Question about cycling with Dr. Tim's One and Only.

[glb]

You have something going on, hard to say what. A stalled cycle will not generate ammonia. Be patient. The cycle process will happen. If you are in a hurry to make it happen you can get a new bottle of bacteria product. Otherwise, just wait it out.

I will. Neither level is high and the ph is fine. I might pick up another bottle or just wait and see.

 

[cbear44]

I'm having a similar weird experience with Dr. Tim to start a QT tank. I've used it with success in the past several times adding with fish and getting minimal if any ammonia spike but this is different.

Using it to start up a 30g volume quarantine tank (in a 40g breeder). Added Dr. Tim ammonia to 1ppm and then added 2oz Saltwater one and only from a 4oz bottle (looks like lot ##317 best by Jan 2018, amazon purchase). It was kept at about 60F in my basement. Only filtration is a foam filter, a marinepure block and some rubble that came from an established aquarium. Initially ran a small powerhead but then I decided to stop it and see what happens. Temp at 78F. No skimmer. No livestock. No lights.

After 1 week, Ammonia never budged so I added the full 4 oz. 1 week in. I didn't check nitrite/nitrate since I assumed that the Ammonia would come down. It's now on week 2 and there is still 0.5-1ppm (ATI test kit) of ammonia. There are 0 nitrites (Salifert) detectable and Nitrates (Salifert) are at 5ppm. That feels low to me unless the cycle is just starting now.

Any thoughts? Is this a bad lot for some reason? Just keep waiting? Add more rock from my DT? I sent an inquiry on the Dr Tim site.

 

[glb]

I'm having a similar weird experience with Dr. Tim to start a QT tank. I've used it with success in the past several times adding with fish and getting minimal if any ammonia spike but this is different.

Using it to start up a 30g volume quarantine tank (in a 40g breeder). Added Dr. Tim ammonia to 1ppm and then added 2oz Saltwater one and only from a 4oz bottle (looks like lot ##317 best by Jan 2018, amazon purchase). It was kept at about 60F in my basement. Only filtration is a foam filter, a marinepure block and some rubble that came from an established aquarium. Initially ran a small powerhead but then I decided to stop it and see what happens. Temp at 78F. No skimmer. No livestock. No lights.

After 1 week, Ammonia never budged so I added the full 4 oz. 1 week in. I didn't check nitrite/nitrate since I assumed that the Ammonia would come down. It's now on week 2 and there is still 0.5-1ppm (ATI test kit) of ammonia. There are 0 nitrites (Salifert) detectable and Nitrates (Salifert) are at 5ppm. That feels low to me unless the cycle is just starting now.

Any thoughts? Is this a bad lot for some reason? Just keep waiting? Add more rock from my DT? I sent an inquiry on the Dr Tim site.

I think my Dr. Tim's may not have been totally good. It was within the expiration date but was not stored at 50 degrees. That being said, the tank is cycling, just not as fast as I'd like.

 

[glb]

So isn't one of the points of Dr. Tim's that it will cycle before the nitrates get too high? I really don't want to do a massiv water change at any point.

 

[cbear44]

So isn't one of the points of Dr. Tim's that it will cycle before the nitrates get too high? I really don't want to do a massiv water change at any point.

Dunno.

I got a reply from Dr Tim (impressive on a Sat) - they dont' think I have enough substrate (barebottom, foam, marine pure). That may be true for the best use of Dr. Tim for a DT start. It may not be optimal with an ammonia start in a relatively bare QT.

My last attempts of QT worked great with the foam, Dr. Tim and the fish.

 

[glb]

Dunno.

I got a reply from Dr Tim (impressive on a Sat) - they dont' think I have enough substrate (barebottom, foam, marine pure). That may be true for the best use of Dr. Tim for a DT start. It may not be optimal with an ammonia start in a relatively bare QT.

My last attempts of QT worked great with the foam, Dr. Tim and the fish.

I've heard they're a great company. I may email them about my cycle.

 

[Brew12]

So isn't one of the points of Dr. Tim's that it will cycle before the nitrates get too high? I really don't want to do a massiv water change at any point.

Nitrates is strictly a matter of how much ammonia you add, not how fast the tank is cycling.

I don't care for the directions that come with Dr Tims so I do it a bit differently.

I add the bacteria and then dose up to 2ppm the next day. When it goes to zero (typically 2 or 3 days) I will dose it back up to 2ppm. If it is at zero 24 hrs later I consider it good to go.
This builds up much less nitrates than following the 4ppm directions even though it may take a little longer.

 

[glb]

Nitrates is strictly a matter of how much ammonia you add, not how fast the tank is cycling.

I don't care for the directions that come with Dr Tims so I do it a bit differently.

I add the bacteria and then dose up to 2ppm the next day. When it goes to zero (typically 2 or 3 days) I will dose it back up to 2ppm. If it is at zero 24 hrs later I consider it good to go.
This builds up much less nitrates than following the 4ppm directions even though it may take a little longer.

I think mine was bad. I'm on day 12 and not even close.

 

[glb]

Day 19

Ammonia: 2ppm
No Nitrites
Nitrates: 6-7ppm

No change for over a week now. Any suggestions??

 

[Brew12]

Day 19

Ammonia: 2ppm
No Nitrites
Nitrates: 6-7ppm

No change for over a week now. Any suggestions??

That is really odd. It sounds like something is preventing the nitrifying bacteria from reproducing. Have you tested your pH? Did you use RODI and mix the salt yourself?

 

[glb]

That is really odd. It sounds like something is preventing the nitrifying bacteria from reproducing. Have you tested your pH? Did you use RODI and mix the salt yourself?

Ph is always around 8.0-8.1. I used 0ppm RODI water and mixed the Instant Ocean salt myself. The nitrates are creeping up a little but it seems that nothing's happening. I've read it's normal with Dr. Tim's to never have nitrites because it gets converted immediately.

 

[Eddie Rogers]

following.
Ill be starting a cycle this week

 

[Rick.45cal]

I've got a couple 29 gallon QT's that are apparently in the same boat as yours! Maybe I'll bite the bullet and just go ahead and put bigger filters with more surface area available in them. Regardless I will be following along to see what you discover!

 

[glb]

I've got a couple 29 gallon QT's that are apparently in the same boat as yours! Maybe I'll bite the bullet and just go ahead and put bigger filters with more surface area available in them. Regardless I will be following along to see what you discover!

Your filters probably aren't a problem. The nitrifying bacteria is everywhere. I started with dry rock and sand so I'm sure that's part of the delay. Plus my Dr. Tim's might have been too old. I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[Brew12]

Ph is always around 8.0-8.1. I used 0ppm RODI water and mixed the Instant Ocean salt myself. The nitrates are creeping up a little but it seems that nothing's happening. I've read it's normal with Dr. Tim's to never have nitrites because it gets converted immediately.

Yup, not having nitrites isn't an issue. What I am struggling with is the lack of nitrates. Even if you had you not added any Dr Tims you should see more ammonia reduction and increased nitrates by now.
I think I would add another bottle of either Dr Tims or Biospira.

 

[glb]

Yup, not having nitrites isn't an issue. What I am struggling with is the lack of nitrates. Even if you had you not added any Dr Tims you should see more ammonia reduction and increased nitrates by now.
I think I would add another bottle of either Dr Tims or Biospira.

Biospira is local so I'll pick up some today.

 

[Hemlawk]

I used Dry Rock, Live sand, Bio-Spira and a shrimp. My nitrites are 5ppm on day 3.

Maybe the bacteria bottle was inert?

 

[Brew12]

I used Dry Rock, Live sand, Bio-Spira and a shrimp. My nitrites are 5ppm on day 3.

Maybe the bacteria bottle was inert?

My concern is that most tanks would have cycled by now, or at least be much further into the cycle process, even without bottled bacteria. Either glb lives in a very sterile house or there is something else going on. Adding a bottle of Biospira should do the trick. If it doesn't that would indicate something in the tank is acting like a sterilizer.

 

[glb]

My concern is that most tanks would have cycled by now, or at least be much further into the cycle process, even without bottled bacteria. Either glb lives in a very sterile house or there is something else going on. Adding a bottle of Biospira should do the trick. If it doesn't that would indicate something in the tank is acting like a sterilizer.

I didn't put dechlorinator in the RODIwater after I made it because the Dr. Tim's said some would interfere with its use. Doesn't the. RODI remove all chlorine and chloramines? My TDS meter read 0.00 the entire time I was making the water. Plus, doesn't that all dissipate within 24 hours anyway? My house is definitely not sterile. Two dogs, six birds, two boys, you get the point.

 

[glb]

My concern is that most tanks would have cycled by now, or at least be much further into the cycle process, even without bottled bacteria. Either glb lives in a very sterile house or there is something else going on. Adding a bottle of Biospira should do the trick. If it doesn't that would indicate something in the tank is acting like a sterilizer.

Ps- Doesn't the presence of nitrates indicate a cycle is going on