Dry Rock Cycling

[kathya0321]

I started a 16 gal Biocube on 10/10/21 below are my readings from beginning to now. I had to go away for 3 days so couldn't test, does my tank look like it is cycling ok? I used Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride and Brightwell's Bacteria to start.

				Ammonia	Nitrite	Nitrate	PH	Salinity
10/10/2021​	Dosed 50 gtts Ammonia			0.0ppm			​	1.026
10/10/2021​	Dosed 3 capfuls Bacteria
10/11/2021​				1.0ppm	0ppm		8​
10/12/2021​				2.0ppm	0.25ppm
10/13/2021​				1.0ppm	.50ppm
10/17/2021​				0.50ppm	2.0ppm	20ppm

 

[Quietman]

What are you using for ammonia test?

 

[kathya0321]

What are you using for ammonia test?

API

 

[Quietman]

Then yes, should be ready to add fish. While your tank hasn't completed implementing the full nitrogen cycle it is safe to add fish. Nitrites are not toxic in saltwater. You may wish to do water change to drop nitrates down to 5-10 ppm but 20 ppm isn't going to harm the fish at all and will also be fine for most soft corals.

 

[kathya0321]

Then yes, should be ready to add fish. While your tank hasn't completed implementing the full nitrogen cycle it is safe to add fish. Nitrites are not toxic in saltwater. You may wish to do water change to drop nitrates down to 5-10 ppm but 20 ppm isn't going to harm the fish at all and will also be fine for most soft corals.

Thank you, I am going to wait another 2 weeks to add a clown fish just to be safe. Glad to know I'm heading in the right direction.

 

[Garf]

Thank you, I am going to wait another 2 weeks to add a clown fish just to be safe. Glad to know I'm heading in the right direction.

Your gonna do just fine, I can tell.

 

[Quietman]

Your gonna do just fine, I can tell.

Waiting to do anything already puts you in the top 10% of beginning reefers. Welcome to the club!

 

[Dan_P]

I started a 16 gal Biocube on 10/10/21 below are my readings from beginning to now. I had to go away for 3 days so couldn't test, does my tank look like it is cycling ok? I used Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride and Brightwell's Bacteria to start.

				Ammonia	Nitrite	Nitrate	PH	Salinity
10/10/2021​	Dosed 50 gtts Ammonia			0.0ppm			​	1.026
10/10/2021​	Dosed 3 capfuls Bacteria
10/11/2021​				1.0ppm	0ppm		8​
10/12/2021​				2.0ppm	0.25ppm
10/13/2021​				1.0ppm	.50ppm
10/17/2021​				0.50ppm	2.0ppm	20ppm

Looks like it is going according to plan. The nitrate is high because the presence of nitrite causes nitrate to appear high.

I just saw you are using an API test for ammonia. This test does not work well at low concentrations of ammonia. Chances are your system is close to being ready.

By the way, nitrite in saltwater is not a problem. Many folks plow ahead and stock before the nitrite is used up.

 

[Spare time]

Just dump the whole bottle of bacteria in. It should be fine. You know you are done when ammonia looks pretty much like 0 on the API and nitrite is 0 (nitrite is processed slower than ammonia so hypothetically you should see nitrite dissappear after ammonia dissapears).


When you dump the bottle in, take out any filter pad or carbon (the bacteria sticks to things so have them stick to things you are not throwing out). Wait a couple of days, then do a big water change to bring nitrate back down. Then go get some fishy friends