioload at MACNA we show...so yours is even easier to skip cycle

The rock has coralline which as the entire meaning of the thread is a measure of the bacterial maturity of the rock given no direct kills from meds etc


What you are doing isn't a lucky cycle, it's what we claim to be able to impart all the time above, good job.
 
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Ryan Rioux

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Ryan we can use your thread here today in our big cycling thread

It's relevant because your testing supports all aspect of group B rock + key terms and measures without seeing the thread first reviewed here:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

You transported live bacteria

Brief moves and air exposure didn't kill off the rock at all, my whole tank stays drained for half an hour many times.

You set up your tank just like they do tanks with far more bioload at MACNA we show...so yours is even easier to skip cycle

The rock has coralline which as the entire meaning of the thread is a measure of the bacterial maturity of the rock given no direct kills from meds etc


What you are doing isn't a lucky cycle, it's what we claim to be able to impart all the time above, good job.
Cool , thanks! I figure live rock had to have something to do with O nitrites and O ammonia , the rock was submerged underwater in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid for over an hour ride home!
 

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Yup, the key is to keep it alive u til you put it in your tank. the caveat is that you always risk getting some unwanted critters or algae.

That would be awesome , I guess it pays to start a tank with liverock if you can get a good price!
 
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Yup, the key is to keep it alive u til you put it in your tank. the caveat is that you always risk getting some unwanted critters or algae.
The rock didn't go directly into my tank. It sat in a spare 20 gallon I have , heated with a powerhead, until I had time to set tank up. Hopefully no algae, I assume I would've noticed critters by now beside for a hiding bristle worm.
 

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Well that's fine too. :)

The rock didn't go directly into my tank. It sat in a spare 20 gallon I have , heated with a powerhead, until I had time to set tank up. Hopefully no algae, I assume I would've noticed critters by now beside for a hiding bristle worm.
 
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Ryan Rioux

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as long as ammonia is back down to 0 within 12 (or so) hours, you're good!
Hey there sorry to bother but question you may be able to answer . I have been testing my water , and my ammonia is dropping back down to 0 in 12-14 hours but the nitrite is taking a bit longer . Maybe 16-18 hours . Is that normal?
 

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WaterQualityCyclingNitrogenCycle.gif
what nitrite does isn't of concern when a digest test is passed, we put some hardcore supporting links for that in the cycling thread for sure. nitrite isn't needed to know for cycling, nor nitrate. as bold as that sounds, its covered well in the link (nitrite doesn't matter and nitrate will always occur given verified digestion, by rule of metabolism)

to test for anything outside of ammonia isn't required, but you can. its exactly like changing the wiper fluid in a car each time we get the oil changed. harmless to do, fully not connected. links cover why

how does nitrite behave above given ammonia compliance? (that is a NON Dr Tims fishless cycle chart, the guided ammonia+bottle bac keeps the same curves, but moves to half time. our biology is that they are linked, regardless of time, given no med use, so only ammonia matters)
 
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Nitrites will linger around a little longer than ammonia. since you have no3 then I'd say you're good. do a big water change and add livestock slowly.
 

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