Tank will not cycle. Please help

[coronarex]

i created a post a couple weeks awhile ago around day 50 or so when my tank did not cycle yet. I followed many recommendation including removing carbon, skimmer, purigen, testing fresh saltwater, purchasing new test kit, adding dr. Tim’s one and only, etc. 3 weeks have passed and my tank has not cycled. After adding dr. Tim’s, 1.5 weeks later my tank did have 0 amm. I dosed dr. Tim’s amm chloride to 2 ppm and tank has struggled to get it to 0.( 2 occasions, taking 5+ days to do so). I have been extremely patient but this just seems weird. My tank is showing signs of maturity. Amm is 1. Nitrite is 0. Nitrate are 5-10. Salinity is 1.021. Ph is 8. Dkh is 9. Cal is 350. Temp is 79. I have not done a wc in 2 weeks

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

How much rock? Sand? Water volume?

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Are you doing fish only? 1.021 is pretty low for corals.

 

[coronarex]

IM Nuvo 30 gallon. No sand. Not sure about the exact Wright of rocks, but I think I have plenty. See pic. I agree about the salinity. I’m am not concerned with that atm. I plan on having some corals and I will adjust when that time comes. 1.025 would be appropriate I believe?

How much rock? Sand? Water volume?

 

[reef lover]

If you have registered nitrates than your tank has cycled. The denitrifying bacteria is doing its job and converting the ammonia to nitrite and nitrites to nitrates.

 

[brandon429]

the tank is cycled due to submersion times and the ammonia movement posted. amm would stay at 2.0 in any side test bucket. What to do now is make use of the recently cycled tank

do a large wc, as much as you are willing to do. add some starter corals, shrimp, crabs, no fish yet, complete quarantine on them and then run the correct fallow approach for the tank. since you have no sand that's a bit lower surface area type setup, so 2.0 ammonia is really a test for that. its good though, been wet long enough. only ammonia matters in cycling not the other two, saves testing error headaches.

 

[Jl330]

No sand may be slowing you down. I used bagged live sand, 50 pounds of dry rock and a couple small pieces of cured live rock and a dead shrimp to cycle my tank. I used no bacteria and was able to add cuc after 2 weeks and 2 fish after 3.

I've been through a few nutrient swings since then but it's been surprisingly stable in my keep it simple method.

After 3 months I have 7 fish and a dozen or so pieces or coral growing out just fine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you have registered nitrates than your tank has cycled. The denitrifying bacteria is doing its job and converting the ammonia to nitrite and nitrites to nitrates.

Maybe, and that might be the most likely scenario, but with many kits, a small amount of nitrite reads as a lot of nitrate. He may not necessarily have any nitrate. Even undetectable nitrite during cycling can show as detectable nitrate.

 

[Brian W]

Your tank is cycled if you have nitrates bud, but 3 weeks is not a long wait for cycle and pretty quick honestly. I waited 2 months just to be safe before I added my first fish or coral.

Beneficial Bacteria need time to populate.. Just keep in mind your tank will still take a while to mature.

Slowly add fish, do not add all at once. I would add 1 a month just to be extra careful.
Good luck!

 

[Jl330]

Your tank is cycled if you have nitrates bud. Just keep in mind your tank will still take a while to mature.
3 weeks is not a long wait for cycle and pretty quick honestly. Beneficial Bacteria need time to populate.
Slowly add fish, do not add all at once. I would add 1 a month just to be extra careful.
Good luck!

don't these bacteria colonies continue to grow for the lifetime of the tank? It never really finishes cycling.

 

[Brian W]

don't these bacteria colonies continue to grow for the lifetime of the tank? It never really finishes cycling.

yes that is true.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Sounds like you might be getting a false reading 50 days is plenty to cycle a tank. I just cycled 800g of salt water in 2 systems with only 4 marine pur blocks. Only took a month.

 

[brandon429]

they do have an ongoing life and death cycle agreed, but they don't modulate their numbers very much long term based on anything other than surface area avail

its neat to know that fallow setups have the same filtration/oxidation abilities of fish-included setups given the same surface area... though the feed presentation is markedly different in the two systems

 

[coronarex]

the tank is cycled due to submersion times and the ammonia movement posted. amm would stay at 2.0 in any side test bucket. What to do now is make use of the recently cycled tank

do a large wc, as much as you are willing to do. add some starter corals, shrimp, crabs, no fish yet, complete quarantine on them and then run the correct fallow approach for the tank. since you have no sand that's a bit lower surface area type setup, so 2.0 ammonia is really a test for that. its good though, been wet long enough. only ammonia matters in cycling not the other two, saves testing error headaches.

Thank you all very much. I appreciate the help more than I you know. I am making RO/DI water right now, I have about 7 gallons so far. I am thinking about doing a 90% wc. What starter corals do you recommend? And what is an appropriate salinity for the easy corals you recommend? And what do you mean by "complete quarantine on them?" Also what do you mean by "run the correct fallow approach?" Sorry for all the questions. Everything I understand completely. Thanks again.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Do not change that much your tank can cycle again.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I run 1.025 good starters are your hammers soft corals.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Quarantine means to keep your fish and new coral separate from your main display for up to 6 weeks to make sure their pest free.

 

[coronarex]

Do not change that much your tank can cycle again.

Are you saying that if I change too much water my tank with struggle to cycle again? This shouldnt conflict with my tanks cycling ability bc bacteria doesnt stay in the water column? How much would you recommend? I'm asking bc I read that high nitrates hurt corals? My nitrates are at 10. Also thanks for the coral suggesting. This is my only and first saltwater tank so quarantining isnt an option. What else can I do? Thanks

 

[coronarex]

Your tank is cycled if you have nitrates bud, but 3 weeks is not a long wait for cycle and pretty quick honestly. I waited 2 months just to be safe before I added my first fish or coral.

Beneficial Bacteria need time to populate.. Just keep in mind your tank will still take a while to mature.

Slowly add fish, do not add all at once. I would add 1 a month just to be extra careful.
Good luck!

My tank has been running for 2.5 months.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Yes you will cause a mini cycle only ever change 50% or less. .10 is not high nitrates I keep mine at 5 to 10.