This disclosure describes methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems that can introduce short calibration sequences into a sequencing device and run calibration cycles to adjust or otherwise determine a sequencing parameter corresponding to the sequencing device. For instance, the disclosed systems can detect a flow cell (or other sample-nucleotide slide) with calibration sequences incorporated into samples' library fragments or into a surface of the sample-nucleotide slide. By running one or more calibration cycles to incorporate nucleobases on oligonucleotides corresponding to calibration sequences and capture corresponding images for calibration sequences—separate from genomic sequencing cycles for sample genomic sequences—the disclosed systems can determine a sequencing parameter corresponding to the sequencing device.