Problems cycling tank

[Mattt]

I'm trying to cycle my 20 gallon cube and after 4 days of Aquavitro seed and adding flake food I was getting 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 0 nitrates. So I decided to add some Dr. Tim's ammonia. I added 2/3 of the suggested dose 3 days ago and every day the ammonia is reading way off the chart. What should I do?

Red Sea test kit
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
PH 7.95
Alkalinity 7.6
Salinity 34.4ppt
Temp 77.8*

 

[lakai]

Do nothing, just sit and wait and don't put any livestock until nitrite zeros out.

 

[Mattt]

Its fine to leave the ammonia that high?

 

[lakai]

Only if you have no fish which I’m hoping you dont

 

[ScottR]

I'm trying to cycle my 20 gallon cube and after 4 days of Aquavitro seed and adding flake food I was getting 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 0 nitrates. So I decided to add some Dr. Tim's ammonia. I added 2/3 of the suggested dose 3 days ago and every day the ammonia is reading way off the chart. What should I do?

Red Sea test kit
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
PH 7.95
Alkalinity 7.6
Salinity 34.4ppt
Temp 77.8*

If your nitrite is at zero and your ammonia is high, the bacteria just aren’t working. I’d resist adding more ammonia to your tank. It’s already there. Try another bottled bacteria. Ammonia breaks down into nitrites then further into nitrates. So basically, no ammonia has been broken down.

Try another bottled bacteria.

 

[lakai]

Btw aquavitro seed was no good for cycling in my experience. Use biospira or something

 

[brandon429]

can you show a picture of the kind of rocks you are using

 

[jgaepi]

I'm trying to cycle my 20 gallon cube and after 4 days of Aquavitro seed and adding flake food I was getting 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 0 nitrates. So I decided to add some Dr. Tim's ammonia. I added 2/3 of the suggested dose 3 days ago and every day the ammonia is reading way off the chart. What should I do?

Red Sea test kit
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
PH 7.95
Alkalinity 7.6
Salinity 34.4ppt
Temp 77.8*

Exactly what I dealt with. Dr Tim’s formula, for whatever reason, doesn’t work anymore. I did their 4 drops per gallon and my cycle went no where. Bright blue. They’ll tell you to water change down to 2ppm but that only diluted the issue. I bought Fritz Turbo and that busted through the cycle in under 72 hours. I won’t buy Dr Tims any longer.

 

[Mattt]

I have no fish in the tank and I'm using BRS Rock and CaribSea AGRA-Alive sand. I will try and find some Fritz and try that. The Fritz Turbo Start needs to be refrigerated right? Is it ok to order online? Attached are some shots of the tank with the rock.

 

[brandon429]

want to relay a cool trick from the microbiology of cycling thread

if you let the current arrangement stew for 30 days, regardless of what any parameter tester says, and then you change out the water at the end of 30 days and refill w new water its cycled.

the sand alone brought in a full complement of bac, it will transmit to the rocks over that time.

you added more bac, they dont have to be ultra-active, they have 30 days too to compound. this will work

if you want to make purchases, and measure the ammonia driven up and down over this time frame thats fine as well, you can beat the 30 days using accurate new gear.

but if you want a free cycle, that cannot fail, all you have to do is wait 30 days and then your reef follows the one million search returns from google "aquarium cycling chart"

regardless of anything you do further, that cycle w complete in a mo.

and, there's a way to test ammonia to prove it

starts with that final water change I mentioned above. You can either begin reefing at that point, or run a small ammonia oxidation test to prove its cycled.

 

[Mattt]

Sounds like I'm going to give it some time and see how it goes. Thank you for the advise.

 

[JCOLE]

+1 on bottled bacteria. I have used Instant Oceans multiple times and seems to work fine. Can get it at Petco. Add some bacteria and give it some time to do its thing.

 

[ScottR]

I have no fish in the tank and I'm using BRS Rock and CaribSea AGRA-Alive sand. I will try and find some Fritz and try that. The Fritz Turbo Start needs to be refrigerated right? Is it ok to order online? Attached are some shots of the tank with the rock.

I love the baby gate to prevent accidental BABY DAMAGE

 

[Mattt]

It works great to keep our 1.5yo from accidentally pushing on the cabinet but still let's him watch the tank. He loves fish and that was part of the reason I set the tank up.