CONFUSED ON CYCLING

oneyedmason · Jan 31, 2021

Good day all, I am not sure where to begin, I have always used the shotgun approach at cycling my saltwater tanks due to lack of knowledge. I decided to follow advice from the LFS guy that I know. I added ATM's colony marine on Monday last week, today checked parameters and they are as follows:

PH = 8.0
Ammo = .25
Nitrites = 0
Nirtates =5.0
Salinity = 1.19 (will increase to 1.25 on next water change) using IO reef crystals for cycling process
Zeolite, bioballs, filter media in Sump

I expected the parameters to be more elevated than that. Any clarification or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Saltyreef · Jan 31, 2021

Your tank looks cycled to me.

Are you using an API kit?
Are you feeding the tank for ammonia?

Reef. · Jan 31, 2021

Do you have fish in, or did you add ammonia?

oneyedmason · Jan 31, 2021

Saltyreef said:
Your tank looks cycled to me.

Are you using an API kit?
Are you feeding the tank for ammonia?

Yes, I have been using the API, I ordered another but it has not arrived yet. I only added ATM Colony Marine Bacteria, and today I added some food to see what the results are tomorrow morning.

oneyedmason · Jan 31, 2021

Reef. said:
Do you have fish in, or did you add ammonia?

No, it just has rock as I am started the cycling process last Monday. This is why I am puzzled, my LFS guy indicated that it would take 22 days to cycle. Should I be adding anything else than ATM Colony Marine Bacteria?

BigCalhouna · Jan 31, 2021

oneyedmason said:
Yes, I have been using the API, I ordered another but it has not arrived yet. I only added ATM Colony Marine Bacteria, and today I added some food to see what the results are tomorrow morning.

Post the 24 hour results and if the ammo has dropped back down then it should be cycled! There are two other things that might happen. If your nitrites spike then it’s still in the process of cycling and you should dose ammonia cautiously over time until it goes from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. Depending on how much food you put in you might see nitrates spike a little which would mean that it is cycled!

Reef. · Jan 31, 2021

oneyedmason said:
No, it just has rock as I am started the cycling process last Monday. This is why I am puzzled, my LFS guy indicated that it would take 22 days to cycle. Should I be adding anything else than ATM Colony Marine Bacteria?

you need an ammonia source for the bacteria to feed on, I’m guessing the ATM is just bacteria no ammonia.

Best way is to buy some Dr Tim’s ammonia and dose as per the instructions or less ideal is to add a raw shrimp but then you don’t know how much ammonia is being added and over what time frame.

ATM is I believe designed to be used at the same time as adding fish, the fish then produce the ammonia for the bacteria but I prefer to do the cycle without the fish as IMO it is less risky incase the tank for what ever reason is not cycled.

Uncle99 · Jan 31, 2021

Ammonia goes up when you add, then zeroes out.
As the ammonia comes down, Nitrite goes up, then probably runs 0.05 or less, as Nitrites fall, Nitrates build.
50% water change and cycled.

Some test kits don’t show zero, API does not seem to go below 0.25 which is annoying.

When I start a tank, I seed for 4 days no flow, no UV, no ozone, then start it back up, add 10% bacteria in a bottle each day, and add my first 2 fish right away.

Reef. · Jan 31, 2021

BigCalhouna said:
Post the 24 hour results and if the ammo has dropped back down then it should be cycled! There are two other things that might happen. If your nitrites spike then it’s still in the process of cycling and you should dose ammonia cautiously over time until it goes from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. Depending on how much food you put in you might see nitrates spike a little which would mean that it is cycled!

the op hasn’t added any ammonia so the reading is probably a false reading which these tests tend to give.

BigCalhouna · Jan 31, 2021

Reef. said:
the op hasn’t added any ammonia so the reading is probably a false reading which these tests tend to give.

True I didn’t think of that. I think I read somewhere when I was in the freshwater hobby that they just masks the results? Is that true for saltwater too?

Reef. · Jan 31, 2021

BigCalhouna said:
True I didn’t think of that. I think I read somewhere when I was in the freshwater hobby that they just masks the results? Is that true for saltwater too?

Not sure what you mean by mask, but in my experience most are hard to read and the API is known to give a reading of .25 when at zero.

BigCalhouna · Jan 31, 2021

Reef. said:
Not sure what you mean by mask, but in my experience most are hard to read and the API is known to give a reading of .25 when at zero.

My bad I got mixed up lol. I was saying the primers and other such bacteria sources that claim to immediately cycle tanks

oneyedmason · Jan 31, 2021

Thanks all, I will see if I can pick-up some Dr. Tims tomorrow.

oneyedmason · Feb 3, 2021

Hello all, was unable to get Dr. Tim's as they wouldn't ship here, that seems to be the norm lately. Anyway I did the shrimp method and today was 72 hours from dropping them in and the smell alone says it all, although I did expect higher levels of ammonia. The levels today are as follows:
Ph = 8.2
Ammo = 1.0
Nitrites = 1.0
Nitrates = 5.0

I will begin taking daily readings tomorrow at the same time.

Thanks again for those who have assisted great help.

brandon429 · Feb 3, 2021

one tiny detail is missing

was the rock wet when you brought it home/live rock

or was it dry when you brought it home. Most use dry rock so you're on course if so.

oneyedmason · Feb 3, 2021

brandon429 said:
one tiny detail is missing

was the rock wet when you brought it home/live rock

or was it dry when you brought it home. Most use dry rock so you're on course if s

Yes I used dry rock. Thanks.