Cycled already?

[rickm]

I've had my tank up and running for about a week now. My LR was pretty much cured when I bought it from the LFS. I added 15 lbs of LS to my DSB. So even with a very stinky dead shrimp in a cup thats decayed quite a bit I have not experienced any ammonia spikes or nitrites or any nitrate level. Tested water every other day. I just did a 10% water change and thinking about adding a fish. I also have some carbon wedged into my bubble traps and some Pura Phoslock to remove any phosphates from the LR curing. Also I've been using a product called Purple Up, anyone heard of this? The LFS swears by it for helping the Coraline algae to grow.

[KG]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I think a week is probably too soon, but it may have cycled. Not sure about the product you mentioned, but coralline needs a very mature tank with plenty of calcium. Think I'd wait and be a little more patient on that one. Good luck!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#KG#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[dakar]

While it doesn't happen very frequently it is possible your tank has cycled, it is not likely, especially with the shrimp still decomposing in there. You might want to test for ammonia with another test kit to verify your test kit.

Personaly, I'd give it some more time.

Purple-Up has been debated for quite some time, general consensus is it's a waste of $$. With the proper levels of calcium, alkalinity, and flow coraline will grow just as quickly without the additive.

[graphixx]

I would wait another week if it were me, I dont trust tanks when it comes to cycling, just when you think everything is running smooth and good.......BAM something happens, I wold just give it one more week and see if you get a spike

[rickm]

I'm in no big hurry. But if that shrimp can't trigger some cycling then I don't know what will. When I started my last tank some time ago there was a new product out. It basically was some nitrifying bacteria in a bottle. Not unlike the stuff you get now when you buy a bag of LS. Anyway you could dump the bottle in and add some fish the next day. Unlike my first SW tank that I waited some 6 weeks to cycle. So what the heck I tried a bottle, thru a fish in a couple days later. fish did great. Couple weeks later I put some coral in and never looked back. :D

[rickm]

Oh...and for those who might be interested in knowing what fish was used in that experiment. I can still remember...it was none other than....a Green Chromis.