Trying TO Cycle Tank

[M36]

It's a 40 breeder, no live sand, no live rock, using Dr Tims one and only. Day 4 with ammonia still at 1.2 with no change and nitrites at zero. Salinity 1.025 but can't keep the water temp above 76. Ordered to small of a heater. No filter socks, no skimmer but have activated carbon in the sump. When adding Dr Tims I left the pump off and let it all sink. Used 4 drops per gallon of the Ammonium Chloride and it seems like I just have a tank of ammonia water.

I had a 20 gallon tall about 15 years ago and cycled with live rock and damsel's and it ran great.

Any thoughts?

 

[Theulli]

So what biological media do you have in there?

Four days is not cause for alarm at all, you are still within the reasonable range for a tank with live sand and seeded with pre-used media, much less one without. I would just hang tight. For perspective, when I started from scratch with live sand, LifeRock, and Matrix in the sump it was something like 10 days

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

It's a 40 breeder, no live sand, no live rock, using Dr Tims one and only. Day 4 with ammonia still at 1.2 with no change and nitrites at zero. Salinity 1.025 but can't keep the water temp above 76. Ordered to small of a heater. No filter socks, no skimmer but have activated carbon in the sump. When adding Dr Tims I left the pump off and let it all sink. Used 4 drops per gallon of the Ammonium Chloride and it seems like I just have a tank of ammonia water.

I had a 20 gallon tall about 15 years ago and cycled with live rock and damsel's and it ran great.

Any thoughts?

Do you have ANY sand or rock? If not, the bacteria has nothing to colonize... except for the carbon
Sorry if I misunderstood your post.

 

[Danroo]

It's a 40 breeder, no live sand, no live rock, using Dr Tims one and only. Day 4 with ammonia still at 1.2 with no change and nitrites at zero. Salinity 1.025 but can't keep the water temp above 76. Ordered to small of a heater. No filter socks, no skimmer but have activated carbon in the sump. When adding Dr Tims I left the pump off and let it all sink. Used 4 drops per gallon of the Ammonium Chloride and it seems like I just have a tank of ammonia water.

I had a 20 gallon tall about 15 years ago and cycled with live rock and damsel's and it ran great.

Any thoughts?

You need a canister filter if you’re going for a no rock and sand route. Need more filtration than you usually have with live rock and sand.

 

[Reeferjunkie]

Patients is the key it will take time and maybe get a piece of live rock from your lfs to help seed the tank also

 

[M36]

Caribsea Aragonite and Caribesea Life Rock for substrate and rock

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

What test kits are you using?
(Regardless of the answer, you might try a different brand and/or see if someone local can run tests with their kits.)

 

[M36]

Red Sea for both.

 

[gbroadbridge]

It's a 40 breeder, no live sand, no live rock, using Dr Tims one and only. Day 4 with ammonia still at 1.2 with no change and nitrites at zero. Salinity 1.025 but can't keep the water temp above 76. Ordered to small of a heater. No filter socks, no skimmer but have activated carbon in the sump. When adding Dr Tims I left the pump off and let it all sink. Used 4 drops per gallon of the Ammonium Chloride and it seems like I just have a tank of ammonia water.

I had a 20 gallon tall about 15 years ago and cycled with live rock and damsel's and it ran great.

Any thoughts?

I wouldn't expect to see anything other than ammonia after 4 days.

Your tank, like all tanks, will cycle in 21-30 days minimum.

Patience, is all that is needed. Don't waste money on testing until 3 weeks, unless you like doing tests and wasting money on tests for no reason.

Regatds
Graham.

 

[M36]

Thanks, patience it is then!