Peculiar cycling problem

[Yang’s Blue Paradise]

Bacteria need phosphate to grow.

I had the same thing happen to me when I restarted the my Fiji cube last year, I dosed up phosphates until they were detectable every day and carbon dosed, it cycled in a couple days.

telegrham tested mb7 along with a few other bacteria products, short story, its not worth buying which is my experience too.

The dry rock/sand may even bind some ammonia too idk but all I know is dry rock can be a pain.

In a normal fish less cycle with dr time one and only where does the phosphate usually come from?

 

[Yang’s Blue Paradise]

Bacteria consumes a lot of Nitrates, some carbon and some phosphates.
So as long as all 3 are available - bacteria will multiply.

Now, on new tanks you can go a long way without Carbon being the limiting factor, so that leaves us with only 2 - Nitrates and Phosphates.

Since Ammonia turns into Nitrites and than Nitrates and all are reading zero - there’s a good possibility that it got consumed.

But for this to happen - you need at least some phosphates in the system.

Once phosphate bottoms up however, the bacteria wouldn’t be able to reproduce anymore and thus wouldn’t consume Nitrate either, which would then lead to its accumulation in the system and result in a measurable amount you can test for.

Oh very insightful I will test phosphate with my Hannah checker tonight. Thank you

 

[fushi]

In a normal fish less cycle with dr time one and only where does the phosphate usually come from?

I used the dr Tim’s before and in my experience it worked as well as the MBxlm and fritz 9. I think there is naturally some phosphate in the water or on your bio shphere etc. but the dry rock binds it up after a few days.

 

[Yang’s Blue Paradise]

Bacteria consumes a lot of Nitrates, some carbon and some phosphates.
So as long as all 3 are available - bacteria will multiply.

Now, on new tanks you can go a long way without Carbon being the limiting factor, so that leaves us with only 2 - Nitrates and Phosphates.

Since Ammonia turns into Nitrites and than Nitrates and all are reading zero - there’s a good possibility that it got consumed.

But for this to happen - you need at least some phosphates in the system.

Once phosphate bottoms up however, the bacteria wouldn’t be able to reproduce anymore and thus wouldn’t consume Nitrate either, which would then lead to its accumulation in the system and result in a measurable amount you can test for.

If I do see I have phosphate in the tank what should be my next step?

 

[DanyL]

If I do see I have phosphate in the tank what should be my next step?

Honestly - at that point I would call the tank cycled.

But if you really want to make sure it is - you can keep dosing either Ammonia or Nitrate, watch them disappear and than wait for a a reduction in phosphates.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

If you used substrate/media from an established aquarium, your tank is cycling. You probably haven’t built up robust bacteria population yet, but that will change quickly as ammonia inputs increase.

 

[Yang’s Blue Paradise]

If you used substrate/media from an established aquarium, your tank is cycling. You probably haven’t built up robust bacteria population yet, but that will change as ammonia inputs increae

Yeah I wanted to establish my new dry rock and media with more bacteria. That’s why I was also dosing MB7. Just couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t seeing any nitrates with my ammonia doses.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very interesting any reason how nitrates can bottomed up? Is it the micobacter that does that?

Consumed by coral and bacteria

 

[Yang’s Blue Paradise]

Honestly - at that point I would call the tank cycled.

But if you really want to make sure it is - you can keep dosing either Ammonia or Nitrate, watch them disappear and than wait for a a reduction in phosphates.

Well just tested with Hannah ulr phosphate and it is at 0.05

 

[DanyL]

Well just tested with Hannah ulr phosphate and it is at 0.05

You’re tank is cycling.
I wouldn’t hesitate to introduce your first fish.

 

[Yang’s Blue Paradise]

You’re tank is cycling.
I wouldn’t hesitate to introduce your first fish.

Fantastic, I ordered Galaxy pods recently that's why I was stressing a little bit.