finch6013 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Is is possible to never see a tank cycle? When starting a tank a while back I used well established live rock and water from another tank and never seen a cycle. I just started a new tank and am wondering if the same will happen. I am using rock and water from another tank and I am not sure how long to let it cycle. Any ideas? I have never been one to let a tank "cycle" and have never had a problem before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Salvador Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 cycle time. I have done the same about 4 times now and since you are using old rock and at list 50% all what there is no cycle time. There might be like a few days of PH going up and down but nothing to low. Like I said I have done it 4 times never had a real cycle time. I will be just fine. Just don't over feed for the first two weeks. That is just what i have done. There are a lot more people in here that know more then I do, so do what you think its best for you and your tank. But I say it's safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 I used about 80 percent old water and all rock from the same tank. Substrate is new so that needs to get bacteria. I think if at the end of the week perams are still in good as they are now then I will call it good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I've done the same 4 times now also. Two of those times were nothing more that swapping to a larger tank which came out to basically a large water change. The other two were using about 80% established water and about 50% of the rock and sand was also established. All 4 did have a cycle however they were pretty mild. The latest tank swap cycled the fastest with no measurable ammonia/nitrite throughout but did get a diatom outbreak which is slowly disappearing. (The others had a small rise in ammonia and nitrite but not enough to stress the fish) Note: Just adding or removing a single fish to/from a tank always starts a new cycle even if it isn't measurable since the tank needs to find a new balance to deal with the change in the bioload. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I don't know if this counts. But when I moved to Oregon, I broke my tank down, transported all my corals and fish in a cooler for 15 hours. Arrived, dumped in a 50/50 mix of old sand a new, stacked rock, filled with new spin up salt, all new spin up, added corals and fish. Never had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I never had a cycle with my 180, I still let it cyle for about 4 weeks or more but never saw a cycle at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Sometimes if we use a good amount of live rock and sand we defintalely can decrease out cycle time. We always experience a cylce of some scale. Bacteria, algae, etc. need time to build up on new equipment, glass etc. and this takes time even if live rock, live sand, and water is used from a well established previous system. I have had pretty good luck with good live rock and sand in setting up entirely new systems. Most of the time I just have minor ph swings with littel other instability with the excetion of some amonia, nitrite, and then nitrate. Most of the time it is just a noticable increase in diatoms. Garrett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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