wrong

[Myanth]

To me, and I know a minimal amount, it sounds like you had no bio load on the system during that first period, until you added the live rock. The base rock was not live right? Until you have something to create ammonia, you have not begun the nitrogen cycle. The popluations of nitrosomas bacteria will adjust for the load on the system. Even the addition of a new fish can cause a cycling as the new amount of ammonia does not immediately have the bacterial population available to convert to NO3 - NO2. This is such a small amount and for such a short time period that it would not be measured, but it happens. Do you have any fish or waste producers in the tank now? If not.... get a damsel, or two. They will handle that ammonia without a problem and start loading the system. Which is why I'm stuck with three of them now..... need one?


Of course, I've been drinking and I think I know everything, except for that which I don't know, which soon I will learn, forget, and not know again.

Good luck
Mike

[mr_alberta]

Since you already have an ammonia producer in the tank (i.e. liverock), you do not need to add anything else to start the cycle. Also, it is no longer reccommended to cycle using fish as it is very stressful on them. The preferred method of cycling a tank is using liverock and a raw shrimp from the store. Chuck the raw shrimp in the tank for a day or two until it starts to decompose and kick off the cycle. Then take out the shrimp and discard it far far away as it is not a pleasant smell.