Cycle Is Done... Is It Time For First Water Change?

[CayoHueso]

Hi Everyone,

The cycle is done on my tank. I've been using Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride Solution in combination with Instant Ocean Bio Spira and MicroBacter 7. I've been following Dr Tim's Guide To Fishless Cycling. According to the schedule from Dr. TIm's I shouldn't perform a water change until about 4 days after I add live stock. My nitrates are currently at tolerable level of 15.7 ppm. Should I stick with the Dr. Tim's schedule and do the water change after adding live stock, or should I go ahead and do a 25% water change now, and see if I can get the nitrates down to more comfortable 10ppm. The bacteria hasn't had anything to feed off of yet except the ammonium chloride solution. And the tanks pretty clean, I haven't been running any filtration or lights.

Here's a quick breakdown of how I cycled the tank and the testing results. First I seeded some CaribSea Dry Rock in a 5 gallon bucket using MicroBacter 7 and a raw piece of shrimp to get the ammonium going for about a week before the new tank got here. I add the seeded rock along with some more dry rock, CaribSea Live Sand and saltwater into the new tank. After the tank cleared and the sand settled I started Day 1 by dosing 40 drops (20 Gallon AIO IM Fusion) of Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride Solution and cap full of MicroBacter 7.

Day 2:
Ammonium .2 - 1 ppm
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 20 ppb (Billion)
Dosed entire bottle 125ml bottle of Bio Spira

Day 3:
Ammonium 0 -.25 ppm
PH 7.8
Dosed 40 drops of ammonium chloride
Dosed one cap of MicroBacter 7

Day 4:
Dosed one cap of MicroBacter 7

Day 5:
Ammonium 0 ppm
Nitrate 15.6 ppm
Nitrite 87 ppb (Billion)
Dosed 40 drops ammonium chloride

Left town for a few days

Day 11:
Ammonium 0 ppm
Nitrate 15.7 ppm
Nitrite 7 ppb (Billion)
Ph 8.3
Dosed 40 drops of ammonium chloride
Dosed 1 cap of MicroBacter 7

 

[KrisReef]

Stop adding ammonia chloride. After the last dose of ammonia wait at least 4 days (or until ammonia is gone) before you start adding fish. Follow Dr. Timothy Leary’ water change schedule after you add a fish.

If you add too many fish at once they can produce waste faster than the new biofilter can process it, so add fish slowly.

Are you planning to quarantine the fish?

 

[jda]

Wait a few days. You will be Ok to start adding some fish. The first step is done with many other steps to come.

I would not worry about a water change just yet. Maybe after the first signs of the uglies start to appear. A water change will not hurt anything, but I just don't know how necessary it is.

The cycle is never done - cyclical. I know that people like to say that, but it will help you in the future to realize that this is a cyclical process that changes and adapts to the needs of your tank. As you add fish, the AOB (ammonia oxidizing bacteria) will still grow. As you get corals, film bacteria and algae that use direct fish waste, the AOB and NOB (nitrite) will die back a bit. This might be word salad to some who want to declare victory at being able to keep fish, but for those who want to develop an ecosystem, it is an integral base to develop knowledge.

 

[CayoHueso]

Stop adding ammonia chloride. After the last dose of ammonia wait at least 4 days (or until ammonia is gone) before you start adding fish. Follow Dr. Timothy Leary’ water change schedule after you add a fish.

If you add too many fish at once they can produce waste faster than the new biofilter can process it, so add fish slowly.

Are you planning to quarantine the fish?

I tested again just now, this would be Day 13. So it's been 48 hours since I last added any ammonium chloride. And here are the numbers.

Day 13:
Ammonium 0 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm
Nitrite 9 ppb (Billion)

So the Nitrates are a little high at 20 ppm, which makes me think I should do a small water change. Thoughts?

I have a pair of QT'd Clowns arriving on Friday. Once I get the clowns in the DT I'll be QT'ing everything going forward. I'll be setting up the QT tank this weekend or next week and go ahead and begin QTing a clean up crew so they are nice and ready to go in about the time they should be needed.

 

[jda]

You might need the nitrogen on that nitrate molecule to get some things going. Once you get consistent ammonium from fish waste, those things can get nitrogen from the nh4 molecule.

Once your nitrite is closer to 0 ppb, the nitrate test kit will read difference. Even trace levels of no2 can interfere with no3 tests.

 

[JayM]

I tested again just now, this would be Day 13. So it's been 48 hours since I last added any ammonium chloride. And here are the numbers.

Day 13:
Ammonium 0 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm
Nitrite 9 ppb (Billion)

So the Nitrates are a little high at 20 ppm, which makes me think I should do a small water change. Thoughts?

I have a pair of QT'd Clowns arriving on Friday. Once I get the clowns in the DT I'll be QT'ing everything going forward. I'll be setting up the QT tank this weekend or next week and go ahead and begin QTing a clean up crew so they are nice and ready to go in about the time they should be needed.

No need for a water change at this point. Nitrate is fine. It's also likely an inaccurate reading due to the presence of nitrite.

 

[CayoHueso]

You might need the nitrogen on that nitrate molecule to get some things going. Once you get consistent ammonium from fish waste, those things can get nitrogen from the nh4 molecule.

Once your nitrite is closer to 0 ppb, the nitrate test kit will read difference. Even trace levels of no2 can interfere with no3 tests.

No need for a water change at this point. Nitrate is fine. It's also likely an inaccurate reading due to the presence of nitrite.

Sounds good! Thanks!

 

[CayoHueso]

The clowns got here Friday night, the male was DOA unfortunately. The female seems to be doing good, which is great! She's eating, she's found herself a little spot in the corner. But I'll catch her swimming around the tank and rock work. Checked Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite and PH just now;

Day 18 (Day 3 with Fish)
Ammonia 0.05ppm
Nitrate 18.6ppm
Nitrite 20ppb (Billion)
Ph 8.3

Planned on doing a 25% water change tomorrow. Levels seem okay to me, to wait till tomorrow. I use Aquaforest salt. So I could have water ready to go in 2 hours. Thoughts?