Cycling Questions

[drcole]

Hello all, new to the saltwater world as a whole and I am starting up my reef ready 55 gallon tank. I have 50 lbs of rock which was shipped as dry rock. A 2.5 inch live sand bed which is Fiji pink arag alive. I have a sump and protein skimmer. The protein skimmer is not currently running due to trying to get through the cycle process. I will give you all a complete timeline of what has occurred throughout the process.

I first added RO/DI pre-mixed SW from my LFS to fill everything. I let the water, sand and rocks and return pump run for about 3 days to clear up. AT day 3, I added a shrimp and special blend to start the cycle. I removed the shrimp 3 days later and measured my ammonia. My ammonia that day read 0.25 and my pH is at 8.0. 1 week later, Feb 12th, all levels were reading 0, so I went and got another shrimp to add to the tank and added another dose of bacteria. It has been cold in Florida and the tank temp has been around 72 degrees the whole time up until the 6th when I got a heater in the sump. My question is why haven't I noticed a great ammonia spike?

I know this is a patient game, but would like any feedback. Thanks in advance!

 

[CodyRVA]

Just what you alluded to, it takes time and patience. Using a piece of shrimp to produce enough ammonia for your tank will take more time than what you gave it. If you want to expedite the process, use pure ammonia with no detergents. Usually you can find it at a local hardware store. I use a cap full for every 10 gallons. Adding more bacteria won't do much good if there's no ammonia/nitrite for them to consume. Your tank is far too cold, definitely need to bump up the heat. Your tank essentially never cycled, it might have started, but you pulled the shrimp too soon and it stalled. I would replace the shrimp, or go the pure ammonia route, increase your temp, and just let it sit. Don't remove the shrimp until your ammonia spikes and holds there. Hope this helps, best of luck!

 

[tankstudy]

My question is why haven't I noticed a great ammonia spike?

You won't notice a spike if your bacteria is able to consume the ammonia at the rate in which it is released from the shrimp. If this is true, you should be seeing an increase of nitrates but not ammonia or nitrites.

 

[drcole]

Temp is now up to 78, shrimp currently in the tank and ammonia is back to 0.25 ppm today, sorry I forgot to add that info to the mix.

 

[drcole]

You won't notice a spike if your bacteria is able to consume the ammonia at the rate in which it is released from the shrimp. If this is true, you should be seeing an increase of nitrates but not ammonia or nitrites.

Tomorrow is my day off, I will get those levels tomorrow

 

[Diesel]

Measure both Nitrite and Ammonia tomorrow and let us know.

 

[drcole]

So I just couldn't wait, ammonia holding steady at 0.25 and nitrite at 0

 

[Diesel]

So I just couldn't wait, ammonia holding steady at 0.25 and nitrite at 0

Test everyday at the same time and your Ammonia should rise cause of the shrimp.

 

[jetmaker]

So I just couldn't wait, ammonia holding steady at 0.25 and nitrite at 0

You need to use pure ammonia alot faster you need to be way above. 025 you need to be at 3.0

 

[drcole]

You need to use pure ammonia alot faster you need to be way above. 025 you need to be at 3.0[/QUOTE
Where do I pick some up, and at and how do I dose?

 

[jetmaker]

If you are that low you are going to go through mini cycles like crazy. I'm going to tell how to cycle in 10 days get pure ammonia shake make sure it doesn't foam that means it has no soap. Add 3 tps wait 1 week add bio speria put in 2 tsp check ammonia in 2 days should be gone check nitrate should be off the chart means good hard cycle.

 

[jetmaker]

Walmart has it just shake to make sure or a hardware store

 

[jetmaker]

If you shake pure ammonia it will have a small amount of suds and that's OK as long as it don't have a bunch.

 

[drcole]

So where is this stuff found in the store?? Lol

 

[CodyRVA]

So where is this stuff found in the store?? Lol

Should be with cleaning supplies, but as mentioned, be very careful. When you shake the bottle you should barely see any bubbles. The bubbles you will see will be large, clear, and will dissipate almost instantly. Even if its clear, shake it and test it. If you shake it and you get any foamy or lingering bubbles, it has detergent in it and is no good. I got mine at ace hardware, just ask an assistant. I tried home depot and lowes, and neither carried the stuff in store, but this probably varies from store to store.

 

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

that threads relation to your thread here in my opinion is:

-your .25 likely means zero ammonia, or low enough hobby test kits would read zero. there still is some, but your cycle will be slow at that level. we discuss verified 2-3 ppm just so you can get it done in 4-6 weeks. this is zero or trace only per the api reading. if it is .25, that's 1.75 too low or this w take a very long time to be able to run a basic fish bioload.

the cycle will persist regardless, even if you took the shrimp out. what was once 4-6 weeks becomes 4-6 mos, timing is all we control. add water, get a cycle, that's how the microbiology works. we do not control it starting or stopping, we only control the speed if no antibiotics are dosed. ammonia and bac get into a cup of water sitting on your widowsill to cycle in a few mos, some molds fungi, a gnat decomposing etc. all we control is time. add water, and it begins, even if you added tap water. in fact that will help a cycle, tap water is dirty. distilled water from wal mart is much cleaner.

-the digestion test is your known start point for adding bioload, regardless if a 3 week or 3 mo cycle is chosen based on raw ammonia and bac boosting or none.

post full tank shot, curious to see your rocks.

 

[drcole]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

that threads relation to your thread here in my opinion is:

-your .25 likely means zero ammonia, or low enough hobby test kits would read zero. there still is some, but your cycle will be slow at that level. we discuss verified 2-3 ppm just so you can get it done in 4-6 weeks. this is zero or trace only per the api reading. if it is .25, that's 1.75 too low or this w take a very long time to be able to run a basic fish bioload.

the cycle will persist regardless, even if you took the shrimp out. what was once 4-6 weeks becomes 4-6 mos, timing is all we control. add water, get a cycle, that's how the microbiology works. we do not control it starting or stopping, we only control the speed if no antibiotics are dosed. ammonia and bac get into a cup of water sitting on your widowsill to cycle in a few mos, some molds fungi, a gnat decomposing etc. all we control is time. add water, and it begins, even if you added tap water. in fact that will help a cycle, tap water is dirty. distilled water from wal mart is much cleaner.

-the digestion test is your known start point for adding bioload, regardless if a 3 week or 3 mo cycle is chosen based on raw ammonia and bac boosting or none.

post full tank shot, curious to see your rocks.

 

[brandon429]

perfect pic. that's group A rocks 100%. depending if the sand was bagged dry or wet, that will alter (help) overall ability to pass a digestion test.

 

[drcole]

Live sand bagged wet, 80 lbs total. Just added ammonia to kick start the cycle

 

[CodyRVA]

Live sand bagged wet, 80 lbs total. Just added ammonia to kick start the cycle

Good deal, test daily at the same time and you'll see the changes slowly take place. I would remove that shrimp if you haven't already, no use at this point. When you're done cycling: large water change to remove nitrates, add some fish to keep it cycled, clean up crew.