Nano Cycled in a week?

[Pennylesst]

Hi Everyone,

I set my 12g up last week with 14 lbs of cured live rock/tonga and about 2 inches of Agra-Alive sand. For the last 3 days my parameters are holding at:

pH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
S.G. 1.025
Temp 75-77

I was told at the LFS that the tank would be cycled in less than 2 weeks. Do you think it is possible that it is already cycled?
Thanks,

Penny

 

[andrewr]

Sounds like it could be, I would do a couple of water changes to get the nitrates down and then test again. I would still be hesitant to put corals in only having it set up that recently. Remember that only bad things happen fast in an aquarium.

 

[Illuminati]

Ditto on andrewr's advise.

Got a cleanup crew yet? Might want to start thinking of what you need, diatom bloom should be happening soon.

Time to start weekly water changes to get the nitrates down, products like chemi-pure will help if you want to go that route, it's a better alternative to carbon.

Still using the stock sponge? If so be sure to rinse it very well every week along with the water changes.

 

[Pennylesst]

I haven't added anything yet, I was still going to wait another week just to be sure. I do have the stock sponges in one chamber and rubble in the other. I also happen to have some chemi-pure, will this help when the diatom bloom happens or should I let that run its course? I had this tank up and running before but had to sell off my livestock last year when I thought I was moving. When I got it though it was already set up so this is my first time at cycling it. When I rinse the sponges, do I rinse it in clean salt water or the water that I siphon out? And should I do 10% water changes at this point? Thank you both for your help, I appreciate it!

 

[Xandernfs]

My tank cycled in a less than a week. I was extremely careful too. I'd wait a week, but i don't think anything is going to spike up...

 

[FishMachine]

yeah, just give it time

 

[LockeOak]

My 10g cycled in about a week too, 20lb live sand and 14lb cured live rock. I'd still wait at least a week before adding fish or corals, but you're probably ready for invertebrates. I still haven't added fish or corals to mine, and I'm in week 5 or so.

 

[Pennylesst]

I was going to go "window shopping" for soft corals today at a fairly new saltwater store in the area, but maybe I will pick up my clean up crew while I am at it! I will do one more test and a partial water change first though before adding anything. I definitely will wait at least a week or longer before adding any corals.
LockeOak, you must have really good patience to have not added fish or corals yet after 5 weeks and your yank is cycled!

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Got my tank to cycle in a day. Got algae and diatom blooms like the 2nd day so yup it can happen.

 

[Pennylesst]

wow!!!! diatom blooms the second day??? That is super fast!
I got a small clen up crew today so maybe when mine blooms they will eat it....

 

[Rosseau]

I was going to say you should get a snail or two and see how they do. Sometimes they are the canaries of the aquarium.


mine cycled in about the same amount of time, no problems.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9209366#post9209366 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pennylesst
wow!!!! diatom blooms the second day??? That is super fast!
I got a small clen up crew today so maybe when mine blooms they will eat it....

Yup that is what I said lol, but really it was weird one night I tested with levels all crazy. The next morning BAM! all dropped down. Do a water change to bring down that Nitrate, is it still 20? Will not harm anythign right now, but better to be safe

 

[b_mattias]

sound like when I started mine. Then I added a fish, it was swimming upside down the next morning. Tought I would have time to test and change water didn't know ammonia spikes so fast...