Cycling question

[djray77]

I am setting up a new 75g, I put it Dr Tims One and only and the right amount of ammonia per the instructions this past Sunday. These are my results today. My question is do I leave it alone or add more ammoina? The directions say, Day 3 - If ammonia and nitrite are below 1 ppm add more ammonia: four drops of our ammonium chloride per gallon (check the label).
But my nitrite is defiantly not below 1ppm but I believe the ammonia is (if my eyes are right lol). So what should I do?

 

[John Snider]

I am setting up a new 75g, I put it Dr Tims One and only and the right amount of ammonia per the instructions this past Sunday. These are my results today. My question is do I leave it alone or add more ammoina? The directions say, Day 3 - If ammonia and nitrite are below 1 ppm add more ammonia: four drops of our ammonium chloride per gallon (check the label).
But my nitrite is defiantly not below 1ppm but I believe the ammonia is (if my eyes are right lol). So what should I do?

Patience is key. I’m starting my own 75 gallon and I know it’s hard not to just add things to the new tank. If the nitrogen cycle has begun (which it appears to be) it takes time for the nitrites to level off. Ammonia and nitrites are deadly to fish so wait for those to drop. Nitrates are less harmful to fish but are not great for corals at high levels. IMO you’re on your way and it shouldn’t be too much longer before u can add critters

 

[djray77]

OK, so just leave it alone and not add any more ammonia? I was thinking this but thought I would ask the experts on here. This Dr Tims really works fast wow!

 

[brandon429]

one very interesting detail about cycling threads: pics of your rocks is more important than pics of the test readings~

why that is the case:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/instant-tank-cycle.612166/

 

[djray77]

Here is a pic of the rocks

 

[brandon429]

that's just what I suspected

a skip cycle setup, potentially. we should dissect n see.

first of all, and as the sole indicator required, is that real coralline on that rock or painted coralline/fake

real coralline means your rock is already cycled, and anything done now is redundant. not harmful, just a stall and its fun to dissect this stuff.

so is that live rock from a live rock vat in the lfs with pods and worms n stuff

when they do painted coralline, they usually paint more. that looks real. what a very very nice scape and setup. dry bone white rocks get the dr tims

live rocks transferred among tanks keep all their bac, and are fully ready. yours looks like the skip cycle option! really fun.

 

[djray77]

It is the caribsea life rock. https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/l...0jF5daaWdk5vXQvyzXu98d9FLyiU4P-EaArXXEALw_wcB
It claims no curing, and is infused with spored, live bacteria.

Thank you! Scaping is always the hardest part for me.

 

[lapin]

Here is my ipinion;
You have quick cycle rock and you added bacteria. Your ammonia came down fast as to be expected. The nitrite is still very high. This means that a certain type of bacteria still needs to multiply enough as to convert your nitrite to nitrate. I have found this usually takes longer. You can wait and your nitrite will drop. You can add more ammonia and create a bigger bacteria colony. Its up to you.

 

[djray77]

I think I will just wait it out and see what happens. I dont want to add more things and start causing problems.

 

[brandon429]

hey it took a sec but I found a liferock cycle thread, may be a nice reference too
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycle.610430/#post-6142071

its true yours does need a little ramp up time. they paint em so well nowadays, I like to use that disclaimer ha. for sure the ammonia you added is enough all you do is wait two weeks, change water, begin~

 

[djray77]

So my nitrite is dropping and Ammonia is at zero. I have another questions for you guys, what the heck are these? They are covered all over my glass. My first thought were copepods but how is that possible so soon?

 

[KrisReef]

Pineapple sponges?

 

[djray77]

They are crawling on the glass, I thought sponges stay put?

 

[brandon429]

somehow that rock is live

even if it was caribsea life rock, someone stored that wet before you. bagged sand doesn't come w the bugs those are rock associates.

 

[djray77]

The sand was defiantly not live it was sand I had stored in buckets for awhile and I rinsed the hell out of it lol. The rock was dry in the boxes it came in, I have no clue.

 

[brandon429]

how fun, to trace out benthic life forms yep.

that means by deduction these rocks could not have been dry when you brought them home, they had to be wet at least recently before you transferred them out of the pet store?

 

[djray77]

I ordered the rocks online they were shipped in boxes and no signs of being wet at all.

 

[brandon429]

Did the sand ever dry out fully? Had to be a wet source to sustain them they're not aerial transfer, some organisms are but not those. I guess they can be in the rocks if the place had them hydrated but that's rare, it costs more to ship heavier rocks they're mystery hitchikkers that's neat

 

[djray77]

Did the sand ever dry out fully? Had to be a wet source to sustain them they're not aerial transfer, some organisms are but not those

No the sand was not fully dry when I put it in. I rinsed it out and then scoped the sand out and put into the tank. What I dont understand is the ammonia level was sky high when I added the dr tims ammonia, how would anything live through that?

 

[brandon429]

They sure might, when a fish dies it doesn't usually wipe the tank but it's a neat mystery either way well done documentation