Already Cycled?

[BenB]

Completely broke down my tank last week. I took out all the media and vacuumed the bottom of the tank with a wet vac. I cleaned the filter and the surface skimmer and soaked them in a bleach solution for a short time. The only thing that went back into the tank that didn't get disinfected was the thermometer, the CO2 difuser, and naturally the inside surfaces of the tank. A few small plants went back in, but I swished them in peroxide briefly to kill algae. I can't imagine much, if any, bacteria survived.

Since I restarted, my NH3 has been 0. I expected it to be up. Tonight, out of curiosity I tested my nitrates and they are around 26.

So my tank seems to be cycled, but I find it difficult to believe that the tiny bit of bacteria from the walls and bottom of the tank were enough to have this big of an impact since day 1. However, maybe the release of NH3 from the aquasoil is so small and slow that it doesn't take much.

Thoughts?

 

[Koan]

Biofilm is a beautiful thing

Think about how old and stable the community is under that biofilm, after all the months you've had that tank running.. the replication life cycle of a lot of those beasties is what, 20 minutes?

 

[BenB]

Yeah, I get it. Anytime you read about cycling a tank though, you get the impression that it requires so much. I just didn't imagine after ripping 99% of the biofilm out, it'd still be good to go.

 

[BenB]

Biofilm is a beautiful thing

Yet it hasn't stopped a bit of a diatom outbreak. Hopefully it won't be too bad.