Cycle -noob question

[necbov]

Hey everyone,

Question is how my cycle is going ?!
When to clean the filter sponge in the sump and when to stop the bio s.

Cube 45x35x45 91Litre

30day of cycling.

1. day filled the tank with freshly made salt water af rock an af bio sand and add 2 flakes and 1 drop af bio s
2. and 3rd bio s 1 drop
4. day 2 flakes and bio s 1 drop
5.&6. bio s 1 drop
7. 2-3 flakes and bio s 1 drop
8.&9. bio s 1 drop
10. 3 flakes bio s 1 drop
11. test 0 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite
Dose 2 ml liquid ammonia 6% and bio s 1 drop
12. test 0 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite dose 2ml liquid ammonia 6% and bio s 1 drop
13. 0 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite dose 2ml liquid ammonia 6% bio s 1 drop
14. test see photo, seeing some ammonia and NO2, bio s 1 drop

15.&16. Bio s 1 drop
17.. test see photo , ammonia also no2 and no3 (did api ammonia test also) bio s 1 drop

18.&19.&20. Bio s 1 drop
21.. test see photo , less ammonia ,slightly more no2 and more no3

22.&23. Bio s 1 drop
24.. test see photo , less ammonia ,slightly more no2 and more no3

25.&26.&27. Bio s 1 drop
28.. test see photo , tiny or 0 ammonia , more no2 and more no3 Bio s 1 drop

29.. test see photo, 0 ammonia, stable ?! Or more no2 , more no3

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

.....

 

[Kooma]

Looks like your cycle is done. Add 1 fish and test over a week to see how the tank responds.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Cycle looks done to me!

 

[EnterName]

I agree with @Kooma and @Gumbies R Us, nitrification seems to be established in your tank. You can either start with the first living creature in your tank like a fish or add something like 0.2ppm ammonia and see how long it takes to be nitrified again.

 

[Fish Fan]

I don't think you're cycled well enough for livestock yet

I don't see where you got your initial dose of ammonia up to somewhere around 2.0 ppm to get the cycle started. I see where you've added "2 flakes" of fish food here and there, but that's not enough, and then you started to use an ammonia product, but you need to add more than two mL's for a 90L tank. The ammonia should have been around 2.0 ppm on day 1 to start the cycle.

Ignore nitrite, you don't have to test for or worry about it at all in saltwater.

I would add enough of the ammonia today to bring the concentration to about 2.0 ppm measured on your test kit, not just how much the bottle of ammonia says to add. Then, check your ammonia again in 24 hours. If your ammonia goes from about 2.0 ppm to <0.25 ppm in 24 hours, then you'll know you're good to start safely adding some hardy livestock

Good luck!

 

[necbov]

I don't think you're cycled well enough for livestock yet

I don't see where you got your initial dose of ammonia up to somewhere around 2.0 ppm to get the cycle started. I see where you've added "2 flakes" of fish food here and there, but that's not enough, and then you started to use an ammonia product, but you need to add more than two mL's for a 90L tank. The ammonia should have been around 2.0 ppm on day 1 to start the cycle.

Ignore nitrite, you don't have to test for or worry about it at all in saltwater.

I would add enough of the ammonia today to bring the concentration to about 2.0 ppm measured on your test kit, not just how much the bottle of ammonia says to add. Then, check your ammonia again in 24 hours. If your ammonia goes from about 2.0 ppm to <0.25 ppm in 24 hours, then you'll know you're good to start safely adding some hardy livestock

Good luck!

That’s what I’m thinking, total I put 6ml ammonia 6% (pure ammonia) like double the amount for my tank and I dont remember if I ever see 2ppm to tell you the truth . So from what I’m thinking is wait a few days for ,ammonia is already 0 in all of the test there was ammonia except from 2 or 3 days ago, no2 also to get 0 and no3 to go higher. I’m already day 31 so I have time with me
If I’m the next week it’s the same I think I will do the test to put ammonia 2ppm(compared with Salifert test). If it’s not cycled I will probably reply to your post again asking for help

 

[Fish Fan]

That’s what I’m thinking, total I put 6ml ammonia 6% (pure ammonia) like double the amount for my tank and I dont remember if I ever see 2ppm to tell you the truth . So from what I’m thinking is wait a few days for ,ammonia is already 0 in all of the test there was ammonia except from 2 or 3 days ago, no2 also to get 0 and no3 to go higher. I’m already day 31 so I have time with me
If I’m the next week it’s the same I think I will do the test to put ammonia 2ppm(compared with Salifert test). If it’s not cycled I will probably reply to your post again asking for help

I would suggest adding enough of your ammonia to bring the concentration to about 2.0 ppm measured on your test kit. Don't just add the amount it tells you to on the bottle of ammonia, verify it with your test kit. Then, check again in 24 hours and if the ammonia is less than about 0.25 ppm, you're safe to start slowly adding some hardy livestock. If it's above 0.25 ppm (and I suspect it will be), then you need to give it some more time to come down.

You can safely ignore testing for or worrying about nitrite, it is non-toxic and not an issue in saltwater tanks. Just watch for the ammonia to go from 2.0 ppm to about 0.25 ppm or less, and for nitrate to be increasing.

Good luck, let us know how it's going!

 

[necbov]

30 32 33 bio s 1 drop per each day
32 test:1 no2-25 no3
33 test:
34 test:
35 test :
39&43&44&45 3ml bactoblend (new bacteria ) each day (that’s what my lfs said)
43 test
46 50% water change and 3 ml bacto
47 test 0 ammonia-4 no2-25 no3
48 test 0,0.5nh3-2 no2-25 no3 and 3 ml bacto(2 times a week)
49 test

My lfs said that any day I will see my no2 drop to 0. Also suggested in day 46 a 50% water change.

I think it takes too much but I don’t know what to do!

 

[Fish Fan]

Stop measuring or worrying about NO2, it is non-toxic in saltwater. There's no need to wait for it ot zero out. If you're ammonia has come down to zero, you should be good to start adding some hardly livestock.

A water change is up to you, I don't think you need to do one, but many people do one after the cycle.

 

[Fish Fan]

Please see this article about nitrite toxicity:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm

 

[necbov]

Stop measuring or worrying about NO2, it is non-toxic in saltwater. There's no need to wait for it ot zero out. If you're ammonia has come down to zero, you should be good to start adding some hardly livestock.

A water change is up to you, I don't think you need to do one, but many people do one after the cycle.

I bought the test so I need to use them

I always thought that it nitrite goes 0 (after ammonia) means that cycle completed. Or maybe I am wrong but my lfs said to wait for no2 to get 0.

Thanks for the information though !!

I’m noob and trying to what is wrong and what is right.

So I believe my reef tank is cycled ?!

 

[Fish Fan]

I always thought that it nitrite goes 0 (after ammonia) means that cycle completed. Or maybe I am wrong but my lfs said to wait for no2 to get 0.

That's old news, based on freshwater fishkeeping (where nitrite IS toxic). You can see the link I posted above for verification that nitrite is non-toxic in saltwater systems.

So I believe my reef tank is cycled ?!

I believe so too

 

[necbov]

I always thought that it nitrite goes 0 (after ammonia) means that cycle completed. Or maybe I am wrong but my lfs said to wait for no2 to get 0.

That's old news, based on freshwater fishkeeping (where nitrite IS toxic). You can see the link I posted above for verification that nitrite is non-toxic in saltwater systems.

So I believe my reef tank is cycled ?!

I believe so too

Thank you so much I read the link!!!

As I’m scared is there a test or a way to confirm that my reef is cycled?! I don’t want anything to die

 

[Fish Fan]

Thank you so much I read the link!!!

As I’m scared is there a test or a way to confirm that my reef is cycled?! I don’t want anything to die

You're welcome!

Add enough ammonia (ammonium chloride, ammonium bicarbonate (baker's ammonia) so that the concentration is about 2.0 ppm on a god test kit. Then, test again in 24 hours. If after 24 hours the ammonia goes from about 2.0 ppm to about 0.25 ppm, you're good to go