What Is Wrong With My Tank Cycle?

[Dan_P]

API Quick Start. I doubt that it is a dud bottle because ammonia did zero out. Just cant do it again and stuck at 1ppm ammonia. Thanks

OK here is a thought, a long one

I have been growing nitrifying bacteria on pieces of rock and little bits of sand in a test tube. I test the ammonia oxidizing activity on these surfaces by moving the rock or sand to a clean test tube with fresh saltwater and ammonia and measure how long it takes the ammonia to disappear.

I have found that after I add the first charge of ammonia and dose of bottled bacteria, the ammonia disappears quickly. But when I test just the rock or sand there is hardly any activity. It takes weeks to grow out. Most of that initial activity was in the water and maybe some on the walls of the test tube. If you did a large water change after your first addition of ammonia and bacteria (not sure how much you did), just maybe you duplicated my test tube experiments and threw away the nitrifying bacteria before they fully colonized the surfaces.

If this is the case, you need to wait weeks for the tiny population of nitrifying bacteria to grow out, or just buy another bottle of bacteria and skip the water change, and be done in a couple days.

I admit that I have just given you an unconventional viewpoint. Brandon will no doubt be rolling his eyes

 

[reeftankdude]

OK here is a thought, a long one

I have been growing nitrifying bacteria on pieces of rock and little bits of sand in a test tube. I test the ammonia oxidizing activity on these surfaces by moving the rock or sand to a clean test tube with fresh saltwater and ammonia and measure how long it takes the ammonia to disappear.

I have found that after I add the first charge of ammonia and dose of bottled bacteria, the ammonia disappears quickly. But when I test just the rock or sand there is hardly any activity. It takes weeks to grow out. Most of that initial activity was in the water and maybe some on the walls of the test tube. If you did a large water change after your first addition of ammonia and bacteria (not sure how much you did), just maybe you duplicated my test tube experiments and threw away the nitrifying bacteria before they fully colonized the surfaces.

If this is the case, you need to wait weeks for the tiny population of nitrifying bacteria to grow out, or just buy another bottle of bacteria and skip the water change, and be done in a couple days.

I admit that I have just given you an unconventional viewpoint. Brandon will no doubt be rolling his eyes

Did no water changes. Your advice is to add more bottle bacteria? Thanks

 

[CrimsonTide]

Did no water changes. Your advice is to add more bottle bacteria? Thanks

Can't ever have too much bacteria. I like Bio-Spira you can buy it at a petco or order it online. There are others like fritz turbo start that work wonders as well.

 

[Dan_P]

Did no water changes. Your advice is to add more bottle bacteria? Thanks

BioSpira or Fritz Turbo Start