Cycling tank and ran to BIG PROBLEM!! help!

[belatube]

Hey guys.

from my endless days of reading and listening to reefing podcast i think that the answer to my question is NO. and even its a yes its no biggie just be more patient. but If there is something im not sure of I'm the type who wants to know the real correct answer for knowledge.

This is what happened

7 days into my cycling I wanted to start my deepsand bed fuge so i bought the same
CARIBSEA oceans direct LIVE Sand to use. when i opened the bag i saw this small plastic bag
that said "bio-magnet, water clearifer" I red the directions and said once placing sand in tank with water open this bag and slowly pour it out in high flow area of tank. Right after i read that i said OH Shoot!!! cuz i never saw that bad and i just dumbed the first bag in the tank and never saw it.

It was like a needle in a hay stack and once i finally found it. the LR that took me hours of placing are out of the tank and soo much sand got stirred around could not see my hand when its in the tank and took day and half for it to clear.

how did this affect on my cycle stage if at all it did? also this might sound like a dumb question.. is it posible all that sand would have killed any bacteria i have craeted? Im testing first thing in the morning. also i just got my magnesium, calcium, phosphate, salifert test kits. I believe it would be a waste too use them now during cycle. whats your opinion on that?

Thanks guys!

[Rob]

if its only been 7 days you should be fine, it can take months for a DSB to mature, whatever is in there after these few days should rebound quickly, and you should have your cycle going in the next 4-6 week as with any normal tank. you are in for some of the hardest times for new hobbyists.. everyone wants to get there new tank stocked asap. make sure you remember the advice and keep your patience.. use the RAW shrimp to get your cycle started, this will promote the bacteria growth in there you need. you should be just fine

[salt-rookie]

Put some live rock in the tank to help yourself along!

[goblin072]

I would doubt it hurt the bacteria.

You can cycle the tank for a huge load if you do a fishless cycle. It can be done in under two weeks.
Basically you add ammonia to the tank (for food). You can simulate a ammonia load of 50 fish if you want to. At the end of the cycle that tank will have a monster colony of bacteria. Much larger then you would get by doing it the old fashion way of using a starter fish. Using starter fish you only
expose the bacteria to a load of 1 fish. This causes mini cycles as you add fish later.

[Phurst]

Keep in mind though, if you build up a huge load of bacteria, and then stop feeding it the same levels of ammonia (i.e adding one or two fish) you will have a mini cycle anyway as the bacterial colony dies of due to starvation.

[belatube]

thanks guy s

[lReef lKeeper]

Originally Posted by Phurst

Keep in mind though, if you build up a huge load of bacteria, and then stop feeding it the same levels of ammonia (i.e adding one or two fish) you will have a mini cycle anyway as the bacterial colony dies of due to starvation.

my thoughts exactly. how does he ALWAYS beat me to the posts ?? !!

[Phurst]

You've been reduced to chasing me around the forums

Nah, I just have a boring job sitting in front of a computer...

[wvfisher]

How long should you leave the shrimp in the tank?

[CarmieJo]

I agree with the advice you've been given and that this won't hurt anything.

Using starter fish you only
expose the bacteria to a load of 1 fish. This causes mini cycles as you add fish later.

I never recommend using fish to cycle a tank. There is no reason to subject a critter to the toxic environment of the cycle. A raw shrimp, ammonia, or your live rock will do the same thing and is far kinder.

[belatube]

thanks for all your reply guys

[goblin072]

Originally Posted by Phurst

Keep in mind though, if you build up a huge load of bacteria, and then stop feeding it the same levels of ammonia (i.e adding one or two fish) you will have a mini cycle anyway as the bacterial colony dies of due to starvation.

Good point. I have not tested that theory out. I did test 1 fish vs adding ammonia. I put a bunch of fish in at once and did get some huge spikes which indicated that cycle for one fish is not enough.

I also put 35 africans in a 55 gallon tank after a fishless cycle and was amazed that there was not a nitrite or ammonia spike.

I am not sure that the entire colony will die down, it maybe that there still is a large colony that is at a lower growth rate because as you said you are not feeding it. I suppose you could keep adding a little ammonia to stimulate the large colony.

I mainly use the fishless for africans as they are best put in a tank all at once vs one at a time.

[Pinecone_Jeff]

Also, just for perspective, I had a 37 gal tank going for about 4 years when a power outtage devistated my critters. I gave away what was left and tore down my tank.

I had a 6" DSB (which I wish I had in a refugium because it was kinda nasty looking). When I started taking the sand out, the sand at about the 3" depth (half way down) and deeper looked just like it did the day I put the sand in! It didn't look like there was any biologic action in there at all. Of course, this was just with my naked eyes, but I was really suprised at how "clean" it was.

On the other hand, the sand at the top was teaming with worms and other critters. I gave a bunch of that away.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, even after 4 years, only half of my DSB was "active." Now, I'm not sure what was happening down at the anoxic level, but it sure looked clean to me.

Anyone have any info or links to any DSB studies and what exactly goes on near the bottom?

Oh, and one other thing. This was before I learned about stirring the sand in small areas from time to time to maintain the DSB. At that time, one camp of thought was to never touch the DSB. But we know better now, right?

[Amphibious]

Dr. Ron Shimek wrote the book, "Sand Bed Secrets" on DSBs here is a link that will take you to my web site and a link to the on-line article.

aragonite

Once there, click on the book's thumbnail picture.

Dick