Cycled?

[Brewers best]

NH3 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 7
Dosed ammonia after the test to check again tomorrow. Want to get opinions and start a poll for a Red Sea entry . I used Dr Tim’s One and Only. So am I cycled?

 

[Krixic]

When did you start your cycle? It looks like you have some bacteria growing but your population may not be very large. Did you ghost feed/add ammonia drops to feed the bacteria? If not, those nitrate levels may be due to left over food/trace elements from old rock (if you are using that). I need a bit more info. But it looks pretty good so far. Keep in mind, its easy to assume that the cycle is done when your NH3 and NO2 are at zero but be wary as it is difficult to gauge if you have a bacteria population big enough to take on the bio load of fish.

This thread goes more in depth https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/

 

[Brewers best]

The rock was bleached and dried. I have been dosing ammonia. I did also use live sand along with Dr Tim’s. Cycle has been going for about 3 weeks. Only adding two clowns to start. That is still at least two weeks away.

 

[Krixic]

The rock was bleached and dried. I have been dosing ammonia. I did also use live sand along with Dr Tim’s. Cycle has been going for about 3 weeks. Only adding two clowns to start. That is still at least two weeks away.

Its sounds like you are on the right path then! Looks like you have a decently size bacteria colony and two clowns shouldnt do too much damage (hopefully). I'd let someone a bit more qualified than me have a final say just to be sure but im pretty certain that you are ready to introduce some fish, especially if you wait a couple more weeks. Congrats and good luck with the tank

 

[Brewers best]

@Krixic Thanks for the advise.

 

[Krixic]

@Krixic Thanks for the advise.

For sure!

 

[SMSREEF]

I clicked more info needed.
If you dosed ammonia to 2 and it’s down to 0 in 24 hours you are done.

 

[Brewers best]

Okay. So I am cycled. I ran a few more ammonia doses to test. Do I need to keep using ammonia or ghost feed until I get fish? Not sure at what point that will be. I won’t get to the LFS until at least next Friday and that depends on if they have what I want.

 

[NashobaTek]

Okay. So I am cycled. I ran a few more ammonia doses to test. Do I need to keep using ammonia or ghost feed until I get fish? Not sure at what point that will be. I won’t get to the LFS until at least next Friday and that depends on if they have what I want.

When I cycled my tank I kept dosing ammonia until the day before fish arrived and ghost feed that day and the next morning. Fish did great when they went into the tank

 

[NashobaTek]

Okay. So I am cycled. I ran a few more ammonia doses to test. Do I need to keep using ammonia or ghost feed until I get fish? Not sure at what point that will be. I won’t get to the LFS until at least next Friday and that depends on if they have what I want.

When I cycled my tank I kept dosing ammonia until the day before fish arrived and ghost feed that day and the next morning. Fish did great when they went into the tank

 

[Krixic]

Okay. So I am cycled. I ran a few more ammonia doses to test. Do I need to keep using ammonia or ghost feed until I get fish? Not sure at what point that will be. I won’t get to the LFS until at least next Friday and that depends on if they have what I want.

Just do what you normally did. If you added a drop once a day or ghost fed a cube of shrimp every so often, go ahead and keep doing that. You could also get your clean up crew started which will introduce some bioload to the tank which the beneficial bacteria will start consuming. But if you seriously don't plan on getting any fish at the time being then you can just keep doing your normal routine which will continue building your healthy bacteria population.