24g nano cycle using live sand and dry rock dr tims

[backtoreefing2023]

Good afternoon everyone,

After 18 years since my last reef project 55g. I have now started one for our family a 24g nano jbj

I used 2 bags 40lbs of carib pink sand live sand. 30 lbs liferock and 2 lbs liverock piece



I am doing a fishless cycle using DR tims ammonium cycle with one and only nitrifying bacteria .

all 25 Gallons of water were petco imagitarium premade salt water but when i tested the salinity it pegged my hydrometer, so did a massive
30% wc with Distilled water to get my Salinity low

I started my tank however with live sand 5 days before dr tims order came in .

I tested my NH4 before i started the dr times ammonium and tested 1.0 ppm prob from live sand as he stated

temp 82f

salinity 1.20

So i halved the drops per gallon of dr tims ammonium to get to 2.0 ppm and dumped entire small bottle of One and Only

and tested next day and sure enough got to 2 ppm. NH4

day 3 tested and ammonia was 1.0 NH4 nitrite was .5 so per instructions added drops but my dropper was uncontrollably oozing out with a tilt so tried to measure to 2ppm. but tested next day just to see and was 4 ppm NH4 and 2 ppm nitrite .

waited till day 5 and tested and same NH4 4+ ppm. nitrite 2+ ppm. using API test kits

reading DR tims about issues with excess Ammonium. checked PH was 7.0 and realized when i mixed in the Distilled water from walmart that ph was 5.0 so did a 5 gallon water change with Reef crystals salt mix RODI water now " that came in later in week and using that for all WC and top off

used a PH buffer to get PH 8.0 + again to get bacteria to cycling .

That was 4 days ago and since then now my NH4 is 0 and my Nitrite is 5ppm and has been since last sunday 1-29 i have done 3, 5 gallon water changes to get it to lower and made no difference, tested it today and NH4 0 ppm nitrite 5ppm dark purple.

Dr tims is pointing to a stalled out cycle using too much ammonium. others i see say wait it out dont do any WC anymore and wait for nitrite to fall and will happen fast. I wanted to use DR tims method to get fish in asap kids are impatient lol but know the waiting game.

What should i do?

Thanks in advance

 

[jsker]

Not to be a parent, but reefing is about patients, nothing good happens fast either.

On that note, I would wait a week or two to see if thing balance out. would you happen to have your parameters, and most in important are you test for ammonia levels?

 

[bushdoc]

Welcome!Glad to have yoy back!
Salinity 1.20- I presume it's a typing error and you mean 1.02?
I dont think 1.20 can even exist, but 1.02 would correspond to salinity 26ppt and average sea water salinity/specific gravity is 35ppt/1.026.
You need to control salinity too and get it more into regular ocean levels.
I do not recommend testing for Nitrites, it's been dropped years ago. Your ammonia is 0, so your cycle is done.
You also seem to be overcorrecting things a bit, slow down and let nature take it's course.
Should you get fish because kids are impatient? Definitely not because they are impatient, but you may get fish because your cycle is done.I would wait few more days.
Ask your LFS what salinity/ sg they keep their fish at and match your tank to that. I do presume that you want to buy pair of Clownfish, if so, I would not buy more at this time.
Good luck!

 

[Jesse Sunday]

Was your hydrometer calibrated?

I found that mine was reading 1.0215 before calibrating and 1.0245 after. I was concerned since I made my saltwater exactly to the specifications and it was "low" So I got calibrating fluid and adjusted it.