Cycle and long term success questions

[gbabbly]

Hello everyone! I filled up an aquarium with collected dry rock(don't worry I bleached for two weeks then washed with dechlorinator and RO, Sun dried, then RO wash again).

Equipment

• IM Auto Roller
• Protein Skimmer
• Ecotech MP 10
• Kessil AP9x
• Hygger 600 GPH return pump
• IM UV sterilizer
• Intank Aquatics Media Basket
• IM Refugium Light w/ Intank Aquatics Refugium Basket
• 20 LBs CaribSea Special grade sand
• Hydros Controller(ATO, PH, Temp, Skimmer, UV, Fuge Light)
• Around 45-55 Lbs of Live Rock
• Bacteria Hotel
  
  I filled the aquarium started the cycle on the 6th. I may have overdosed a bit of ammonia,I dosed the Dr Tim's Ammonia Chloride to 2 ppm and also added the Caribsea fertilizer packet(oops). I used Fritz Turbo Start. I have only used the filter roller during the cycle to remove particulate matter and debris from the water. It's the IM autoroller and I have it on the low bioload setting currently. Nothing in the media basket, refugium, and the protein skimmer along with the UV sterilizer are off. I didn't take measurements on the 6th and the first day I measured Ammonia was on the 10th(2.5 ppm). I added more Turbo Start to the aquarium on the 11th.
  
  My lights have also been on during the cycle so I have a bit of a ugly phase currently :face-without-mouth:
  
  

Below is the table of my measurements which are inconsistent due to travel.

Date	Ammonia	Nitrite	Nitrate
1/10/2024	2.5 PPM	>200 PPB
1/12/2024	1.34 PPM	>200 PPB	26.2 PPM
1/13/2024	1.26 PPM	>200 PPB
1/15/2024	0.65 PPM	>200 PPB	40.8 PPM
1/16/2024	0.50 PPM	>200 PPB	46.1 PPM
1/20/2024	0.07 PPM	>200 PPB	33.6 PPM
1/21/2024	0.09 PPM	>200 PPB
1/22/2024	0.06 PPM	>200 PPB	24.7 PPM

I am using the Hanna Marine Master as my tester so my Nitrite is only ULR. My temperature is consistent but here are the graphs of my pH, I added the meter on the 14th.

I want to stock the tank with plankton, copepods, amphipods, rotifers, and perhaps even live mysid shrimp before I add the fish, corals, and macro algae. I still need to add chaeto to the refugium as well. I also need to add the clean up crew. My question is am I free to go ahead and do that or should I wait for nitrite to zero out? I'm fine waiting another two weeks but if I can speed up the process anyhow I'm willing to listen. It seems my Ammonia is bottoming out. I may also add some clownfish soon if that's not too inhumane. I'm all ears and obviously invested in making this a success. If anyone could suggest some steps that I can do in the mean time to scratch the itches be my guest. I do have to measure and calibrate the PAR of the light.

 

[brandon429]

this cycle is done 100% and needs no more testing, support nor verification. you're reefing now. per updated cycling science, we could discern your readiness solely by the picture knowing no other details (rule of benthic visual cycling cues)

anything you stock in the tank lives as far as ammonia control goes. even if you added 5 fish, not a problem, disease would be your issue independent from any cycling. the cycle is simply 100% done and it's been done long enough to grow those proofs we see in the pic.

 

[brandon429]

we got lucky on your reported 0 ammonia lol that's why there isn't ten people disagreeing and asking for more proofs


this would have been the most fun if you reported .5 ammonia, like the majority do on non digital test kits, and I'd hold the exact same perspective no matter what. per those pics, you can't not be cycled, 100% of the time.

 

[TOReef82]

I'll piggyback of this post. I am roughly a little over two weeks into my cycle. Below are my latest results (using and API Test Kit):

PH = 8.3
Ammonia = 0.125 ppm
Nitrite = 0.25 ppm
Nitrate = 40 ppm
Tank Size = 44 Gallons

Similar to OP, am I in a position to stock the tank with a clean up crew? If appropriate I'm planning to get:

2 Nassarius Snails

2 Trochus Snails

2 Planaxis

I've read that snails are best to start with. For context I plan to stock the tank with fish and soft corals. Are there additional invertebrates I should consider getting?

Lastly, to date I have not completed a water change. Should I consider doing a water change at this stage (i.e 10% - 20%)? I've read conflicting posts/contents about Nitrate levels. Is the current level in my tank unsafe for a clean up crew.

Appreciate the feedback in advance.

 

[brandon429]

I have never in all my reefing time seen a two week bottle bac cycle unable to carry a basic reef bioload, therefore yours is cycled by precedent 100% rate.


Using time instead of basing responses on people's stated test levels, which may or may not be right, streamlines cycle troubleshooting

I've learned to base cycle completion calls based on factors of time, bottle bac used, and other helpful objectives such as new tank growths if any

it's simply a better method than trusting every stated level as accurate gold.


How you stock going forward won't matter, that's among the choice set from reefing.

Notice when making cycle calls we're stating fully ready. That's why whether or not you do a water change doesn't factor: when you're fully reefing, whether or not you do a small water change doesn't do much overall in the lifespan of the tank. The statement that you're ready also accounts for nitrite, which is no longer factored in reef cycling due to chemistry updates in the hobby. Being ready for you means no more cycle verification needed, can put away all cycling test kits and simply reef as you've planned.

Further independent time- based proof of cycling completion= every cycling chart ever posted in a book. All ammonia control slopes have fallen by day 12, and they stay down. That's all cycling charts with none that vary... truly, timing matters most

The degree of ammonia you measure isn't the full picture/ didn't state stating levels so we can see if this level is a drop over time but I didn't need to know any other factors vs bottle bac + 2 weeks-> all I've ever seen are completed
The chance you would be the first incomplete is nil, good to go :)

 

[brandon429]

anytime people state wildly noncompliant things on the web they should be able to produce some example threads on demand

anticipating that demand: he who stocked eight fish, a full grown anemone, corals, inverts on day one below

it's why you guys aligning to carry a clownfish or two was never assumed a risk by my calcs and thread experience.

all we're discussing here, in both cases, are small starting common bioloads well after all cycling charts on earth show ammonia to be controlled.

if you asked me: can I stock fish day one, instead of ammonia, using both examples here the answer would be yes, that's why it worked for ike. read this thread to see bottle cycle skip cycling, day one reefing. you waited much longer for bacteria to establish

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bio-spira-works-great.668674/
again look how we managed his cycle, on a time completion scale. his time wait was zero lol because bottle bac are good. *some, rarely, can be dead bottles and that would possibly kill such a setup. true there, but they're rare. it helps to verify bottle bac veracity before proceeding, and, given two weeks + feed that's enough to make up even for severely compromised bottles.

 

[TOReef82]

I have never in all my reefing time seen a two week bottle bac cycle unable to carry a basic reef bioload, therefore yours is cycled by precedent 100% rate.


Using time instead of basing responses on people's stated test levels, which may or may not be right, streamlines cycle troubleshooting

I've learned to base cycle completion calls based on factors of time, bottle bac used, and other helpful objectives such as new tank growths if any

it's simply a better method than trusting every stated level as accurate gold.


How you stock going forward won't matter, that's among the choice set from reefing.

Notice when making cycle calls we're stating fully ready. That's why whether or not you do a water change doesn't factor: when you're fully reefing, whether or not you do a small water change doesn't do much overall in the lifespan of the tank. The statement that you're ready also accounts for nitrite, which is no longer factored in reef cycling due to chemistry updates in the hobby. Being ready for you means no more cycle verification needed, can put away all cycling test kits and simply reef as you've planned.

Further independent time- based proof of cycling completion= every cycling chart ever posted in a book. All ammonia control slopes have fallen by day 12, and they stay down. That's all cycling charts with none that vary... truly, timing matters most

The degree of ammonia you measure isn't the full picture/ didn't state stating levels so we can see if this level is a drop over time but I didn't need to know any other factors vs bottle bac + 2 weeks-> all I've ever seen are completed
The chance you would be the first incomplete is nil, good to go :)

Thanks!