First Week Cycle

[Timothy Davis]

Hey everyone,
Below is the first 6 days of my cycle. Can anyone provide feedback or advice? I feel like each day is the same result.. Is this going right? What should I be looking for next?

Cycle:
Day 1- Filled tank, and got it to temp.
PH- 8.3
Ammonia- .25
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 0
Added bottle of Bio-Spira
Added 180 Drops (as instructed on the bottle) of Dr. Tim's Ammonia

Day 2- Tank looks clean, temp is good. No algae.
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- 4ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm
Added nothing
Signs the bacteria/cycle is working?

Day 3- Tank looks clean, temp is good. Still No algae.
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- 0-0.25
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate- 5ppm
Added more ammonia to the tank. So far so good

Day 4- Tank still looks good, No algae.
PH-7.8 (wonder why it dropped)
Ammonia- 0.25ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate-20ppm
Added More ammonia since it cycled in a day, going to check again mid-day to see where it is at.
Added PH buffer, just to experiment with it.

Day 5- Tank is looking great, no algae!
PH- 8.0
Ammonia- 0-0.25
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate- 15ppm
Added more ammonia
Tank is cycling, but not fast enough yet.

Day 6- Tank looks great, no algae.
PH- 8.0
Ammonia- 0-0.25ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate- 160ppm
ADDED more ammonia.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Your cycle seems to be progressing well.

Algae only tends to grow once you get a light over the tank and start feeding. Better to keep the lights off for now or a reduced schedule at least.

The test I use once I think my cycle is complete (after not reading any ammonia or nitrite) is to dose for 1ppm ammonia and test 24 hours later. If I have no detectable nitrite or ammonia and my nitrate is below 20ppm the cycle is done.

Just make sure to add live stock slowly so the bacteria has time to adjust and build.

 

[Timothy Davis]

Your cycle seems to be progressing well.

Algae only tends to grow once you get a light over the tank and start feeding. Better to keep the lights off for now or a reduced schedule at least.

The test I use once I think my cycle is complete (after not reading any ammonia or nitrite) is to dose for 1ppm ammonia and test 24 hours later. If I have no detectable nitrite or ammonia and my nitrate is below 20ppm the cycle is done.

Just make sure to add live stock slowly so the bacteria has time to adjust and build.

Thank you for the feedback. I am lights off 24/7. Yea every day my ammonia is getting to close to 0ppm, but nitrite is consistent at 5ppm. This last test, my nitrate skyrocketed. Just wanted to make sure I was going about this correctly.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Thank you for the feedback. I am lights off 24/7. Yea every day my ammonia is getting to close to 0ppm, but nitrite is consistent at 5ppm. This last test, my nitrate skyrocketed. Just wanted to make sure I was going about this correctly.

Yup, keep it up!

 

[Timothy Davis]

Day 7 Tank looks great, no algae.
PH- 8.0
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate- 5ppm
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 8 Tank looks great, no algae.
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm (will not drop)
Nitrate- 160ppm
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 9 Tank looks great, no algae.
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm (will not drop)
Nitrate- 20ppm
ADDED AMMONIA
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 10 Tank looks great, no algae.
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm crazy, still no drop. Normal?
Nitrate- 40ppm
Added more ammonia
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 11 Tank looks great, no algae.
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- .50ppm
Nitrite- 5ppm
Nitrate- 160ppm
Added more ammonia
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 12 Tank looks great, no algae.
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- 0ppm!
Nitrite- 0ppm! It dropped!!
Nitrate- 160ppm

Do I keep adding ammonia?

 

[UCF Alum]

Also, assuming there’s no livestock in the tank, you can crank the temperature way up to help speed the cycle. Bacteria colonies grow at a much faster rate at higher temps. Try to get 83ish degrees.

 

[Timothy Davis]

Also, assuming there’s no livestock in the tank, you can crank the temperature way up to help speed the cycle. Bacteria colonies grow at a much faster rate at higher temps. Try to get 83ish degrees.

In your opinion. What is considered fully cycled?

 

[UCF Alum]

In your opinion. What is considered fully cycled?

When nitrItes and ammonia remain zero. NitrAtes, depending on your ppm, should be lowered by doing a water change once the first two (ammonia and trites) are zero.

Is this your first saltwater tank?

 

[Timothy Davis]

First salt water tank? No, but first time doing an actual cycle with dry rock. Basically a restart because of a very rushed tank to start. So, decided that patience must be key lol. I just want to do it right.

 

[ihavecrabs]

I think you are in a good spot.

I'd say not rush it and keep the cycle going a little longer. You can crank the heat up a bit, like suggested above. I personally would keep it at the temp I plan to run it at because you are close.

Maybe start a short light cycle and get some algae growth going and start slowly adding the CUC to keep it in check.

 

[User1]

Having just about finished my dry rock cycle I can say it took about 27 to 30 days for my Nitrites to reach 0.05 - .1. I started to see Nitrites go down on the 4th of march, then again on the 9th, then again on the 11th. I just added another 2ppm Ammonia to verify cycle an hour ago - will retest tomorrow. Seems like you had a larger drop in 24 hours compared to me.

 

[Timothy Davis]

Having just about finished my dry rock cycle I can say it took about 27 to 30 days for my Nitrites to reach 0.05 - .1. I started to see Nitrites go down on the 4th of march, then again on the 9th, then again on the 11th. I just added another 2ppm Ammonia to verify cycle an hour ago - will retest tomorrow. Seems like you had a larger drop in 24 hours compared to me.

Yea, it was a big drop. Will definitely retest tomorrow to verify after adding ammonia today. What is your tank size?

 

[Timothy Davis]

I think you are in a good spot.

I'd say not rush it and keep the cycle going a little longer. You can crank the heat up a bit, like suggested above. I personally would keep it at the temp I plan to run it at because you are close.

Maybe start a short light cycle and get some algae growth going and start slowly adding the CUC to keep it in check.

Thanks for the feedback! What kind of light cycle would you recommend?

 

[User1]

I believe it is 210 gallons. For some reason I was thinking 240 but pretty sure it is 210 54" W x 30" D x 30" T

 

[ihavecrabs]

Thanks for the feedback! What kind of light cycle would you recommend?

If you do, start out short 2-3 hours and once you add your first cuc member or two, definitely no more ammonia dosing [emoji4].

I think you have a bit longer to go to get nitrates down. I would expect you not to see algae for a week as well (with a short light cycle).

 

[Timothy Davis]

I believe it is 210 gallons. For some reason I was thinking 240 but pretty sure it is 210 54" W x 30" D x 30" T

That is a big one! Hopefully one day, I'll get to that size. For now, 45 is what I am working with.

 

[Timothy Davis]

If you do, start out short 2-3 hours and once you add your first cuc member or two, definitely no more ammonia dosing [emoji4].

I think you have a bit longer to go to get nitrates down. I would expect you not to see algae for a week as well (with a short light cycle).

So would you wait to add a cuc member or two until after I see some algae bloom? Would make sense, but just want to clarify.

 

[User1]

I would wait, yes - if you put in anything earlier they may starve. That is also what I'm going to do more or less. My rocks are absolutely bare - moon rock looking I went with 150 lbs of dry Pukani. Once I start limited lighting I believe diatom bloom will start then some form of algae such has hair. It is pretty much standard new tank cycle progression.

Bare rock images and lighting test(s).

 

[Timothy Davis]

Day 14 Tank looks great, no algae still
PH- 8.2
Ammonia- 0ppm!
Nitrite- 0ppm!
Nitrate- 160ppm
Clearly past the nitrite spike phase, gonna continue to do short light cycles and have nitrates cycle out.

 

[Timothy Davis]

I would wait, yes - if you put in anything earlier they may starve. That is also what I'm going to do more or less. My rocks are absolutely bare - moon rock looking I went with 150 lbs of dry Pukani. Once I start limited lighting I believe diatom bloom will start then some form of algae such has hair. It is pretty much standard new tank cycle progression.

Bare rock images and lighting test(s).

I really dig the scape! What lights are you using? Where are you in your cycle?