Cycle Performance - No changes

DownUnderAqua · Mar 22, 2022

Hi All,

Vitals Below:
Ph - 8.0
Ammonia - 0.1
Nitrite - 0.0
Nitrate - 2
KH - 7.0
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 324
Mag - 1318

Since having the tests run (day 7) through a LFS machine and then testing with RedSea Reef Test Kit at home I haven’t had any movement in Ammonia, or the others…

So, yesterday day I decided to ghost feed some Mysis… ammonia is now 0.03, nil other changes.

I’m running a fishless cycle, it’s day 10 now on start your tank - https://www.aquariumsystems.eu/unidoses-start-marine-uk-c2x31924945

Not sure what’s going on, any advice will be greatly appreciated

blaxsun · Mar 22, 2022

According to the instructions, you add fish on day 2.

DownUnderAqua · Mar 22, 2022

blaxsun said:
According to the instructions, you add fish on day 2.

Yep, the LFS suggested we don’t and with the tests I’ve been running before and after vials are added I’m not super comfortable adding fish as I don’t think the bacteria is there to eat the ammonia. So, I’m kind of in an inbeween where I think I should just start using something else and move away from this program

blaxsun · Mar 22, 2022

Joshiboi9 said:
Yep, the LFS suggested we don’t and with the tests I’ve been running before and after vials are added I’m not super comfortable adding fish as I don’t think the bacteria is there to eat the ammonia. So, I’m kind of in an inbeween where I think I should just start using something else and move away from this program

Instant Ocean BIO-Spira. Not cheap, but it allows you to insta-cycle your tank. The 100ml bottle treats 30 gallons; the 250ml bottle treats 75 gallons. Add, wait 5 minutes - add fish. You do need a fish for the ammonia/waste component. Just put the cheapest fish on your list in.

Dan_P · Mar 22, 2022

rdriggett said:
Here was my timeline:
3/5 night: add bottled bac that was possibly dead from shipping and add 2ppm ammonia
3/9: add cold turbo start 900 from LFS.
3/11: RedSea and seachem ammonia badge reads no ammonia.
3/22: No nitrite detected anymore

Sounds like it worked, no?

DownUnderAqua · Apr 9, 2022

So it’s day 27 today so here’s an update.

I seem to finally have some movement

Ammonia - 1.3 (Seneye 0.013)
Nitrite - 0.2
Nitrate - 5 to 10
Ph - 7.97

The Ammonia hasn’t moved for x3 days which out anything being added to feed it… I’m hoping this is okay and it just drops soon. I’ve got clowns in QT which are due out in a few days, if timing lines up it will be great. Happy to hold them on QT until cycles done though.

Todays Readings (Saturday)