First marine venture, cycle help please

[Brav403]

As title suggests; Started a cycle in my 33gallon with life rock, arag alive sand. Dosed turbostart 900 alongside Fritz Fishless Fuel.

Recorded 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites after 12 days. Proceeded to dose 2ppm ammonia so I could try and measure Ammonia & Nitrite to 0 again within 24 hours before considering adding livestock.

Added some more turbostart 900 on 4th March because I wasn't convinced I'd added enough initially. Ammonia and Nitrites still not 0 as of today (ammonia 0.2 nitrite 0.05 using Red Sea test kit)

Concerned that I've read in alot of places that Turbostart really should help to cycle the tank within 5 days (Granted I didn't add loads initially) and as of Monday 11th March I am 3 weeks in.

Should I just be patient?

 

[lapin]

3 weeks in. If you are dosing 2ppm ammonia and reading 0.2 in 24 hours your tank is cycled. Do not worry about nitrite

 

[Brav403]

3 weeks in. If you are dosing 2ppm ammonia and reading 0.2 in 24 hours your tank is cycled. Do not worry about nitrite

Unfortunately it's taken 5 days to get down to 0.2 ammonia since dosing 2ppm. Current numbers this morning were 0.2 ammonia 0.05 nitrite & 10 nitrate

 

[lapin]

When you dose to 2ppm are you testing to be sure its 2 ppm in the tank?

 

[Brav403]

When you dose to 2ppm are

Not right away no, I left it 24 hours after dosing the instructed amount to bring to 2ppm. After 24hrs ammonia was at 1.2, it's since dropped slowly over a period of 5 days where its now at 0.2

 

[lapin]

ok here is what i would do.
Stop dosing ammonia. Add a few pellets or a bit of food . Like the amount you plan to feed your fish in 1 day.
Test in 24 hours if ammonia is still at the same level (.02) then you are good to add a couple of fish.

 

[PotatoPig]

The bacteria is working. Your ammonia is being converted to nitrites and your nitrites are being converted to nitrates. It’s also possible the remaining straggler ammonia is test error.

For a “I want to add my first fish” stage this tank is cycled. Either do a large water change to bring ammonia down or wait a few more days for the bacteria to finish up. The bacteria won’t starve, at this point no need to artificially feed them.

Start slow - don’t add your full bioload on day 1. Add a couple fish, inverts, etc. These will feed the bacteria and also bring in their own bacteria so your cycle/biome can develop. This is an ongoing process that will eventually fill out your ecosystem for a more complex biome should you plan to add corals once your tank matures and stabilizes.

Add your fish and inverts (quarantine per your personal risk tolerance) and get ready for the next chapter: Adventures in Algae Control

 

[Brav403]

The bacteria is working. Your ammonia is being converted to nitrites and your nitrites are being converted to nitrates. It’s also possible the remaining straggler ammonia is test error.

For a “I want to add my first fish” stage this tank is cycled. Either do a large water change to bring ammonia down or wait a few more days for the bacteria to finish up. The bacteria won’t starve, at this point no need to artificially feed them.

Start slow - don’t add your full bioload on day 1. Add a couple fish, inverts, etc. These will feed the bacteria and also bring in their own bacteria so your cycle/biome can develop. This is an ongoing process that will eventually fill out your ecosystem for a more complex biome should you plan to add corals once your tank matures and stabilizes.

Add your fish and inverts (quarantine per your personal risk tolerance) and get ready for the next chapter: Adventures in Algae Control

Thanks for the response, my plan was to wait another 48 hours or so until Saturday bedore picking up a Clown Pair, no intention of rushing at this stage and so more fish/inverts can wait. (Inverts maybe when I start to get algae forming etc) - Appreciate the advice

 

[vetteguy53081]

Unfortunately it's taken 5 days to get down to 0.2 ammonia since dosing 2ppm. Current numbers this morning were 0.2 ammonia 0.05 nitrite & 10 nitrate

A cycle when two things occur - when ammonia rises then falls and holds a steady reading of Zero for at least 5 days and also when nitrate rises and falls and holds at 20 or below- you are cycled.
Did you add ammonia chloride or something to increase ammonia initially ?

 

[The_Paradox]

Thanks for the response, my plan was to wait another 48 hours or so until Saturday bedore picking up a Clown Pair, no intention of rushing at this stage and so more fish/inverts can wait. (Inverts maybe when I start to get algae forming etc) - Appreciate the advice

I would add some clean up crew “before” you have algae.

 

[Brav403]

A cycle when two things occur - when ammonia rises then falls and holds a steady reading of Zero for at least 5 days and also when nitrate rises and falls and holds at 20 or below- you are cycled.
Did you add ammonia chloride or something to increase ammonia initially ?

Yes I added Fritz Fishless Fuel (liquid ammonia source) in with the turbostart 900. Had a rise and then fall of ammonia along with a rise and fall of nitrites over a period of 12 days

 

[Cell]

The bottled bac you added did its job. You didn't have to wait 12 days nor add a 2nd bottle.