Waiting for my first ever salt tank to cycle

[Brebearz]

New to saltwater. Been cycling my tank for over two weeks now. Very eager for it to finish! Really like how my aquascape turned out. Took me hours to figure out and many scapes. Also was a pain cementing and super glueing it all in place.

 

[TooMuchDog]

Good luck! Scape looks great. My cycle took around 3 and a half weeks starting from all dry rock, and ammonia dosing

 

[K7BMG]

Yes looks good

 

[KingTideCorals]

Welcome to the party if youre new to the hobby check out the link below to my new YouTube channel, may have some tips and tricks on there that may help during your reefing journey!

 

[K7BMG]

What was your cycle method?

 

[NashobaTek]

Welcome to the team!

 

[WIReefer]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Patientman]

Welcome aboard!

 

[dbowman5]

Welcome to R2R you have a blank canvas to paint your dream tank on. waiting is research time.

 

[Brebearz]

What was your cycle method?

Dosed ammonia chloride and fritz 9 live bacteria

 

[brandon429]

fritz has you ready, already

fritz=3 days, your testers can't catch that minor detail. Fastest of all cycling bac

To prove it's ready: post a pic of current ammonia reading, that's calibrated zero for this test.

Second pic, show liquid cycling ammonia added such that the test for ammonia indicates a bare, slight change, a tiny increment up. Take second pic


Wait one day, take third pic of test it matches pic 1

This movement of ammonia is the proof. Waiting isn't harmful, but your surfaces are already coated in bacteria-- fritz is well studied using calibrated tests. Non calibrated testing always takes weeks.

If you were to change water, add some snails and a clump of cool macro algae, you could begin some fun today. That's a reasonable starting point, fish need to wait until you choose a disease control method.

 

[Brebearz]

fritz has you ready, already

fritz=3 days, your testers can't catch that minor detail. Fastest of all cycling bac

To prove it's ready: post a pic of current ammonia reading, that's calibrated zero for this test.

Second pic, show liquid cycling ammonia added such that the test for ammonia indicates a bare, slight change, a tiny increment up. Take second pic


Wait one day, take third pic of test it matches pic 1

This movement of ammonia is the proof. Waiting isn't harmful, but your surfaces are already coated in bacteria-- fritz is well studied using calibrated tests. Non calibrated testing always takes weeks.

If you were to change water, add some snails and a clump of cool macro algae, you could begin some fun today. That's a reasonable starting point, fish need to wait until you choose a disease control method.

I’ve been monitoring my water every couple days. At the moment it’s zero ammonia but high nitrites and nitrates. The ammonia was high when I added the ammonia chloride but it’s to zero now and the raised nitrates and nitrites. I don’t know if I mentioned I’ve been cycling for over 2 weeks. So if I change the water to lower the nitrates and nitrites I’m good? Also what are good disease control methods? I have a 10g I can attempt to make into a QT tank. Have a heater and a HOB filter I could use. I don’t know what I all need. What do you recommend?

 

[rob s.]

I’ve been monitoring my water every couple days. At the moment it’s zero ammonia but high nitrites and nitrates. The ammonia was high when I added the ammonia chloride but it’s to zero now and the raised nitrates and nitrites. I don’t know if I mentioned I’ve been cycling for over 2 weeks. So if I change the water to lower the nitrates and nitrites I’m good? Also what are good disease control methods? I have a 10g I can attempt to make into a QT tank. Have a heater and a HOB filter I could use. I don’t know what I all need. What do you recommend?

i would recommend you slow down lol

 

[Brebearz]

i would recommend you slow down lol

Slow down? I’ve just been monitoring my water for like two weeks for my cycle to finish. ???

 

[Brebearz]

Slow down? I’ve just been monitoring my water for like two weeks for my cycle to finish. ???

I don’t know how much more slow it can get haha

 

[brandon429]

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

Updated Cycling Science in Action This is a testless reef tank cycling thread, the only one from any board. If you ever had trouble with reef tank cycling in the past, you won't any longer after working some jobs with us. chances are you are using/about to use a method of reef tank cycling...

www.reef2reef.com

decide based off that. we arent advocating installing a shark just yet he he

but your start date=day 3 and thats the same outcome for your tank as waiting 99 days (surface area in your tank only holds so much bacteria, bottle bac fills it fast) just because a tank is cycled doesnt mean it will keep animals alive for weeks on end, we have to feed and change the water and balance temps and keep it all tightly controlled to keep the sensitive life going.


but cycle start dates are solely a matter of predicting a filter being ready or not, yours is

thats the most effective bottle bac that can be found. proofing it with ammonia movement is the right way to know exactly when you can start.

*alternative
if you show any degree of nitrate right now that also confirms you didnt have dead bottle bac, and living fritz adheres to surfaces by day 3 consistently, test threads show.


its simply handy to know what phase you are at exactly vs rough guessing. we wouldnt add fish until a disease protocol has been set. but perhaps a cheater zoanthid colony, some snails, thats not a biggie here.

they'd die in two days if your tank wasnt ready.

in two more days after them, you'll probably add more lol its cycled. change your water and start controlled and normally, as you were going to do when api allowed in another five weeks

 

[brandon429]

when I added the ammonia chloride but it’s to zero now


that seals the deal plus the visual nitrate, you are 100% cycled. no retest needed. *not a rush for sure, just simply calling that cycle closed. treat it as if you've waited till november, its ready now

any use of pre-wet sand was also instant cycle, that sand is powerful. if it was dry no harm, oxidation already shown here.

*i wouldnt think you were cycled if this was unassisted, shrimp rot only cycle no bottle bac.

but you paid top dollar to fritzco to start last week at most.

 

[Brebearz]

Thanks for all the welcomes!

 

[MightyMO]

Welcome aboard!!! If @brandon429 says your tank is ready to go... I would say it's ready to go... lol

 

[Brebearz]

when I added the ammonia chloride but it’s to zero now


that seals the deal plus the visual nitrate, you are 100% cycled. no retest needed. *not a rush for sure, just simply calling that cycle closed. treat it as if you've waited till november, its ready now

any use of pre-wet sand was also instant cycle, that sand is powerful. if it was dry no harm, oxidation already shown here.

*i wouldnt think you were cycled if this was unassisted, shrimp rot only cycle no bottle bac.

but you paid top dollar to fritzco to start last week at most.

Thanks! Yes I also used live sand!