New Tank cycle?

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Snaz

Reefers please correct me if I am wrong but I think the answer is thus:

Bubbles are either Oxygen or Nitrogen. If they are on plants or only observed after the light has been on for a long time then they are result of photosynthesis. Good.

Nitrogen bubbles are produced when anaerobic bacteria turn nitrates into Nitrogen, also good. Anaerobic bacteria shun oxygen and usually live in deep sandbeds, not all reef tanks get these anaerobes which take the nitrogen cycle one step further.

The bubbles on the rocks are probably air not oxygen or nitrogen, just caused by aerated water probably from powerheads.

Anaerobic bacteria are mainly found in the middle portions of your live rock, so you can count on having a good sized population in any tank that has live rock. This is one of the many reasons that a DSB isn't needed imo. All tanks which have adequate amounts of good live rock should never have a detectable nitrate reading. If your tank does, then there is an imbalance somewhere, usually caused by excess nutrients as a direct result from overstocking and/or poor nutrient export.