Cycleing impatience, what gives!?

fishoholic · #1 12-24-2008, 06:46 PM

I know it takes a long time for tanks to cycle properly, but seriously!

Sept. 18th, 2008 is when we bought dead rock, it used to be live rock but it had been sitting around the seller's basement in a rubbermaid container with old saltwater and a heater for a few months. As soon as we got home (1/2hr later from pick up) we set up the rock in our own rubbermaid containers with fresh SW, heaters and powerheads. We also added a few small pieces of live rock from our main tank to seed it. We also did bi-weekly water changes.

Nov. 13th is when we added saltwater and live sand to our new 230g tank and 90g sump. I was to lazy to rinse regular sand, that's why we bought live.

Nov. 21th is when we added the rock (mentioned above) to the tank. We also added another 4 large(ish) pieces of lr from the main tank.

Nov. 23rd is when we added 3 chromis to the tank to help it cycle.

Two weeks ago or so Steve tested and said there was a bit of an ammonia spike. I tested the water two days ago and the ammonia is at 0. However the No2 (nitrite) and No3 (nitrate) aren't reading at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The water in the test tube is completely clear after testing. I figure in order for the tank to be cycled, or to show that it's starting to cycle, that the water has to show a bit (however so slight) of a pinkish/purplish tinge to it when testing for No2 and No3 right? RIGHT??????

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't understand how after all this time I still don't have any No2 or any No3 in my tank! What gives? Anyone have any ideas, I seriously doubt that it's cycled since it isn't reading any No2 or No3 in the tank and we haven't done any water changes since we first added the water. FYI I did test the No2 and No3 on my main tank (just to make sure it wasn't the test kit) and both tests showed a pale pink/purple tinge, so the test kits work.

Why oh why isn't my tank starting to cycle!?!?

christyf5 · #2 12-24-2008, 07:40 PM

Is this a monster tank? I'd say the life in your tank just wasn't enough to create a "real" cycle. A bit of an ammonia spike as you stated wouldn't really be enough to create much of a spike in nitrates either.
Chuck in a couple of cocktail shrimp. 3 chromis aren't going to do much to cycle a bunch of dead rock and some "live" sand. You need them to either poop more or add the poop yourself (in the way of the cocktail shrimp

).

Just my two cents

FitoPharmer · #3 12-24-2008, 07:41 PM

is any Coraline algae growing? contrary to testing sometimes the sign of Coraline is the best sign of a cycle, or at least an environment where corals are able to calcify their skeletons properly in.

marie · #4 12-24-2008, 07:54 PM

I would say the tank is cycled for the ammonia that is being produced at the moment.

Kabong · #5 12-24-2008, 07:57 PM

How Much rock do you have in the tank?

fishoholic · #6 12-24-2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christyf5

Is this a monster tank? I'd say the life in your tank just wasn't enough to create a "real" cycle. A bit of an ammonia spike as you stated wouldn't really be enough to create much of a spike in nitrates either.
Chuck in a couple of cocktail shrimp. 3 chromis aren't going to do much to cycle a bunch of dead rock and some "live" sand. You need them to either poop more or add the poop yourself (in the way of the cocktail shrimp

).

Just my two cents

This is what I wondering as well. It's a 230g tank an a 90g sump. I was kinda thinking 3 chromis wasn't going to cut it. I think I might go find some shrimp

fishoholic · #7 12-24-2008, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FitoPharmer

is any Coraline algae growing? contrary to testing sometimes the sign of Coraline is the best sign of a cycle, or at least an environment where corals are able to calcify their skeletons properly in.

There isn't any purple coraline on the new rock we added, however it is starting to grow green coraline. There is still lots of purple coraline on the four large pieces of live rock we added (on the 21st) from the main tank to help seed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kabong

How Much rock do you have in the tank?

About a 150-180 pounds.

Borderjumper · #8 12-24-2008, 08:27 PM

Im thinking since you started with live rock ( i bet your 'dead rock" was still alive) that your tank did a very soft cycle, especially with the small bioload. I would add slowly and I bet your good to go.

fishoholic · #9 12-24-2008, 08:34 PM

I should also add that there is lots (and I mean lots) of pods, mini brittle stars and bristle worms (all of which came in on the LR we added from the main tank) surviving and doing well in this tank. There is also some collonista snails in the sump as well as spirorbid worms. I also have a little patch of gsp doing well in the tank too. For light I have a 48" T5 four bulb light.

PoonTang · #10 12-24-2008, 08:48 PM

I would just start slowly adding the fish etc. you want to keep. Say in the order of 1/month or so. You have a very large system that wont get thrown out of wack very easly by the addidition of a single fish. After a month your tank should have more than caught up to the additional bio-load.