Cycle...?

[Brooke24]

I’m a bit confused as to where to go from here it’s been three days since I added my bacteria and ammonium chloride. Here are my results for today: (I know it’s API, upgrading to salifert)
Do I add more ammonia today? (At 2, maybe 3 PPM. Hard to see but not as dark as 4 IRL.)
Or wait for the nitrates to eat up the ammonia, most likely tomorrow? (At 0.25 PPM)

 

[Ludders]

just leave it for now, test the water Sunday see how it looks then

 

[Uncle99]

If they were my tests, I would not add anything.
I would let the bacteria grow to a population that would at least show .25 (on an API test) or zero on the Salifert.

 

[Brooke24]

just leave it for now, test the water Sunday see how it looks then

If they were my tests, I would not add anything.
I would let the bacteria grow to a population that would at least show .25 (on an API test) or zero on the Salifert.

thank you guys! Is it normal to take 5 days the first round of bacteria? Most people take two-three, right?

 

[brandon429]

dr tims is 10-15

biospira and fritz are 1-2

xlm tends to be very slow, 20 days avg

 

[vetteguy53081]

P L E A S E . . . . .
take a water sample to a trusted Pet store that does not use API test kits and have it rechecked and see what They come up with. These kits are NOT reliable and have given TOO MANY reefers false readings ending in disaster

 

[Brooke24]

dr tims is 10-15

biospira and fritz are 1-2

xlm tends to be very slow, 20 days avg

Should have gone with fritz. Thank you!

 

[Brooke24]

P L E A S E . . . . .
take a water sample to a trusted Pet store that does not use API test kits and have it rechecked and see what They come up with. These kits are NOT reliable and have given TOO MANY reefers false readings ending in disaster

I think when I go to my LFS today to get some live rock I’m gonna grab some salifert kits.

 

[brandon429]

roughly how many pounds of lr are you getting

at about five pounds worth, something interesting will happen when you mix the unready dry surfaces with the instant ready skip cycle live rock from the pet store. drum roll

also how many gallons is your tank

 

[vetteguy53081]

I think when I go to my LFS today to get some live rock I’m gonna grab some salifert kits.

Now were talking. Im suggesting as I want to see every member succeed and want you to experience a true cycle and not one that is misleading.
Hanna or salifert is worth every cent for accuracy

 

[Brooke24]

roughly how many pounds of lr are you getting

at about five pounds worth, something interesting will happen when you mix the unready dry surfaces with the instant ready skip cycle live rock from the pet store. drum roll

also how many gallons is your tank

90 gallons. I’m not sure how much I’m getting today... maybe 10 lbs? I don’t have enough money to add all the live rock I want at once

 

[Brooke24]

Now where talking. Im suggesting as I want to see every member succeed and want you to experience a true cycle and not one that is misleading.
Hanna or salifert is worth every cent for accuracy

Definitely. Thank you so much!!! I don’t want it reading ammonia or nitrates wrong- so I may honestly just order the 50$ pack for now from marine depot that comes with nitrite nitrate ammonia and PH.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Definitely. Thank you so much!!! I don’t want it reading ammonia or nitrates wrong- so I may honestly just order the 50$ pack for now from marine depot that comes with nitrite nitrate ammonia and PH.

makes sense. Have store test at least:
Ammonia-nitrate-salinity-phosphate

 

[Brooke24]

makes sense. Have store test at least:
Ammonia-nitrate-salinity-phosphate

Will do!! I have a refractometer and a hydrometer for salinity, but will have them test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphates.

 

[Uncle99]

thank you guys! Is it normal to take 5 days the first round of bacteria? Most people take two-three, right?

Every system is different.
I just wait till I reach zero.
Then I do a large water change and add one fish.

 

[brandon429]

the truth about your live rock:

as you add that much live rock, any starting bioload you could add to a ninety gallon will skip cycle

that means anything you try and test using your kits will be handled by the live rock, and absolutely no remark on your uncycled rocks lol

so, you are about to buy wasted test kits that wont be used, what ammonia will do is now fully predictable without any kits.

your inert surfaces will be activated still by day 15 max depending on brand.

restatement: once you add live rock at ten pounds, you are unable to test your cycle due to adding skip cycle live rock. it will eat up any free ammonia you've caused in about two hours, but your test kits won't reveal this to you, they have a long sustained delay to report accurate levels

full confusion is coming because you aren't buying seneye. you're buying color kit charts that nearly always show free ammonia.


see our skip cycle rock thread, testless cycling, that's what is about to happen.

 

[Garf]

the truth about your live rock:

as you add that much live rock, any starting bioload you could add to a ninety gallon will skip cycle

that means anything you try and test using your kits will be handled by the live rock, and absolutely no remark on your uncycled rocks lol

so, you are about to buy wasted test kits that wont be used, what ammonia will do is now fully predictable without any kits.

your inert surfaces will be activated still by day 15 max depending on brand.

restatement: once you add live rock at ten pounds, you are unable to test your cycle due to adding skip cycle live rock. it will eat up any free ammonia you've caused in about two hours, but your test kits won't reveal this to you, they have a long sustained delay to report accurate levels

full confusion is coming because you aren't buying seneye. you're buying color kit charts that nearly always show free ammonia.


see our skip cycle rock thread, testless cycling, that's what is about to happen.

You do understand you are talking to someone that’s new to this? I’ve been doing tanks for 16 years and I really struggle with your lingo. Simple please.

 

[Ludders]

You do understand you are talking to someone that’s new to this? I’ve been doing tanks for 16 years and I really struggle with your lingo. Simple please.

Brandon is simply saying, if you add enough (10lbs is more than enough) live rock, there is no cycle. Your aquarium becomes instantly ready to support life.
The test kits become a moot point because you don't need to test in the first place and test kit results are unreliable.

 

[Garf]

You don’t want to put live rock into ammonia Laiden water. Best to wait till ammonia comes down.

 

[Brooke24]

Every system is different.
I just wait till I reach zero.
Then I do a large water change and add one fish.

my ammonia is at 1 now, and nitrite at 5 ppm. Do I add more ammonia, then check the levels tomorrow?