Hi all I was wondering what causes tanks to cycle after being set up for a while and why adding new sand. Would cause a tank to cycle.... any articles or personal experiences will be appreciated .... I understand this is a broad topic... just very interested in learning why something new added to an established tank would cause it to cycle.... because all the bacteria that u need grown to make a stable environment is still in the tank ... u have just added something new
what causes a established tank to cycle?
- Thread starter vwrock
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Scooterman
Well-known member
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/borneman_shimek_warren2.html
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/r_shimek_090698.html
To put is simple, an unpopulated addition of sand has now provided a new home for bacteria, thus the cycle, even if you use LS it will still cycle until your system reached an equilibrium!
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/r_shimek_090698.html
To put is simple, an unpopulated addition of sand has now provided a new home for bacteria, thus the cycle, even if you use LS it will still cycle until your system reached an equilibrium!
No my tank hasn't had any added yet.... I'm starting a display refugium beside my tank and have had people say it would cycle.... I just wanted to truly understand what and why it would... I'm gonna have a 1-2 inch sand bed but will be all new sand.... so I will have to cut it off from feeding my display until it cycles... not a big deal ... I'm just looking for more knowledge on what's gonna happen with the addition of new sand... I will also be using about 30-40 lbs of live rock from my established display tank... so hopefully it will help the cycle in the new refugium as well... just hope the cycle doesn't take forever... its a waiting game cuz I don't want to lose any of my fish in the addition of my fuge
Scooterman
Well-known member
I thought maybe you added sand to an existing SB and mixed it together.
No it hasn't because there is no new sand. This coming weekend I am connecting a new refugium to my dt and the new sand will be in the refugium I am strictly trying to learn as much as possible before adding it to my tank... I have added 0 sand... I am trying to figure out what the affects will be
Ah ok I think I understand now, So when you add this refugium (hopefully with water from your DT and maybe a bit of LR from the same) you shouldnt see any kind of cycle unless you leave the rock out for to long and some sponge or similar dies off. The refugium sand will be devoid of bacteria but no big deal as the bacteria will populate it over time from the tank water/system that you are attaching. If you want you can add a bacteria such as "The One and Only" bacteria from Dr. Tims to help seed the sand and speed its population up a bit if you want.
Dont really see anyway you will cycle as long as you dont leave live things out of the water to long prior to putting them into the refugium.
make sure you rinse the sand prior to putting it in so you dont cloud out your main tank.
Hope it helps
Mike
Dont really see anyway you will cycle as long as you dont leave live things out of the water to long prior to putting them into the refugium.
make sure you rinse the sand prior to putting it in so you dont cloud out your main tank.
Hope it helps
Mike
kpiotrowski
Kevin
I would think you would see no more of a cylce than you do when you add a few new fish or chunk of dry rock. I just always watch my feeding a few days after making major changes like adding rock or fish or stirring stuff up/cleaning...or trimming my macro's.
To directly answer the question: if adding live sand, there's liable to be some die-off causing a cycle. If adding 'dry' sand there is nothing inherent to the added sand that will cause a cycle but if too much is added at once it can cause problems with the existing bacteria populations, hence the cycle.
