Cycling an Aquarium

[Brew12]

Is my cycle stuck or am I getting a bad indication? Ammonia is 0, Nitrates 0 but nitrites are off scale and don't really match the Red Sea color chart, more orangey red than dark purple. Dosed with 2ppm Ammonium 48 hrs ago. Using TLC Optimizer.
10 gal QT, HOB, powerhead w/foam filter, a few pieces of left over dry rock, no lights. 6 wks in DT has cycled fine in that time.

I'm not too familiar with TLC Optimizer, but are you sure you used the Salt Water version?

The Redsea nitrite test only reads to 1ppm if I recall correctly, so it can be off scale and still be very low. Since the nitrate test works by breaking the nitrates into nitrites and then measuring them, it is likely that your nitrites aren't too high or you would show high nitrates, also.

I would double check to make sure you are doing the testing correctly, but otherwise just give it another day or two.

 

[Rivus]

The TLC says Saltwater in big letters. I just tested the DT and nitrites are 0.1 using the same test kit. I've been getting the same result for over a week now on the QT, so it's confusing with the Ammonia and nitrates going to 0. The color while dark doesn't quite match, however I found out it does turn to a pale orange after 2 minutes and it's no longer valid. (I read the instructions!)

 

[Brew12]

The TLC says Saltwater in big letters. I just tested the DT and nitrites are 0.1 using the same test kit. I've been getting the same result for over a week now on the QT, so it's confusing with the Ammonia and nitrates going to 0. The color while dark doesn't quite match, however I found out it does turn to a pale orange after 2 minutes and it's no longer valid. (I read the instructions!)

Something is definitely not right. It should be almost impossible to get nitrites on these tests without showing nitrates, also.

Chemical "B" is the only difference between the tests. This is what breaks down the nitrate into nitrites. Because of this, the nitrate test should always read higher than the nitrite test. The only reason the nitrate test has a higher range is the 5 drops from bottle "A" as opposed to the 1 drop for nitrites.

And just to be clear, you are waiting the 9 minutes and then starting the 2 minute count before it isn't valid, correct?

If you can, I would recommend taking a sample to your LFS.

It isn't too uncommon for nitrites to stall high when using some bacteria products. The ammonia processing bacteria do seem more durable than the nitrite processing ones. I have found BioSpira to be the most consistent for not stalling with nitrites. If your LFS can confirm your tests, or if you just want to give it a try, adding some might help.

 

[Rivus]

I wonder if I overdosed the TLC and that's causing the issue. Dr Tim's says you can't overdose his stuff, but not sure about TLC that I got from the LFS.

 

[Brew12]

I wonder if I overdosed the TLC and that's causing the issue. Dr Tim's says you can't overdose his stuff, but not sure about TLC that I got from the LFS.

You shouldn't be able to overdose any bacteria product like this. However, I'm not too familiar with the TLC line so it can't be completely ruled out.

 

[lapin]

I wonder if I overdosed the TLC and that's causing the issue.

No you did not overdose.
You cant trust your nitrate test because you still have nitrites.
To solve this. Go to the petco and get a bottle of another brand. Ours carries bio spira and some other brand.
Just dump in a new bottle hit with a bit of ammonia or a table shrimp. This should break your "stalled cycle". Wait a week and you should be good to go.

 

[James Starr]

I started my cycle with 8.8 gal of nutriseawater, and a 16 oz bottle of Dr Tim's. I also have 81lbs of live rock. Can I put a shrimp in a areated bag for food for the bacteria. Started the cycle Sunday night

 

[lapin]

Can I put a shrimp in a aireated bag for food for the bacteria.

Yes and after a week you should have ammonia.Then take it out. Its job will be done.

 

[James Starr]

Ok, thank you!

 

[SeaCreature]

Help please.

Started cycle on Qt and DT 6/3/18.
Using Red Sea Marine Care Multi test set
Seeded tanks with Dr Tim’s bacteria and Bio Spira bacteria and Dr Tim’s ammonia.

QT
All indicators suggest the cycle is complete.
Ammonia and Nitrite are 0 Nitrate is 50

My original plan was to add 4ppm wait a day or 2 and make sure that ammonia and nitrite returned to zero before doing a 50% water change. My concern is for some reason my salinity has spiked off the charts > 40ppt/1.027 sg (verified using refractometer, Apex,and Hanna digital refractometer).

Questions:

Should I proceed with the water change or can I still follow my original plan.

Can the water change wait until Fri. (2days)?

What would cause such a large spike in salinity? The salinity was at my target of 35 just 10 days ago and ATO was/is working however I was so focused on doing my testing that I was not paying attention to the salinity.

 

[Brew12]

Help please.

Started cycle on Qt and DT 6/3/18.
Using Red Sea Marine Care Multi test set
Seeded tanks with Dr Tim’s bacteria and Bio Spira bacteria and Dr Tim’s ammonia.

QT
All indicators suggest the cycle is complete.
Ammonia and Nitrite are 0 Nitrate is 50

My original plan was to add 4ppm wait a day or 2 and make sure that ammonia and nitrite returned to zero before doing a 50% water change. My concern is for some reason my salinity has spiked off the charts > 40ppt/1.027 sg (verified using refractometer, Apex,and Hanna digital refractometer).

Questions:

Should I proceed with the water change or can I still follow my original plan.

Can the water change wait until Fri. (2days)?

What would cause such a large spike in salinity? The salinity was at my target of 35 just 10 days ago and ATO was/is working however I was so focused on doing my testing that I was not paying attention to the salinity.

You did fill your ATO with fresh water, not salt water, right?

 

[SeaCreature]

Yes rodi water

 

[Brew12]

Did you see a similar spike in both the QT and DT or was it just in the QT?

 

[SeaCreature]

Just QT.

DT still cycling. Ammonia between 0 and 0.2 nitrite 0 nitrates 50.
Salinity 34.5.

Is it ok to bring ammonia in qt up to 4ppm without a water change and make sure it drops back to 0 before doing a water change and adding my first fish. Also I have small peices (3) of rubble rock a media bag with pond matrix some pvc and a small sponge in the qt. Should I remove the rock and pond matrix before adding a fish and will that re-start the cycle?

 

[Brew12]

I wouldn't go higher than 2ppm. You will want to leave the rubble rock and matrix in since they are likely holding much of the bacteria. If you do want them removed then you should do that before you add ammonia for the next test to make sure the sponge is well seeded. Don't be surprised if it does not process the ammonia as quickly though.

 

[SeaCreature]

I wouldn't go higher than 2ppm. You will want to leave the rubble rock and matrix in since they are likely holding much of the bacteria. If you do want them removed then you should do that before you add ammonia for the next test to make sure the sponge is well seeded. Don't be surprised if it does not process the ammonia as quickly though.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Brew12]

Hey guys, I wanted to share this link that Dr Tim made in a different thread. Fantastic stuff!
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacteria-in-a-bottle-myth-or-fact.403226/page-7#post-4832110

 

[Rivus]

No you did not overdose.
You cant trust your nitrate test because you still have nitrites.
To solve this. Go to the petco and get a bottle of another brand. Ours carries bio spira and some other brand.
Just dump in a new bottle hit with a bit of ammonia or a table shrimp. This should break your "stalled cycle". Wait a week and you should be good to go.

Patience my A...Almost gave up, after using all the TLC and then a bottle of Nite-Out, lowered the salinity, after another 2 and half weeks it finally cycled! 8+ weeks total. Ammonia 24 hrs 0 after dosing, Nitrites 0 48 hrs after dosing.
After a big H2O change to lower the nitrates it's time to get a couple of fish into QT.

 

[Bob2bob]

Unclear if my tank is cycled or not, could use some advice on what to do. I have a 75g with a 4ob sump and 50lbs of BRS reef saver dry rock as well as a bunch of marine pure blocks.

Starting my cycle:
I filled it with water and dumped a bottle of Bio-Spira on June 1st.

During cycle:
The only thing I've been doing is ghost feeding a pinch of cobalt flake food every day though from June 12-23rd I was out of town so the ghost feeding was put on hold in the middle of the month.

Water parameters: I couldn't test while I was away in the middle of the month.
Ammonia:
On 6/28 using the API kit i think I got a Ammonia reading of around .5
This morning on 7/1 it was significantly lower using the same test kit - maybe .1-.15

Nitrites:
Thoughout the month I've never really seen any noticeable Nitrites using the API kit. Perhaps the color had some shades of darker blue but was definitely always light blue/cyan

Nitrates:
Throughout the month I havn't really seen much Nitrates either. -- maybe around 3-5 right now. It's hard to tell with these API kits.

Algae:
I can see some kind of algae in the sump (display has been covered with towels) and it appears to really be getting more intense in color the last three or four days. It's on the white silicone I used to attach the baffles for the most part.

 

[Brew12]

Unclear if my tank is cycled or not, could use some advice on what to do. I have a 75g with a 4ob sump and 50lbs of BRS reef saver dry rock as well as a bunch of marine pure blocks.

Starting my cycle:
I filled it with water and dumped a bottle of Bio-Spira on June 1st.

During cycle:
The only thing I've been doing is ghost feeding a pinch of cobalt flake food every day though from June 12-23rd I was out of town so the ghost feeding was put on hold in the middle of the month.

Water parameters: I couldn't test while I was away in the middle of the month.
Ammonia:
On 6/28 using the API kit i think I got a Ammonia reading of around .5
This morning on 7/1 it was significantly lower using the same test kit - maybe .1-.15

Nitrites:
Thoughout the month I've never really seen any noticeable Nitrites using the API kit. Perhaps the color had some shades of darker blue but was definitely always light blue/cyan

Nitrates:
Throughout the month I havn't really seen much Nitrates either. -- maybe around 3-5 right now. It's hard to tell with these API kits.

Algae:
I can see some kind of algae in the sump (display has been covered with towels) and it appears to really be getting more intense in color the last three or four days. It's on the white silicone I used to attach the baffles for the most part.

You should be fine to add a fish or two. Even if your bacteria population isn't quite where it should be the algae will process ammonia directly. It is very difficult to get ammonia build up in a tank with macro algae.