Dr Tim’s fishless 2 weeks no movement

[swoons]

Coming up on two weeks on my fishless cycle and I’m not seeing ammonia dropping. It’s around 2-3ppm. I’m not sure if I should wait it out or retry again after a water change. Is it possible for it to just be taking a long time? Because I know they advertise as 9 days for a cycle with dr Tim’s.

 

[Uncle99]

What test kit, some don’t read trace amounts.
Your rock should be cycled by now.

 

[swoons]

What test kit, some don’t read trace amounts.
Your rock should be cycled by now.

I’m using Red Sea to test

 

[HBtank]

Many ammonia kits are not really reliable/useful since they also read NH4.

Do you have nitrate?

 

[Dan_P]

Coming up on two weeks on my fishless cycle and I’m not seeing ammonia dropping. It’s around 2-3ppm. I’m not sure if I should wait it out or retry again after a water change. Is it possible for it to just be taking a long time? Because I know they advertise as 9 days for a cycle with dr Tim’s.

There is a possibility of buying dud bottle of bacteria. If you trust your ammonia, switch to Biospira or Fritz Turbostart. They are done in days.

 

[swoons]

Many ammonia kits are not really reliable/useful since they also read NH4.

Do you have nitrate?

I have 2 nitrate but it’s been like that for I’d say about a week.

 

[swoons]

There is a possibility of buying dud bottle of bacteria. If you trust your ammonia, switch to Biospira or Fritz Turbostart. They are done in days.

How do I go about switching? Do I just add it in to my current water state or do I do a water change?

 

[HBtank]

I have 2 nitrate but it’s been like that for I’d say about a week.

Sounds like it cycled about a week ago.

 

[Uncle99]

Sounds like it cycled about a week ago.

This^^^^^
Dont be fooled by hobby grade tests.

 

[Uncle99]

How do I go about switching? Do I just add it in to my current water state or do I do a water change?

You can always add some more bacteria, not going to hurt.

 

[swoons]

This^^^^^
Dont be fooled by hobby grade tests.

What should I do about the 2-3 ppm ammonia or are you saying that it could be zero somehow?

 

[Uncle99]

What should I do about the 2-3 ppm ammonia or are you saying that it could be zero somehow?

In two weeks, with a bottle of Dr. Tim’s, saltwater, sand, rockwork, you should be cycled. I wait only 5 days.

Choices
-second different test….kinda a waste as you’ll never use that again…hopefully
-be able to do a 50% change in water same temp.
-add a different brand bacteria, at night, no flow, give a few more days then add your fish.
-add your fish.

I’ve never heard of a case where the cycled either failed or stopped.

 

[ReefGeezer]

What should I do about the 2-3 ppm ammonia or are you saying that it could be zero somehow?

Let's back up. Red Sea is a good test kit. If it says 2-3 ppm, it probably is. Have your LFS check it if you suspect the test kit is faulty. If some of the ammonia has been reduced to nitrite... even a little... it will cause the nitrate test kit to read nitrate when none is present. So ignore the nitrate reading for now.

If your test kit turns out to be ok, you could do a water change to drop the ammonia level to, or just below, 2 ppm and then add some another bottled bacteria. Fritzyme has always worked for me.

 

[hbash]

What should I do about the 2-3 ppm ammonia or are you saying that it could be zero somehow?

Take a sample to your LFS to check your numbers.

 

[swoons]

In two weeks, with a bottle of Dr. Tim’s, saltwater, sand, rockwork, you should be cycled. I wait only 5 days.

Choices
-second different test….kinda a waste as you’ll never use that again…hopefully
-be able to do a 50% change in water same temp.
-add a different brand bacteria, at night, no flow, give a few more days then add your fish.
-add your fish.

I’ve never heard of a case where the cycled either failed or stopped.

Think I’m gonna add different bacteria and see if it helps. Thanks!

 

[HBtank]

Let's back up. Red Sea is a good test kit. If it says 2-3 ppm, it probably is. Have your LFS check it if you suspect the test kit is faulty. If some of the ammonia has been reduced to nitrite... even a little... it will cause the nitrate test kit to read nitrate when none is present. So ignore the nitrate reading for now.

If your test kit turns out to be ok, you could do a water change to drop the ammonia level to, or just below, 2 ppm and then add some another bottled bacteria. Fritzyme has always worked for me.

Actually it is a bad test kit for this application, a few are that test for "total ammonia", due to false positives.

2-3 ppm ammonium is not the same thing as ammonia.

Cycles do not stall or fail.

 

[Dan_P]

How do I go about switching? Do I just add it in to my current water state or do I do a water change?

Yep, just add the new bacteria.

 

[Christian Palaco]

My tank took little over 2 weeks to cycle with the same method, I had dry rock and Bare bottom. without enough surface the bacteria takes longer to colonize

 

[ReefGeezer]

Actually it is a bad test kit for this application, a few are that test for "total ammonia", due to false positives.

2-3 ppm ammonium is not the same thing as ammonia.

Cycles do not stall or fail.

You have made some statements concerning the test kit being used. Help me understand your reasoning.

Is it that it tests for total ammonia or that it doesn't that makes it a bad test?
What form of nitrogen would you want to test for?
Would you factor in pH?
If not this kit, what test would you use?

 

[HBtank]

You have made some statements concerning the test kit being used. Help me understand your reasoning.

Is it that it tests for total ammonia or that it doesn't that makes it a bad test?
What form of nitrogen would you want to test for?
Would you factor in pH?
If not this kit, what test would you use?

I made no statements about the test kits accuracy, only the interpretation of what it measures.

Test kit (or form of nitrogen) to confirm this tank is "cycled"; aka established nitrifying bacteria? Nitrate.

pH? Only if I wanted to get nerdy about NH4/NH3 equilibria. Not sure why that would be useful here; would need a direct measurement of NH3 and/or NH4, not total ammonia.