Weekly Discussion: Cycle

[jenglish]

Cycling is a term that is used a lot in this hobby, especially when one is just getting into reefkeeping. This may sound like a simple topic, and it can be, but there may be more to it than some realize.

So what do you think of when you hear the term cycling?

[Reeftanker3295]

I think the cycle is a huge part of reefkeeping, add anything too fast before the cycle ends and youll get algae and all sorts of problems! I think that alot of people dont research before setting up their first tank (me ) and when the cycle hits they dont know what to do and it ends up leading to all sorts of problems like corals not surviving in the tank, cyano, hair algae, bubble algae and other nuisance algae breakouts further in the life of the tank because the person didn't hit the cycle right.
My term of cycling would be the nitrifying bacteria building up on live rock or bioballs or any other biological filter in order to sustain the amounts of ammonia and nitrites produced by livestock and convert the ammonia and nitrite into the less harmful nitrate.

[fchidsey]

My definition of cycle is the establishment of bacteria to handle the bio load of animals in the tank to breakdown amonia to nitrate and nitrate to nitrite.

Fred

[random]

Just getting my feet wet (sorry) with my first tank, and learning mostly from TRT & our local fish dude, so more question than comment:

Thought I heard something about the nitrogen cycle being only one of the many kinds of cycles that you can expect with your tank. So I was wondering:

what are some of the other kinds of cycles?

[jenglish]

Originally Posted by random

Just getting my feet wet (sorry) with my first tank, and learning mostly from TRT & our local fish dude, so more question than comment:

Thought I heard something about the nitrogen cycle being only one of the many kinds of cycles that you can expect with your tank. So I was wondering:

what are some of the other kinds of cycles?

I have some thoughts on this but I will wait until some more folks jump in with their take.

I also don't want it seem like I am asking questions I already have an answer to

[Doug1]

The Nitrogen cycle is the first and most important cycle to get through , but after that there are cycles that involve silicates(diatoms) and sulfur and phosphates. Typically it takes at least 6 months for a newly established tank to settle down if the Live Rock is pretty well cured and the stocking phase goes slowly, allowing the tank plenty of time to adjust.

[Loverotties]

It's the backbone of your system!

[jenglish]

The "cycle" most people seem to refer to is the nitrogen cycle. This most basic cycle is the build up of bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrite, and then a second groupt that can convert nitrite to nitrate. With hypoxic areas we get another group of bacteria that can convert nitrate to nitrogen gas.

But what about the other cycles? Diatoms are almost always seen until sponges get established to outcompete them for silicate. What about the little filter feeding worms? I have set up a tank with sand from another tank, and cured rock... I still get a bloom of diatoms and a huge population burst of those little worms. A few months later the worms are a rare sight.

[fchidsey]

I mentioned one time about a phosphate cycle and was ridiculed sort of. but i would also consider all of these things cycles when your start a tank. All of the trials and tribulations of the tank maturing during the first 12 - 18 months. My question is when one does a rebuild or redesign does this happen again just on a smaller level?

Fred

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by jenglish

Cycling is a term that is used a lot in this hobby... ...so what do you think of when you hear the term cycling?

[Reeftanker3295]

Originally Posted by tdwyatt

Wow i saw you commented on this and thought there would be a huge explanation, pulled a fast one on me that time .

[Doug1]

Originally Posted by fchidsey

I mentioned one time about a phosphate cycle and was ridiculed sort of. but i would also consider all of these things cycles when your start a tank. All of the trials and tribulations of the tank maturing during the first 12 - 18 months. My question is when one does a rebuild or redesign does this happen again just on a smaller level?

Fred

Good Question Fred, and like the rest of the hobby there is no fst pat answer. I think the most important thing is to use cooked off rock, RO/DI from the very begining, quality salt mix and be dilengent about water changes, limiting the amounts of food put into the tank, set up good circulation and decent skimming, as well as watching the amounts and kinds of livestock added. I feel that matching the livestock to the simulated biotope and understanding the dynamics of your system will allow the longest period of trouble free flourishing

[jenglish]

I tend to think of phosphates as being something tht builds up rather than has a cycle per say. I have heard some folks with nitrate reactors say that PO4 gets gassed off as well. Perhaps there is something I don't know about there.

[fchidsey]

I have to say with my current build I am very happy that I have had to take my time to build thing one because of budget issues and two because there are only so many hours per day and I am limited to only working on the tank in my off time. all of that being said when the salt gets added to the tank we will be adding animals very slowly as well which will allow for the tank to establish it's self and only create additional bateria as needed for the nutrient load.

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by Reeftanker3295

Wow i saw you commented on this and thought there would be a huge explanation, pulled a fast one on me that time .

Sorry, I wa in a goofy mood this week.

BTW, phposhate cannot "gass off", see any number of articles on phosphate cycles re: phosphate in the presence of calcium. it does go through a potential aqueous cycle of sorts, but it is usually scavenged for in aquatic systems, and as such, is almost instantly assimilated in closed systems as a luxury nutrient 9see luxury assimilation,esp in marine algae)