Do bristle worms mean my tank is cycled?

[Vylan]

New to the hobby and was just wondering if that was a good sign, looking to add a CUC. It's been cycling for almost 4 weeks and i just spotted my first bristle worm in a recently added live rock.

 

[Ron Reefman]

No, it means you have something alive in your tank.

Have you been testing the water? The only way to know if your tank is cycled is to test the water for ammonia and nitrate at the least and to be thorough you should probably test for nitrite as well.

If your tank was set up properly and you added anything to 'spike' the ammonia level at the start and now it's gone and you have nitrate, then yes, your tank is cycled.

If you didn't do the testing, then add some food or a very small amount of PURE ammonia to the tank and start testing.

 

[Vylan]

No, it means you have something alive in your tank.

Have you been testing the water? The only way to know if your tank is cycled is to test the water for ammonia and nitrate at the least and to be thorough you should probably test for nitrite as well.

If your tank was set up properly and you added anything to 'spike' the ammonia level at the start and now it's gone and you have nitrate, then yes, your tank is cycled.

If you didn't do the testing, then add some food or a very small amount of PURE ammonia to the tank and start testing.

I've been adding food for about a week but yeah testing is probably my best bet

 

[mcgyvr]

I've been adding food for about a week but yeah testing is probably my best bet

Did you start with all dry rock/sand?
Did you do anything (food wise or other) in the first 3 weeks?
Have you been topping off with fresh water to make up for evaporation?

 

[Vylan]

Did you start with all dry rock/sand?
Did you do anything (food wise or other) in the first 3 weeks?
Have you been topping off with fresh water to make up for evaporation?

I started with Live rock and Live sand, ive been adding food for about a week & i top it off pretty much every other day

 

[strikeratt]

In my experience, bristle worms live through a nuclear blast

But in all seriousness, Ron hits it spot on. Testing is the way to go.

Starting off with live rock and live sand (YMMV on the sand) along with the 4 week time frame, you may have the results you're looking for.

 

[hkgar]

Y our tank is cycle when Nitrites and ammonia test at 0.0 and Nitrate is >0. You ned to test for it. Have you been reading the stickies about starting up a tank?

 

[mcgyvr]

I started with Live rock and Live sand, ive been adding food for about a week & i top it off pretty much every other day

Your tank is cycled..
Guaranteed.. but test for ammonia and nitrites as stated.. if zero.. its done..