Newbie Fishless Cycle Questions

mpatient · Aug 15, 2018

Hi all,

Re-entering the world of reef aquaria after 20 years and boy things have changed! (For the better). I am just midway through Week 4 of a fishless cycle using Dr. Tim's ammonia. I have a 32g BioCube, with Intank refugium and media basket. I am currently only running with filter floss and cheato in the fuge, and no lights. I seem to be stuck in the nitrite cycle. For the last 2 weeks or so my nitrites have been off the charts, and ammonia is at zero. Now my Ph is sky high. I used RO/DI premixed saltwater from my LFS and test daily. I have been dosing ammonia to 2ppm every two days and it is always back to zero by the next day. When I say 2ppm, I mean the dosage is for 2ppm, not that I wait for the test to read 2ppm. I have been using the notorious API tests; however, I have the Salifert coming in tomorrow. My question if the new tests show the same or near the same readings, do I continue to dose every couple of days or do I let it sit and wait. Do I need to do a partial water change. I am reading so many differing opinions, and I really don't want to extend this cycle. If I am doing anything incorrectly. let me know!

Diesel · Aug 15, 2018

You doing good.
Wait till you got your new and better test kit in tomorrow and fire some # at us.

Katrina71 · Aug 15, 2018

I went old school and cycled with a shrimp for a couple of days.

PDR · Aug 15, 2018

First off, welcome to R2R! +1 to what Diesel said.

Diesel · Aug 15, 2018

Katrina71 said:
I went old school and cycled with a shrimp for a couple of days.

This always works, no doubt.

cmoore1167 · Aug 15, 2018

I put a shrimp in for two weeks with some live sand. that cheato will eat up all the nitrate. Mine aren't detectable in an established reef from small amount of chaeto

mpatient · Aug 16, 2018

Ok, I received my Salifert Ammonia and Nitrites tests today. The Nitrate, Alkalinity,and PH tests won't be in until Tuesday. Any API users need ditch their kits as these tests are so much easier to read.

Here is what I got:
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitirite - 2ppm

So the nitrite tested lower with the Salivert test as I am still getting 5ppm or greater with the API.

So to go back to my original post:

**I did fail to mention that I dosed with Dr. Tim's One and Only at the beginning of the cycle 4 weeks ago.
1. Do I need to dose ammonia to 2ppm? (It has been a full two days since the last dose)
2. Do I need to do a water change?
3. Should I remove the cheato? (read mixed opinions on this)
4. Should I just let the tank be at this point?

I am usually a patient person and don't mind the wait, but I just don't want to delay the cycle unnecessarily due to user error.

cmoore1167 · Aug 16, 2018

Dont do a water change yet, it will take out the bacteria that is trying to populate. As far as cheato, I believe it only takes out the nitrate which is the end result anyway

Nick30G · Aug 16, 2018

mpatient said:
Ok, I received my Salifert Ammonia and Nitrites tests today. The Nitrate, Alkalinity,and PH tests won't be in until Tuesday. Any API users need ditch their kits as these tests are so much easier to read.

Here is what I got:
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitirite - 2ppm

So the nitrite tested lower with the Salivert test as I am still getting 5ppm or greater with the API.

So to go back to my original post:

**I did fail to mention that I dosed with Dr. Tim's One and Only at the beginning of the cycle 4 weeks ago.
1. Do I need to dose ammonia to 2ppm? (It has been a full two days since the last dose)
2. Do I need to do a water change?
3. Should I remove the cheato? (read mixed opinions on this)
4. Should I just let the tank be at this point?

I am usually a patient person and don't mind the wait, but I just don't want to delay the cycle unnecessarily due to user error.

Do not add anymore ammonia. The Ammonia removing bacteria have already established so there is no need to add more ammonia. Now that your Nitrites are at 2ppm, the Nitrite removing bacteria is establishing itself. Until Nitrites hit 0, and you get detectable Nitrates, the cycle is over. After you have 0 Ammonia, Nitrite, and a detectable amount of Nitrates the cycle is over. If your nitrates are high (over 20ppm+) do water changes to get it down to a reasonable level.