Did I start another cycle???

[shanet1975]

I added another 25 lb's of liverock to my 55 gallon tank that already had about 5 lb's. My test results are now:
ph - 8.4
ammonia - .50
nitrite 0
nitrate - 20

Tha ammonia is what scares me. The lfs came up with the same results...Would adding liverock like that cause another cycle?
I just set the tank up about a month ago...After moving it from Boston to my house which caused a cycle...
Thanks

 

[new2saltyfish]

adding live rock again does start another cycle. the size depends on how much rock. thats a lot of rock to add at once if theres fish in there, but if theres no fish it's not a prob. When i needed more i just did a piece at a time.

 

[Moe_K]

adding live rock can cause an ammonia spike. the more dead or dying stuff on the rock, the bigger the ammonia spike.
there is a way to avoid that, one can purchase live rock that's "pre-cured."
that means the live rock has already soaked in saltwater, and all the junk that can't live in captivity has already died off. the rock should be safe to go into an established tank.

what you have now is a very low ammonia spike. that'll contribute to nitrites, then nitrates, and will dissipate as nitrogen gas - you know, that whole nitrogen cycle. so you started a new mini-cycle. should cycle quickly.

 

[shanet1975]

Good to hear about cycling quickly. The rock I bought was from an established tank that a gentleman from here was taking down. Since the cycle started I just went ahead and removed all of the bioballs all at the same time and added a few pieces of liverock into where the balls were. Figured if I already started a cycle might as well make it a good one There is a tomato clown in there that is about 6 years old (lives through anything), a red hairy legged hermit crab who is also quite hardy (sp), and a new yellowtail damsel, hope he/she makes it through this...
So once the ammonia and nitrites are 0 the cycle has passed? Should the nitrates also read 0?
Thanks again!!

 

[saltnut]

yup 25lbs new compared to 5lbs already in there is a definate cycle.
I think the live stock may be at risk if the ammonia goes up much higher but I have been wrong before.
Best to also have nitrates at zero (in theory anyway) not sure how many people really can maintain zero. Are you going to or do you have any kind of fuge? I have only ever been able to control nitrates when I have a place to grow some chaeto. You can make an inexpensive HOB fuge using an aqua clear filter I think for a 55gal tank you would be best with the AC110.
Good luck with this tank. Enjoy. Do you have a different tank already? I see you joined in Mar 2006.

 

[shanet1975]

Thanks for the input and welcome. Typo on my part with the existing liverock. I had 50 lb's in there to start. I did kind of make a fuge of sorts I think. I removed the bioballs from my wetdry and added liverock. Here is a picture:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6687196
I was thinkking of removing the filter in the tray and just adding a light and some chaeto in there with the rock and some sand. I have a filter on the downspout and a filter after the 'fuge'.
Would that be OK do you think? Would the light make it rhfough 2 layers of plexyglass enough to get to the chaeto?
Thanks