# Cycling Temperature



## jameson_uk (14 May 2019)

Triggered by comments from @dw1305 and @alto I was wondering about the temperature and cycling.  As plants were still sat in their pots in the tank it was suggested I drop the temperature to low 20s°C.  

I had it sat there at 27°C as this is what temperature it will run at.Which I was thought would give the most stability.

Now I am wondering whether cycling at a lower temperature is actually better?  

I know when I have moved plants from my main tank (25°C) to my shrimp tank (~20°C) I have seen quite a lot of melt.  Part of this is the lower flow and light in the shrimp tank but I guess temperature plays a part too.

What is the best approach to temperature?  Leave it as it is going to be, set it low and whack it up just before adding livestock, set it low then slowly bring it up or doesn't it really matter?


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## Chuck Turtleman (14 May 2019)

I tend to set my heater (as well as any other parameter) to whatever I will want the final tank's to be.


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## KeeperOfASilentWorld (14 May 2019)

Min 28 - max 30 celcius for cycling a water only tank. 21-23 for plants and shrimp. 24 is a good medium in a high tech tank for overall tank-fish-shrimp-plant health.


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## dw1305 (14 May 2019)

Hi all,





jameson_uk said:


> Now I am wondering whether cycling at a lower temperature is actually better?





jameson_uk said:


> or doesn't it really matter?


"_Doesn't really matter_" would be my guess. I think if you had temperatures in the low teens (or below) it would compromise both plant growth and the development of the microbial assemblage, but I'm not sure it is going to make much difference if the temperature options are both over 20oC.

cheers Darrel


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## zozo (15 May 2019)

dw1305 said:


> I think if you had temperatures in the low teens (or below) it would compromise both plant growth



It definitibely does.. 

Creeping Jenny which is a winter hardy indigenous perennial, indoors less sun but relatively a tad higher and more stable temps.. Growing faster and bigger.



 

Compaired with the same plant outdoor averagely recieving full sun but very fluctuating temps rather cool nights. Definitively still strugling.


 

Both planted at same size about  6 weeks ago. Outdoor barely grew, indoor 300% improvement. 

But it also highly depends on species especialy for the (sub)tropicals, some are realy temp sensitive other take it remarkably well.. Example (North American sub tropical) Juncens repens absolutely dies if temps are constantly bellow 14°C, it suffers and having difficulties with anything bellow 20°C.


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## KeeperOfASilentWorld (15 May 2019)

jameson_uk said:


> What is the best approach to temperature? Leave it as it is going to be, set it low and whack it up just before adding livestock, set it low then slowly bring it up or doesn't it really matter?



The temperature for optimum growth of nitrifying bacteria is between 77-86° F (25-30° C).

Growth rate is decreased by 50% at 64° F (18° C).

Growth rate is decreased by 75% at 46-50° F. (7-10° C).

No activity will occur at 39° F (4° C).

Nitrifying bacteria will die at 32° F (0° C).

Nitrifying bacteria will die at 120° F (49° C).


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## alto (15 May 2019)

But what sort of “nitrifying bacteria”?

Many bacteria previously regarded as _The_ Aquarium N-Cycle bacteria, have been proven to be of little consequence in established aquaria


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## sciencefiction (15 May 2019)

alto said:


> But what sort of “nitrifying bacteria”?



According to latest studies, the most commonly found ones are:

AOA amoA
_Nitrospira_ as the dominant nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB)
comammox _amoA_ (complete oxydizing bacteria)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5276851/

The below is another interesting paper on microbial diversity with similar findings.

https://dc.uwm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2750&context=etd


@alto 

You may find it extra interesting as columnaris is found to exist naturally in the water column as an opportunistic pathogen.


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