Cycling brand new aquarium.

[airvicconcre]

Hello all.
I’ve setup a new marine aquarium with dead live rock and kept it for cycling for the last 20 days. I’ve been dosing it with Microbacter 7, microbacter xlm and lastly I dosed it with Dr Tim’s. Whenever I test the ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0.1 and nitrate is 25. I use Australian black worms and sometimes pellet fish food as a source for ammonia however the 0 ammonia makes me wonder if my cycle ever started or my aquarium is still uncycled. Yesterday I added few drops of Ammoniim Chloride straight into the sump. I have a 150g dt and a 75g sump. Can anyone help
Me with the ammonium chloride dosing regime or if I’m doing something wrong here?

 

[dcsorrell]

Because you have nitrates, I would say that yes, as soon as nitrites are 0, your tank has gotten through the nitrogen cycle. That won't mean it's perfectly mature and stable; the nitrogen cycle is merely the initial cycle. But you can begin *slowly* adding livestock, beginning with the least sensitive and least agressive animals.

 

[airvicconcre]

Thanks for your insight. Is there any other way or testing to be absolutely sure if my tank is cycled?

 

[brandon429]

you dont have to test. testing on non digital gear causes false stall issues

you are cycled for these reasons:

-you have met the ammonia control # of days from the ammonia line on a cycling chart, ten days, and no other params matter. nitrite and nitrate do not matter in reef tank cycling, and you can't test for them accurately without digital gear anyway, counting the # of days as compared to a cycling chart is accurate because those charts are correct, when measured digitally in any reef tank cycle.


- you used combined bottle bac that already have been studied for # of days to completion, both strains. your cycle is done if a stack of live rock sat in this stew for most of a month.

-your cycle would be done off the feeding alone + 20 days, see cycling chart, adding the bottle bac was not needed given this much wait/it is now a compound helper in your done/ready cycle.

you can cease worry or verification about the cycle, and move right into fish disease preps before you make use of the ready system. your tank can carry fish right now safely.


there are no multi bottle bac, fed cycles in reefing that aren't done by day twenty. none, so there's no chance you can't be cycled or we will need new cycling charts to consult in the hobby, they're that accurate.

any claim of a cycle not done by day 20, and there's a million of them, is a mis testing post it's not a true stall. cycles do not stall, they do what a chart says they do or faster than a chart, but not slower.

 

[brandon429]

if your avatar pic is your reef, then you are done cycling.

 

[airvicconcre]

you dont have to test. testing on non digital gear causes false stall issues

you are cycled for these reasons:

-you have met the ammonia control # of days from the ammonia line on a cycling chart, ten days, and no other params matter. nitrite and nitrate do not matter in reef tank cycling, and you can't test for them accurately without digital gear anyway, counting the # of days as compared to a cycling chart is accurate because those charts are correct, when measured digitally in any reef tank cycle.


- you used combined bottle bac that already have been studied for # of days to completion, both strains. your cycle is done if a stack of live rock sat in this stew for most of a month.

-your cycle would be done off the feeding alone + 20 days, see cycling chart, adding the bottle bac was not needed given this much wait/it is now a compound helper in your done/ready cycle.

you can cease worry or verification about the cycle, and move right into fish disease preps before you make use of the ready system. your tank can carry fish right now safely.


there are no multi bottle bac, fed cycles in reefing that aren't done by day twenty. none, so there's no chance you can't be cycled or we will need new cycling charts to consult in the hobby, they're that accurate.

any claim of a cycle not done by day 20, and there's a million of them, is a mis testing post it's not a true stall. cycles do not stall, they do what a chart says they do or faster than a chart, but not slower.

Hi. Thank you for your insight, I really appreciate it. I have two maintainer guys who said two different things. One said the cycle is done and I can test it by adding two fishes, the other said my cycle hasn’t even started yet. As for me, I know the tank started to cycle 20 days ago however I was still coy as I wanted to start in a right way. As I see it there is no right way, it’s always a gamble the fist time. I’ve added two juvenile Vlamingii Tangs as they are quite hardy. Now the wait game starts to see how it goes. If they stay fit for a month I will add another two fish. Your opinion on live stock is welcome. Thank you again.

 

[airvicconcre]

if your avatar pic is your reef, then you are done cycling

Hi. Thank you for your insight, I really appreciate it. I have two maintainer guys who said two different things. One said the cycle is done and I can test it by adding two fishes, the other said my cycle hasn’t even started yet. As for me, I know the tank started to cycle 20 days ago however I was still coy as I wanted to start in a right way. As I see it there is no right way, it’s always a gamble the fist time. I’ve added two juvenile Vlamingii Tangs as they are quite hardy. Now the wait game starts to see how it goes. If they stay fit for a month I will add another two fish. Your opinion on live stock is welcome. Thank you again.

if your avatar pic is your reef, then you are done cycling.

Yes, that is my reef. I’ve added two juve Vlamingii Tangs. Posted a picture on my reply.