Skipping a Cycle?

[SaltwaterNoob17]

I bought a new 47 gallon aquarium :mrgreen:, and am working on getting it ready to go. I used 5 bags of live sand from Drs. F&S and 1 bag of dry sand, and LR from a guy who just broke down his tank. I haven't broken out the test kits yet, but some zoas, palys, xenia, and some other stuff that hitch-hiked on the LR seem to be doing fine. I think since the LR was already cured and the majority of the sand was live, the tank may have skipped a cycle. My question is, if my test kits read ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates at zero, do I assume the tank has cycled and move forward with livestock, OR do I purposely try to start a cycle by throwing in raw shrimp or something? Thanks.

 

[BL1]

I would throw in a shrimp just to be sure. It would suck to start putting fish in your tank only to realize that your tank wasn't actually cycled.

 

[AmberSunrise]

I used all live stuff too I think my ammonia only got up to .25 and my nitrates 40 then down to nothing.

My nitrites never went up EVER so it was weird. I think it really did skip the traditional cycle and just had a mini one from the die off of the LR I got from my LFS.

I also threw in a piece of sinking food just to be sure though so I would do that or a shrimp or whatever you have. Better safe than sorry.

 

[SaltwaterNoob17]

Thanks guys. I agree: "Better safe than sorry."

 

[parrotchute]

Generally speaking, it's a good idea to wait a month from when the tank is seeded to adding your first fish, per the authors of The Reef Aquarium: Julian Sprung and Charles Delbeek.

 

[AmberSunrise]

I waited 3 weeks so I totally cheated but it was the longest 3 weeks of my life!! And my goby is still alive so I did ok LOL

 

[SaltwaterNoob17]

I threw a raw shrimp in this afternoon. Now the waiting begins... ;)

 

[Bifferwine]

Good luck! I completely skipped a cycle when I moved into my new house and moved the stuff in my 240 into my 90. I added it all the same day too -- fish, rocks, sand, corals, etc. Risky, but I didn't really have a choice! Luckily it turned out okay. Hope yours does too.