Stupid Nitrogen Cycle question

[naturebatslast]

So, I've had my basement sump filled and cooking away for less than 2 weeks with 130gal of SW, 80# of dead LR, 50# dead sand in a sanbbed and skimming agressively. Out of curiosity I did some testing to see how far along the cycle was, I was only going to test for ammonia but testing showed no detected. Curious, I test for nitrate, and it tested 10mg/L.

So, am I to assume I'm just waiting for a nitrate spike, which has already begun? It just seem to be a very quick start to a cycle, and seems at this rate I could almost bring it online to the display in a couple weeks.

 

[Joel A]

that would be my guess... i think you're right on.

I cured about 50 lbs of dead live rock in my basement for a little over a month, my cycle kind of got stuck at the same place yours is now, nitrite was high, but i couldn't get it to zero out.

Then i did a large water change (about 75%), and a few days later i was good too go.

 

[Matt L.]

The nitrogen "cycle" can happen fast or slow, depending on a lot of factors.

What do you mean by dead sand and rock?

A no detect on ammonia and nitrite and the presence of nitrate implies that the nitrogen cycle is completed.

Still, I always advocating waiting about two months, just to let other bacteria such as denitrifiers establish themselves.

 

[naturebatslast]

What do you mean by dead sand and rock?
A no detect on ammonia and nitrite and the presence of nitrate implies that the nitrogen cycle is completed.

Rock and sand that's not live and/or cycled, and FWIW bone dry at the start of everything.
I seeded the pile of rock with a few fist sized pieces of live rock to help it along, but I really thought it would wind up taking at least a month before I could see some nitrates.
Re-reading the post I actually refer to it as dead LR...what the hell is that(!), living dead rock? Two words...zombies, brains

 

[Matt L.]

Well, one reason your cycle might have proceeded quickly is that you simply didn't put much of an ammonia source in there to begin with. The small fragments of living rock were able to handle what little ammonia there was and cycle it to nitrate. That doesn't mean, however, when you put a large ammonia source in there (a fish) there won't be a second cycle.

Matt

 

[Jocko]

Yeah it's probably a very light cycle because there wasn't much stuff on the rocks to decay and break down. In fact with no additional input, the stuff on the rocks will most likely be exhausted and what bacteria that did develop might ultimately die off a lot. So in the end you'll be cycled but with a VERY small bacteria level. Probably a good idea to throw a couple of live rocks in there once the cycle is complete to slowly increase bioload.

 

[MikeG]

As others have said, if you have 0 ammonia and nitrite then your cycle is done. Were you just trying to cycle your rock or cook it as you mentioned in the first post. 2 completely different things and you are only set up to do one and not the other.