Need cycle advice, new to the hobby

[Kemz91]

Hi guys,
I'm new to the hobby iv had my peninsula mini 25 running for about 2 weeks now.
I used dr tims one and only to kick start the cycle and added dr tims ammonium chloride also as recommended. After a day it seemed the ammonia was dropping so I added some more ammonium chloride as recommended. Since then amonia levels have been at 2ppm or more and have not come down at all. As well as testing for ammonia iv been testing for nitrite and nitrate and these have both been 0 since the start right up untill now. I have done a 50 percent water change about 4 days ago now to bring down the ammonia which it has but I'm still seeing some ammonia but no nitrite or nitrates, can anyone tell me if I am doing something wrong or if I am on the right track.

Thanks in advanced

 

[Reefin Aint Easy]

Hi guys,
I'm new to the hobby iv had my peninsula mini 25 running for about 2 weeks now.
I used dr tims one and only to kick start the cycle and added dr tims ammonium chloride also as recommended. After a day it seemed the ammonia was dropping so I added some more ammonium chloride as recommended. Since then amonia levels have been at 2ppm or more and have not come down at all. As well as testing for ammonia iv been testing for nitrite and nitrate and these have both been 0 since the start right up untill now. I have done a 50 percent water change about 4 days ago now to bring down the ammonia which it has but I'm still seeing some ammonia but no nitrite or nitrates, can anyone tell me if I am doing something wrong or if I am on the right track.

Thanks in advanced

Keep the ammonia around 2ppm, anything usually higher will stall the cycling process. Don't do anymore water changes while its cycling. You will eventually start seeing some nitrite when you test and then the nitrite will drop along with the ammonia and you will have nitrates. Then you know the cycle has completed. There is a lot of variables in how long your tank can tank to cycle. Example being did you start with live rock or dry rock, how much bacteria in a bottle you have put in, how high or low you keep your ammonia etc..

Patience is key while cycling as your tank is trying to establish itself. Good luck and any questions reach out, there is a wealth of knowledge on this site and you've come to the right place.

 

[Timfish]

Add some wild or maricultured live rock. There are very complex microbial processes going on in reef systems. Only a few percent can be cultured and stuck in a bottle. The best and only sources are from nature. Here's an excelllent article on establisihing a healthy microbiome:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

Here's some links by scientists studying reef ecosystems you might find informative:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title, both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

 

[Aqua Man]

As well as testing for ammonia iv been testing for nitrite and nitrate and these have both been 0 since the start right up untill now. I have done a 50 percent water change about 4 days ago now to bring down the ammonia which it has but I'm still seeing some ammonia but no nitrite or nitrates, can anyone tell me if I am doing something wrong or if I am on the right track.

I would expect to see Nitrates even after a 50% water change. Don’t add anymore ammonia.

Is this a total Dry Rock setup?

 

[Rmckoy]

Maintain 2ppm ammonia and wait a few days for nitrates .
once ammonia is zero and nitrates are elevated your cycle is complete .

 

[vetteguy53081]

Everyone has theirr own recipe for cycling. Generally, cycling is a 2-4 week process adding ZERO livestock as there will be daily chemical changes and swings occuring that will simply kill livestock. testing will be resourceful.
API test kit is notorious for false readings and have let down many reefers hence the very low price for a master test kit. You will likely have inaccurate readings during the cycle process.
Ammonia badges have the same credibility as they are also intended for fresh water tanks ands also known for false readings.
What is cycling supposed to be ??
Decades ago, hobbyists would cycle their new tank with a sacrificial fish, like a blue damsel. While this method may still be used by some, it's not a good plan for two reasons: 1) as the ammonia rises in the water, the fish's gills are burned by the rising ammonia levels which is unkind, and 2) most people don't want the damsel in their aquarium later because it's deemed too aggressive to other livestock.
Once you fill up your aquarium with saltwater, powerheads, a heater and perhaps add sand for substrate, the next step is to "cycle" your tank. The purpose of a cycle is to create bacteria that will be consuming ammonia and nitrite from your livestock, but you have to get the bacteria from somewhere initially. Why is it called a cycle? Because the tank will go through three phases: ammonia will rise and fall, then nitrite will rise and fall even quicker, and lastly nitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia and Nitrite read 0 and Nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase with the new bioload, processing waste and converting it to nitrate rapidly. However, it is important to note that overloading the aquarium with too many fish initially can exceed what the bacteria can handle. This is why it is best to add new fish slowly over the next few months. The bacterial levels will adapt if you don't overload the system with too many mouths to feed.

How long does the cycle generally last? Using the three test kits to measure results daily, you'll likely see the process takes 21 days. There are several ways to cycle a tank, but dint add any livestock of any kind in the aquarium as long as you have any measurable traces of ammonia or nitrite because these are toxic to fish and invertebrates. Start planning what you'll want to put in your aquarium while you have a few short weeks to wait. There's no reason to rush this process. A good solid foundation will benefit your future reef and handle the bioload adequately.
Also - If you are running the system with a sump that has a refugium or Algae Turf Scrubber section, don't add any light or plants because the system is too clean.

 

[Kemz91]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.
I am now about 17 days into my cycle and only seeing ammonia still. I have not yet seen any nitrite or nitrates since starting cycle. I am using a dry rock scape with carib sea Fiji Pink live sand, and in the filtration chambers I have ceramic spheres and the carbon that came with the waterbox. I have removed the filter sock and am not running it atm. I started the cycle with Dr tims one and only 120ml. And dosed the Dr tims ammonia chloride 1 drop per gallon (25g) on the first day then the third day and have not added any more since because ammonia went crazy. About a week into the cycle I added another bottle of tims one and only bacteria but dosed the 120ml over 4 days (30ml per day) you can't over dose this stuff right? still seeing high amounts of ammonia I decided to do a 50% water change and since the water change ammonia levels have come down but still no nitrite or nitrates. I have been dosing 5ml per 25g as recommended on bottle of microbacter 7 also started after doing the water change. And here I am now about 17 days in just seeing ammonia in the tank and nothing else.
Salinity is at 1.026
Here are pictures of a most recent tests I done using api master kit. Is it normal to have not seen aNy other reading other than ammonia yet is is something else going on. Every other post iv been reading people mention that the have either nitrite or nitrate levels during there cycle but I have not seen any and its been almost 3 weeks

 

[jt8791]

Not sure if there is any reason to run carbon while you are cycling. Maybe stop adding pure ammonia and just drop a bit of fish food to see if there is any change. I think I ghost fed my tank for a good month or two before adding fish so I wouldn’t sweat three weeks.

 

[Aqua Man]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.
I am now about 17 days into my cycle and only seeing ammonia still. I have not yet seen any nitrite or nitrates since starting cycle. I am using a dry rock scape with carib sea Fiji Pink live sand, and in the filtration chambers I have ceramic spheres

Very strange that you’re not getting any nitrate or nitrite reading. Test kits not expired? Do you have LFS that can double check your water for you?

ammonia chloride 1 drop per gallon (25g) on the first day then the third day and have not added any more since because ammonia went crazy.

How high was the ammonia before the 50% water change? Your tank is 25 gallon ?

About a week into the cycle I added another bottle of tims one and only bacteria but dosed the 120ml over 4 days

Should have plenty of bacteria now after adding 2 bottles! Did you shake them real good before adding??

 

[brandon429]

This cycle is done. Nitrite isn’t tracked in updated cycling science and no dr Tim cycle takes half a month on seneye. Do the standard large water change and begin, the surfaces are coated in filter slicks due to being in bacteria water for weeks


you can easily see in searches api has mislead thousands on cycle status

for example, one dose of prime added ruins testing ability on api. Many factors cause api misreads

 

[brandon429]

That’s proof you’re done, do the advised water change and proceed

100% Water Change

So in my previous thread, I had an ammonia issue that was out of hand. As suggested, I did a 100% WC and now i’m wondering when I should start adding fish back. If anyone has suggestions, let me know!

www.reef2reef.com

to restate: cycle skeptics don’t post work links that match other cycling layouts. That is one above, it’s a direct fix to the issue here. It uses the same kits, in a different way, to prove cycling vs stall, and will be the sole link provided for any insight on this cycle today. It’s ok to doubt the start date I assigned but that doubt won’t come from a work link comparative example of any type.