Whats going on with cycle
- Thread starter Dave1993
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I would give it a few more days to see if the ammonia comes down. Cycling tanks can sometimes be a long process. If the ammonia still hasn’t come down in few days I would check the live rock to see if something is dead in it.
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Dave1993
2500 Club Member
checked the rock found 2 dead worms and some sort of thing it had a shell my live rock had to go through customs so got delayed so eveerything that was on them is probs dead
iamacat
Higher than my pH
Tough call when there are unknown variables with the live rock. One reason I prefer dry with bottle bac starts is because I know what will happen like clockwork. A bottle bac of your choosing would clear the ammonia if you don’t want to see how your situation plays out.
Twoddler
Active Member
Happend to me when I set my big tank up, I bought second hand, tank, equipment. I used his rock but it was out of water for a wk while I set the tank up. I did scrub the rock with a toothbrush and white vinegar.
Had a lot of die off, ammonia through the roof, I just left it to do its thing and let the bio catch up.
Had a lot of die off, ammonia through the roof, I just left it to do its thing and let the bio catch up.
iamacat
Higher than my pH
When was the Tim’s added? I would try to keep the ammonia from going off the charts as that can be too much for your bacteria. That’s the only time you should do a water change in your cycle, is to keep that from a happening. 2ppm is the level I shoot for when I cycle. You can track your ammonia and if it doesn’t drop at all over the next couple days I would add some fritz turbo for an immediate cycle under a week. Your fine, just a little bump
Arabyps
Well-Known Member
The super high ammonia is very bad for the live rock (animals on the rock get killed). You should immediately add more LIVE bacteria (not Dr Tims, but MicroBacter XLM or Fritz TurboStart 900) to get the ammonia down, populate the rock with beneficial bacteria and boost the cycle.
Can you check pH? I wouldn’t do anything that would increase it, personally.
iamacat
Higher than my pH
Yea that’s a considerable amount of die off for “live rock”. Going to be a little different timing wise if you use the bottle back but I would for sure change 50% water then add fritz turbo 900. Just let it work itself out and monitor ammonia with a seachem ammonia alert. You can do a more through check when you feel the ammonia has cleared. Good luck
What salinity? You can ditch a certain amount of saltwater (and ammonia) and top up with RODI, which will also help your bacteria (as long as it’s not fried). Add more bacteria to make sure. You can easily cycle at 1.020. And it won’t increase pH. Test ammonia again but I don’t think it can be above 5ppm to cycle.
Note, increasing pH by saltwater changes may make ammonia more toxic, even though there’s less of it.
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Dave1993
2500 Club Member
also i don't think the bacteria is dead as i am getting readings of nitrate its impossible if the bacteria was dead right although i have 0 nitrite so must be processing the nitrite into nitrate instantly
