Cycle Problem!!

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Jedi1199 said:
Of course you do!! Go to the LFS and buy a Salifert Nitrate kit. If you are feeling spendy, get a Hannah. Salifert is a good trusted brand, but also uses a color chart to measure. The Hannah is digital so no visual worries.
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Sorry I meant I don’t have another LFS option close lol. I have never heard of that kit, thank you for the information! I will do that tomorrow morning! I do plan to get Hannah testers for my DT but need to save up for those!
 
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Rikki248 said:
I am hoping I may be overthinking, but I am hoping to get some advice from some members!!

6/5/22 - Started cycling my 20gal QT tank to prepare for 2 clownfish coming in 6/18. Added Brightwell QuickCycl for Ammonia to 2ppm. Added what I THOUGHT was Microbacter Start XLM. Turns out it was Microbacter 7. This was an error on my part, I didn’t confirm the product had the correct name on the bottle when it delivered!

I have been testing daily, being Day 7 now I am glad I pulled out the bottle because I was concerned at the readings. Here’s where I’m at today:

Ammonia -.75-1.0 (in between green colors)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0

Salinity is at 1.023 and Temp is steady at 77.5. Lights are off and I have not done any water changes. I’m using API test kits, and from what I’ve seen on member responses here, they’re not super accurate. Should I run to my LFS and grab something to boost the cycle considering I didn’t actually add StartXLM like I originally thought? Is there something I can do? Or do I need to start all over again asap today? Please help! Thank you in advance!
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add some media from any existing tank. the fastest way to cycle a tank that I've never seen anybody else do is to use pure ammonia from walmart and some media from a previously established aquarium. it doesn't take much and can cycle a tank in a few days
 
Rikki248 said:
Sorry I meant I don’t have another LFS option close lol. I have never heard of that kit, thank you for the information! I will do that tomorrow morning! I do plan to get Hannah testers for my DT but need to save up for those!
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I got the Salifert master kit from Amazon...

 
Deltec
Michael Price said:
add some media from any existing tank. the fastest way to cycle a tank that I've never seen anybody else do is to use pure ammonia from walmart and some media from a previously established aquarium. it doesn't take much and can cycle a tank in a few days
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I wish! This is my first tank unfortunately, so I don’t have an existing tank and I know no one else with a tank. I do have my own ceramic media in the HOB filter as well as a bio block for extra surface area. I did add ammonia chloride on 6/5 like instructions said to at 2ppm.
 
Rikki248 said:
It’s a QT tank. No substrate or rock.
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Sorry I missed that. Have you tried adding 2ppm of ammonia again and retested to see if there are changes in nitrite and nitrate (meaning the bacteria are doing their thing)? You can start a tank with microbacter 7 so don't waste more money on bacteria (IMO). I would say spend the money on a proper kit for ammonia and nitrate (Salifert like was mentioned). You can use them for your DT as well. It sounds like you are cycled to me.
 
Karen00 said:
Sorry I missed that. Have you tried adding 2ppm of ammonia again and retested to see if there are changes in nitrite and nitrate (meaning the bacteria are doing their thing)? You can start a tank with microbacter 7 so don't waste more money on bacteria (IMO). I would say spend the money on a proper kit for ammonia and nitrate (Salifert like was mentioned). You can use them for your DT as well. It sounds like you are cycled to me.
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No worries! I have not added more ammonia yet, it was suggested not to do that until the current ammonia reading was at 0. Which does make sense but my concern is the test not being a correct reading, meaning it might already be at 0 if that makes sense? I just don’t want to jeopardize the tank further making it way too much ammonia for the clowns to be in on Saturday night.
 
Rikki248 said:
No worries! I have not added more ammonia yet, it was suggested not to do that until the current ammonia reading was at 0. Which does make sense but my concern is the test not being a correct reading, meaning it might already be at 0 if that makes sense? I just don’t want to jeopardize the tank further making it way too much ammonia for the clowns to be in on Saturday night.
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Clowns are pretty resilient fish. This is why in the past they were often used to cycle new tanks from the start.
 
Rikki248 said:
No worries! I have not added more ammonia yet, it was suggested not to do that until the current ammonia reading was at 0. Which does make sense but my concern is the test not being a correct reading, meaning it might already be at 0 if that makes sense? I just don’t want to jeopardize the tank further making it way too much ammonia for the clowns to be in on Saturday night.
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It probably is at 0. API reads total ammonia so even if ammonia is showing 1.0 the majority is most likely NH4. If it's fully cycled to 2.0ppm then it should handle a retest. Having said that if you can't delay the arrival of your fish then try to get different kits to test with or have your LFS retest Saturday. I think you are cycled but you can't be too careful if you're adding livestock.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
Rikki248 said:
I wish! This is my first tank unfortunately, so I don’t have an existing tank and I know no one else with a tank. I do have my own ceramic media in the HOB filter as well as a bio block for extra surface area. I did add ammonia chloride on 6/5 like instructions said to at 2ppm.
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Local fish store?
 
BRS
Jedi1199 said:
Clowns are pretty resilient fish. This is why in the past they were often used to cycle new tanks from the start.
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They certainly are, these 2 storms are basically my holy grail so I just hope to be extra careful!
 
Karen00 said:
It probably is at 0. API reads total ammonia so even if ammonia is showing 1.0 the majority is most likely NH4. If it's fully cycled to 2.0ppm then it should handle a retest. Having said that if you can't delay the arrival of your fish then try to get different kits to test with or have your LFS retest Saturday. I think you are cycled but you can't be too careful if you're adding livestock.
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I did order the full salifert kit that was suggested in another comment here, should be delivered tomorrow. Your thought process definitely makes me feel better and I really appreciate it! I think I’ll try to add more ammonia to see what it does from here. If anything I’ll know Saturday morning if I need to ask my LFS if they’re willing to host my fish while this QT finishes up.
 
Rikki248 said:
I did order the full salifert kit that was suggested in another comment here, should be delivered tomorrow. Your thought process definitely makes me feel better and I really appreciate it! I think I’ll try to add more ammonia to see what it does from here. If anything I’ll know Saturday morning if I need to ask my LFS if they’re willing to host my fish while this QT finishes up.
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The API kits messed me up. I had pretty much the same issue as you. It turns out I was cycled even with the API results. I confirmed with the Salifert kits I ordered and with my LFS. :-) The only thing with yours is that I would expect to see some nitrates so that's why I suggested doing the ammonia test again so you can see if the ammonia is being processed which would show up in testing. It's possible you have nitrates but API isn't registering them.
 
Deltec
Karen00 said:
The API kits messed me up. I had pretty much the same issue as you. It turns out I was cycled even with the API results. I confirmed with the Salifert kits I ordered and with my LFS. :) The only thing with yours is that I would expect to see some nitrates so that's why I suggested doing the ammonia test again so you can see if the ammonia is being processed which would show up in testing. It's possible you have nitrates but API isn't registering them.
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This is exactly my thinking as well. I am hope the salifert tests will show different results. Both LFS near me use API so every time I took them a sample they got the same results as I did which was not helpful. They told me to do a water change, which I have not yet done because if it is truly cycling I am concerned it will disturb it
 
Only thing I know will work which I did. Was daily water changes if you want to add.fish immediately. I added my clowns the first day I set up the tank and dosed seechems stability every day and also did little water changes and my tanks 3 months later is doing awesome. I have a few corals and multiple fish everyone is happy. Hope this helps and hopefully you have a successful journey in the hobby. Also I have seen people stating live sand/ rock I would most definitely look into this as it comes with so many beneficial bacteria. And don't get Liferock that's purple at the lfs it's not Coraline algae is paint and has no beneficial bacteria at all.
 
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