Cycle paused ??

[yusor]

Hello all..

I started my tank a week ago..
started the cycle readings 3 days ago and everyday it's the same:

Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm


Info:
Bio filtration and carbon
Skimmer
Heater : 80 F
Power head for circulation/ waves and oxygen

Crushed coral bed
A mix of dry rock and live rock

I would say 90% of what came with the live rock are fine .. bristle starfish, urchin, snails and hermits ...

What should I do ?


Thanks in advance

 

[brandon429]

That's a skip cycle tank.

The animals in tow prove the live portion has bacteria to run the system

Were it not that way, the waste they create would compound and water would turn rotten

The non live portion catches up via association underwater from the live portion

For this type of cycle we want zero ammonia

Change water well, add some easy corals. Add fish in a month after everything is verified


When people set up hundreds of aquariums at Marine conventions they're all skip cycle tanks like yours- they don't show up a month early.

your tank probably can support some fish but they need to go through quarantine and that buys enough time to ease into things

The live animals dislike ammonia and it can kill them that's why this type of cycle is a zero ammonia cycle you would just change the water. Also do a search to see how often ammonia test kits are wrong it's amazing

 

[yusor]

Thanks Brandon, appreciated

 

[yusor]

So now can I add food/ Ammonia to test the cycle ?

Or do a water change, add a fish and see how it goes ?

 

[brandon429]

No, you add no ammonia here it stresses your animals in tow. Post a pic, we can ID your cycle off pics. It's complete per your description or the animals wouldn't have come along with the rock
If food is added it's to feed corals, not to jump ammonia as a test


All fish need to be quarantined that holds you up 75 days already but not for cycle reasons.

 

[yusor]

HI again .... so I was waiting to see if there will be changes in the readings ...

Ammonia was 1 ppm now 2 ppm
Nitrite still 0
Nitrate still 5 ppm


Noting that I had to put a very little amount of flakes so the inverts don't die and just kept topping evaporated water ...

Here are photos of the readings
First image is for last week and the second is for now

 

[IslandLifeReef]

You could add some bacteria like Tims One and Only or any other product you prefer.

 

[yusor]

Thanks .. I was wondering what am I doing wrong that the bacteria won't grow ? Any idea ?

 

[brandon429]

The ideal is a full water change matching salinity and temperature of the change water if this is close to nano reef size and accessible like that

After that, add the bottle bac as mentioned

 

[brandon429]

The right move in a blended substrate cycle, live and dry mixed, is to plan the entire cycle around what the costlier portion commands... The living portion.

Because the dry substrate is underwater with the live, we'd keep a zero ammonia condition at all times and in thirty days it's all equal. The next step is surely the zero ammonia step via complete water change.

 

[yusor]

Thank you , I will do that ...
But would you please explain why I can't directly add the bacteria so it works on the already existing Ammonia ?

Thanks again

 

[brandon429]

It's too slow compared to the needs of the higher life forms, ammonia burns badly. They're something that takes time to deposit not intended to be fast remedy

If you hadn't any higher life forms, persistent ammonia would be no issue