Cycle done in 9 days???

[mslagle]

Two weeks ago today I began setting up my 29 gal tank (with 10 gal sump) in preparation for a cycle with shrimp cycle.

My initial intention was to buy uncured live rock, but since the LFS only carried cured rock, I went that route. I used RO water from my new Filter Guys RO Unit.

My initial purchase was 16 lbs of live rock. This was put in last Tuesday, I put in three smaller cocktail shrimp last Wednesday and raised the temperature to 82 degrees. I have not added anything else to the tank since then. My ammonia started to increase about 1 week ago. Over the course of the past week, my sand is starting to show a presence of diatoms. All seems like my cycle is going well. However, everything has seemed to by fluctuating dramatically quick. Since then...

My ammonia spiked about 4 days ago, at about 3ppm, and has been on its decline, my nitrite was up to 1.0, and that was 3 days ago, and my nitrates were at 40 ppm 2 days ago. Yesterday my parameters were:

SG 1.023
Ph - 8.0
Temp. 82
NH3 - 0.25 PPM
NO2 - 0.5 PPM
NO3 20 PPM

I just checked my parameters now...

Ph - 8.0
SG 1.023
Temp. 82 degrees
NH3 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0


How did everything spike and go away so quickly?

Anybody have any insight? I know that raising the temperature a little higher and the cocktail shrimp probably ensured a little bit of a faster cycle, but I anticipated another 2 weeks at the minimum before this cycle finished up.

I have a long day at work tomorrow, so I'll provide any more additional info Saturday evening if it is needed. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Reefscape]

Probably due to you using fully cured live rock...

 

[johnsonz681]

I agree, mine did the exact same thing, I think because I used good live sand and good cured rock. I had corals and clowns within a month, and all is still well. Sounds like you're off to a good start too.

 

[rdfriend]

Since I started in this hobby a little over 2 years ago I have cycled 5 tanks. None of them have ever taken more than 2 weeks and with no adverse effects.

 

[mslagle]

Ok, I was worried there for a moment that I did something wrong. Thank you guys for your help. I'll definitely get the pics up of this ASAP.

 

[rdfriend]

I probably should have read your post more closely but if your tank is cycled having your ammonia and nitrites at 0 is normal but I don't believe your nitrates would go to zero without a water change so I'm not sure about that. Maybe someone else has some input. Did you removed the shrimp before those last readings?

 

[AC2020x]

On my first tank I was really thrown off when the same thing happened-- I wasn't really sure if it had spiked or if I had done something wrong. But I was just usuing fullly cured rock and sand-- Sounds like yours should be good to go!

 

[mslagle]

Yeah I had found that to be strange as well that my Nitrates were undetectable. No, I did not remove the shrimp before I took that last reading. And I did not do water changes whatsoever. Just topping off with RO water.

 

[rdfriend]

Well, I don't believe that the ammonia and nitrite should just go away without the proper bacteria so sounds like a cycle. I'd just start off slow with one fish at a time and see how it goes. Also, it would probably be best to start off with a hardier species such as a clown, in case you get a mini-cycle, if your are not planning on any other damsel types. Good Luck!

 

[mslagle]

Yeah that was the plan to go with one fish at a time. I am completely undecided about which one to start with.