i mean his water is not your water or parameters i wouldnt count it is a good QT as in your water or params tbhI trust him. Plus I don't have a quarantine tank as of yet. I'm out of $$$ after setting this one up
He has his own company out of his house. He has a 2000 gallon system of tanks at his business.
Caribsea Life Rock and Fuji Live sand...Cycling with Tim's?
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rustyreefer
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It is ok to do both. But it is important, IMO, to ensure the tank is creating enough beneficial bacteria to convert the ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate before dumping live animals in. You need a good base from the start to ensure you don't run into problems in the future. I had a goal of ensuring I could cycle, at minimum, 2ppm of Ammonia to Nitrate in 24 hours. I was actually getting closer to 4ppm when I put the first fish in.
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AL210
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Well, I started the fishless cycle on Saturday. Added the whole bottle of DR Tim's One & Only. An hour later I added 4 drops/gallon of the DR Tim ammonia per the directions.
Measured Sunday and the ammonia reading was well over the 2PPM per my Red Sea kit. Nitrite was zero.
Measured this morning and the ammonia color is a little less blue. Still higher than the color chart goes. It only goes to 2ppm. Nitrite showed maybe a hint of pink. So far not cycling well.
Not sure why ammonia was so high. I have 120 gal with the sump and only added 440 drops?
rustyreefer
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Nitrates will show up soon now that you are showing Nitrites. The ammonia should drop in range soon and you can dose ammonia again to keep it around 2ppm when it does. I would test daily for all 3.
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AL210
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My tank is certainly not cycling per the Dr Tim’s directions
I did the 4 drop/gal as directed on the ammonia bottle and my ammonia has been above 2 for 4 straight days now. Red Sea test kit don’t go above 2.0 ppm. 2 on their kit is a dark green and my color is a dark aqua blue.
Nitrite is finally up to 0.1. Nitrates are now at 5ppm. Shouldn’t ammonia be at zero? I did test the ammonia before I started the fishless cycle and it was 0.
Should I do a water change or let it go?
I did the 4 drop/gal as directed on the ammonia bottle and my ammonia has been above 2 for 4 straight days now. Red Sea test kit don’t go above 2.0 ppm. 2 on their kit is a dark green and my color is a dark aqua blue.
Nitrite is finally up to 0.1. Nitrates are now at 5ppm. Shouldn’t ammonia be at zero? I did test the ammonia before I started the fishless cycle and it was 0.
Should I do a water change or let it go?
Earlier I’d mentioned proofing your cycle at one ppm max, that was taking into account this isn’t seneye ammonia therefore it’s totally inaccurate ammonia measuring. Going above one ppm/non seneye messes up the assessment, it’s better to add enough ammonia to get a bare color change on the tester, then stop. Try to compare your reef cycle against hundreds of tanks that have no problems skipping the cycle and starting at a macna convention on time
in that big picture comparison, your tank is cycled like theirs are cycled, bottle bac is that effective. Nitrite and nitrate don’t matter in cycling, they misread, to further proof your cycle is ready change all your mixed water out/start fresh and re test at one ppm. Or, change out this algae nutrient water and begin reefing, you are cycled. Right now in the chemistry forum we are discussing how no reef cycle can ever stall, and that seneye can prove it
in that big picture comparison, your tank is cycled like theirs are cycled, bottle bac is that effective. Nitrite and nitrate don’t matter in cycling, they misread, to further proof your cycle is ready change all your mixed water out/start fresh and re test at one ppm. Or, change out this algae nutrient water and begin reefing, you are cycled. Right now in the chemistry forum we are discussing how no reef cycle can ever stall, and that seneye can prove it
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