Hello all,
Please can I have some advise. I used Brightwells dry rock bacteria starter kit on my 425xl. I followed all instructions as given on the kit. Used dry rock, dry sand, all filtration systems are off or taken out etc etc.
My readings have been as follows:
Fast forward to day 25 and the readings are the same. I've been using the RedSea test kit from the start. The last 7 days I've been using a Salifert Nitrite test kit as the RedSea maxes out at 1.0. The Salifert tests are telling me No2 stagnant for the last week at 1.5.
Temperature and salinity have remained constant at 78 degrees & 1.026.
My question lies in my concern that the kit claimed to cycle a tank in 7 days. I had my doubts but now that I'm almost 4 weeks in I'm worried i should be doing a water change or something else as the cycle may have stalled. I used 3 different xlm start bacteria bottles, bought at different times from different stores as i was concerned from early on that maybe the bacteria had died off.
Would it be worth adding a different brand of bacteria to try help it along? Thoughts on a water change?
Thanks in advance.
Please can I have some advise. I used Brightwells dry rock bacteria starter kit on my 425xl. I followed all instructions as given on the kit. Used dry rock, dry sand, all filtration systems are off or taken out etc etc.
My readings have been as follows:
DAYS | AMONIA | NITRITE |
1 | 1.5-2.0 | not tested |
2 | 1.2 | 0 |
3 | 1.0 | 0.025 |
4 | 1.0 | 0.05 (added more XLM start) |
5 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
6 | 0.8 | 0.15 |
7 | 0.7 | 0.2 |
8 | 0.5 | 0.3 (added more XLM start) |
9 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
10 | 0.8 | 0.75 |
11 | skipped | skipped |
12 | 0.4 | 1.0 |
13 | 0.4 | Greater then 1.0 (added more XLM start) |
14 | 0.4 | Greater then 1.0 |
15 | 0.3 | Greater then 1.0 |
16 | 0.2 | Greater then 1.0 |
17 | 0 | Greater then 1.0 |
Fast forward to day 25 and the readings are the same. I've been using the RedSea test kit from the start. The last 7 days I've been using a Salifert Nitrite test kit as the RedSea maxes out at 1.0. The Salifert tests are telling me No2 stagnant for the last week at 1.5.
Temperature and salinity have remained constant at 78 degrees & 1.026.
My question lies in my concern that the kit claimed to cycle a tank in 7 days. I had my doubts but now that I'm almost 4 weeks in I'm worried i should be doing a water change or something else as the cycle may have stalled. I used 3 different xlm start bacteria bottles, bought at different times from different stores as i was concerned from early on that maybe the bacteria had died off.
Would it be worth adding a different brand of bacteria to try help it along? Thoughts on a water change?
Thanks in advance.