Cycle question.

[madcanary]

Added another bottle of one and only ammonia is still reading off the charts. I understand the whole process I just have a hard time understanding why ammonia would still be off the charts with nothing being added for over 2 months. I’m showing nitrates so I know it’s working but sheesh. I’m scared to add fish at this point. I’m going to do a large water change to see if it helps motivate things.
I’ll add that ph has remained stable around 7.8 with Apex ORP for what its worth has dropped to the low 200’s skimmer is running along with filter roller and it’s pulling junk out surprisingly

 

[ReefGeezer]

Added another bottle of one and only ammonia is still reading off the charts. I understand the whole process I just have a hard time understanding why ammonia would still be off the charts with nothing being added for over 2 months. I’m showing nitrates so I know it’s working but sheesh. I’m scared to add fish at this point. I’m going to do a large water change to see if it helps motivate things.
I’ll add that ph has remained stable around 7.8 with Apex ORP for what its worth has dropped to the low 200’s skimmer is running along with filter roller and it’s pulling junk out surprisingly

How high is "off the charts"? Sorry if I missed it, but can you get the ammonia checked with another kit?

I don't know the limit, or even if there is one, but I have always operated by assuming that adding bacteria a very high ammonia environment (>3 ppm) might slow down or prevent its growth. A water change would certainly help if you have a high level.

 

[Dan_P]

Added another bottle of one and only ammonia is still reading off the charts. I understand the whole process I just have a hard time understanding why ammonia would still be off the charts with nothing being added for over 2 months. I’m showing nitrates so I know it’s working but sheesh. I’m scared to add fish at this point. I’m going to do a large water change to see if it helps motivate things.
I’ll add that ph has remained stable around 7.8 with Apex ORP for what its worth has dropped to the low 200’s skimmer is running along with filter roller and it’s pulling junk out surprisingly

It would not be unusual for Dr Tim’s to be dud bacteria. Try Biospira or Turbo Start.

 

[brandon429]

your issue here is that you're focusing on clearing wastewater using kits I've shown to be entirely problematic

continue if you must, but at any phase you can do a water change and begin reefing. removing the water you're sure is bad makes it gone, the bioslicks that by rule develop in 8 weeks of fed cycling and multiple bottle bac purchases remain, and your tank will carry life

there's no reason to suspect that isn't the case considering the mountain of successful fish we're keeping alive using a totally different rule than is being applied in this thread.

you don't have to clear this wastewater by wait and by more purchases, you can be reefing by tomorrow.

that big water change is for your peace of mind since you believe the non digital test kits no matter what, even if they show misreads on five year old systems in threads already linked.


cycle coaches are having you believe them, I can't blame you at all.

if you didn't change water, and added two peppermint shrimps, they'd live and not die. same for clownfish, or an eel, there is no bioload loss in a cycle anyone can find on this entire site from any recent timeframe.

it only seems like yours will be the first, it always seems that way. if you had seneye this wouldn't be happening.

your ammonia is not backed up. it's functioning just fine but you can't see it on that kit


this cycler does not seem happy using the rules of old cycling science/that's the bottom line.


this is a total complete contrast to my threads where we follow a different rule, the happiness factor in reefing could not be more polar opposite between our cycling threads and this thread. I wish that was not the case. old cycling science always does this to cyclers and up until they're fed up with it old cycling science will be the majority procedure.

fish disease can't be discussed here because it's being excluded by a hyperfocus on ammonia as stated by a non digital test kit, again.

at no time in reefing could anyone replicate this claim using a calibrated seneye, eight weeks into a rock stack in a display reef, using feed and two bottles of dr tims and the same ammonia inputs that were used here. not anyone, not ever, only red sea or api can do this to people.

an unstated, unidentified adulterant is affecting your kit and it's not ammonia.

 

[madcanary]

redsea was super blue and didn’t match any color on the chart.
after adding the second bottle almost 72 hours ago. My Hanna ammonia checker came in.

I appreciate the feedback from you all it’s just been a crazy cycle having lasted so long.
I have a 50% water change mixing which I’m going to perform hopefully it will kick everything off.

 

[brandon429]

if we convert that nh4 reading to nh3 what is your estimate based on what your pH currently reads



**can you post a reading from today's red sea kit so we can see the color and compare to that hanna reading

You having that hanna is splendid

Taricha was able to really use those effectively, I hear they've been recalled but let's see what it shows after conversion using your pH approximations. can you run the nh3 conversion on that readout using your own pH readings and report back along with a pic from the red sea ammonia

this comparison is very very helpful compare test kits to one another.

I don't believe a 50% water change will help you much it'll still leave crucial doubt but can't hurt anything.

 

[madcanary]

if we convert that nh4 reading to nh3 what is your estimate based on what your pH currently reads



**can you post a reading from today's red sea kit so we can see the color and compare to that hanna reading

You having that hanna is splendid

Taricha was able to really use those effectively, I hear they've been recalled but let's see what it shows after conversion using your pH approximations. can you run the nh3 conversion on that readout using your own pH readings and report back along with a pic from the red sea ammonia

this comparison is very very helpful compare test kits to one another.

I don't believe a 50% water change will help you much it'll still leave crucial doubt but can't hurt anything.

0.0592 79f 7.9ph

 

[brandon429]

you are right in the middle of evolving cycling science/no rules are set in stone for either side they're still being debated and carved up/you sure are being patient with it all

hey how many gallons total was that tank?

 

[madcanary]

you are right in the middle of evolving cycling science/no rules are set in stone for either side they're still being debated and carved up/you sure are being patient with it all

hey how many gallons total was that tank?

112g Cycle started 12/27

 

[brandon429]

112 is truly a lot of water, impractical to change it all

even 50 made up is big effort. its neat you have more than one kit to sample with I was glad to get to see the contrasted readings so far.

 

[EugeneVan]

check this out. this is a common api reading people get in cycling.

all chemists and reefers agree that's a total fail, it's lethal ammonia off the charts.

or is it

this comes from a thread where exactly at the same time, a seneye calibrated on a years old running nano reef shows .04 nh3 and on that sample of cycling water above the seneye was also .04...the sample had met the submersion timeframes and surface area ratios we find in all false stalled cycle threads.

without the seneye, nobody would believe a misread of this magnitude was possible.

When I start my 200 reef tank couple years ago. I use the API test kit for daily testing (haha, I am cheap) and of course I owned every Hanna test eggs. My ammonia level took 2 months and it evenually go down to 0 then my nitrate go up to the roof. This is the point I said my cycle is completed. Patient is everything in this hobby.

 

[madcanary]

When I start my 200 reef tank couple years ago. I use the API test kit for daily testing (haha, I am cheap) and of course I owned every Hanna test eggs. My ammonia level took 2 months and it evenually go down to 0 then my nitrate go up to the roof. This is the point I said my cycle is completed. Patient is everything in this hobby.

0.053

 

[brandon429]

what does Red Sea show currently

Im always trying to compare digital to non digital kits on the same water sample is why asking, this is a rare opportunity.

 

[brandon429]

@madcanary

I’m shocked the nh3 conversion is that low I was expecting it to be tenths ppm

is .053 really where it lands after factoring pH approximation that’s an amazing drop if so?

 

[madcanary]

@madcanary

I’m shocked the nh3 conversion is that low I was expecting it to be tenths ppm

is .053 really where it lands after factoring pH approximation that’s an amazing drop if so?

Yes Sir was 1.09 on the Hanna
79f 8.0ph

I didn’t recheck with redsea. I’ll grab you a set of readings in the am.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes Sir was 1.09 on the Hanna
79f 8.0ph

I didn’t recheck with redsea. I’ll grab you a set of readings in the am.

I would add more bacteria from a different brand intended for cycling.

 

[madcanary]

I would add more bacteria from a different brand intended for cycling.

I added brightwell xlt after the water change.

 

[brandon429]

What's the total count of different bacteria or ammonia acting agents added, is it 2 different bottles of Dr Tims plus two others =4? Or 3

We want to track redundancy rate patterns is why asking

 

[Garf]

Didn't know what cleanse was, so googled it, lol. So you've used tapwater?


Edit - oops, forgot to use the reply function.

 

[Garf]

I added brightwell xlt after the water change.


I can't get any info up on that "cleanse" at the minute, I'm supposed to be at work, lol. You could try and search to see if it screws with ammonia tests, or do a little experiment.


my phone is playing silly buggers at the minute