Cycling New Tank

[NickB73]

Hello,

I’ve just done the initial fill of my tank and started the cycling process. I’ve used Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacterStart XLM to give it a ‘kickstart’, I have Fiji pink live sand as well some rock.

Two days since the fill, I’ve taken some initial readings of all the parameters, wondering if these look as expected, and any advice on when is best to add livestock.

All figures ppm (mg/L)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.01
Nitrate 0.5
Phosphate 0.02
Calcium 580
Magnesium 1220
Silicon 0.4
Copper 0
Oxygen 10

And then
Carbonate Hardness 8.3dh
PH 8.0
Salinity 1.026

The only thing that seems to stand out (to me anyway) is the Calcium level appears to be high. Welcome ideas from the more experienced reef keepers here

Thanks

 

[mrpontiac80]

Hello and welcome! I’ve never used brightwell’s MicroBacterStart, but if you’re showing 0 ammonia and some nitrate, then you can add an ammonia source and confirm it drops back to 0 in 24 hrs. Again, I’m not familiar with how fast it works. I know that Fritzyme turbo 9 can be added and fish right after so it’s definitely possible.

Once ammonia is not present in the tank you can add fish. Your new substrate is going to build up the bacteria as you go, so add slowly. 1 or 2 small fish to start for a few weeks.

Also fish can be terrors once they feel the space belongs to them, so add peaceful fish first.

 

[NickB73]

Hello and welcome! I’ve never used brightwell’s MicroBacterStart, but if you’re showing 0 ammonia and some nitrate, then you can add an ammonia source and confirm it drops back to 0 in 24 hrs. Again, I’m not familiar with how fast it works. I know that Fritzyme turbo 9 can be added and fish right after so it’s definitely possible.

Once ammonia is not present in the tank you can add fish. Your new substrate is going to build up the bacteria as you go, so add slowly. 1 or 2 small fish to start for a few weeks.

Also fish can be terrors once they feel the space belongs to them, so add peaceful fish first.

Fantastic thank you, sorry for what is probably a silly question, but what can I add as an ammonia source?

I wasn’t sure wether to start with 2 ClownFish, or some clean up crew initially?

 

[BairCorals]

Yeah that calcium is a little high. I'd add a pair of chromis and see how they do, they'll feed the bacteria ammonia and the rest of the tank will slowly grow more.

 

[BairCorals]

Cuc I wouldn't add till you start going into your ugly phase

 

[NickB73]

Yeah that calcium is a little high. I'd add a pair of chromis and see how they do, they'll feed the bacteria ammonia and the rest of the tank will slowly grow more.

Not sure why the calcium is high, is there anything I can do or should do to reduce it?

 

[BairCorals]

Not sure why the calcium is high, is there anything I can do or should do to reduce it?

So another thing I just noticed was your mag level. I try to keep mine above 1300, I seem to have better Calc and alk levels when I do. Natural sea water is about 1300. Low levels of mag will allow swings in Calc and alk so I'd dose some mag to get the levels closer to sea water then test Calc again and see what it does

 

[aSaltyKlown]

While cal is a bit high and mag a tad low, it's nothing to worry about. I would not do anything for it. Too early to worry about that. let it finish cycling.

Add a little food to for a couple days, it will break down. You could also use Dr Tims ammonium chloride. I'd be careful with this, many people overdose it. Last time i used it, I used half the recommended amount with success.

The directions state you can add one or two hardy fish after adding the product. If you want clowns, add them.

Add 30 ml (6 capfuls) of MicrōBacter Start XLM per 25 US-gallons (95 L) of aquarium water. Add one or more hardy fish. Remove filter socks, turn UV-sterilization and/or ozonation and/or protein skimmer off for the complete period of cycling until you are finished dosing this product. Test ammonia and nitrite levels daily or as needed, if either are above .2 ppm, then you can dose MicrōBacter Start XLM again at a lower dose of 10 ml per 25 US-gallons, if desired. At 7 days or longer, Tank is cycled if, and only if, both ammonia and nitrite levels are zero and nitrate is well above zero. If either ammonia or nitrite levels are above zero, then the tank is not yet fully cycled and you should not add fish. if the nitrate is not above zero (at least .25 ppm), then tank is not yet fully cycled and you should not add fish.

You can also do fishless, with another product. flake food will work as well.
To perform a Fishless Cycle: Purchase a bottle of MicroBacter QuikCyclTM to use simultaneously with this product, MicrōBacter Start XLM according to the QuikCyclTM label. Fishless cycling requires both products to be used together. This product will provide the bacteria and the QuikCycl will provide the nutrients. GO SLOW WITH QuikCyclTM! All of the ammonia you put in will become nitrate that you will have to remove later.

 

[Garf]

Hello,

I’ve just done the initial fill of my tank and started the cycling process. I’ve used Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacterStart XLM to give it a ‘kickstart’, I have Fiji pink live sand as well some rock.

Two days since the fill, I’ve taken some initial readings of all the parameters, wondering if these look as expected, and any advice on when is best to add livestock.

All figures ppm (mg/L)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.01
Nitrate 0.5
Phosphate 0.02
Calcium 580
Magnesium 1220
Silicon 0.4
Copper 0
Oxygen 10

And then
Carbonate Hardness 8.3dh
PH 8.0
Salinity 1.026

The only thing that seems to stand out (to me anyway) is the Calcium level appears to be high. Welcome ideas from the more experienced reef keepers here

Thanks

Doesn’t sound like you have added any ammonia source at all yet, despite a small nitrate reading. You can add flake foods, frozen foods or ammonium chloride such as that produced by Dr Tim’s.

Add one or more hardy fish

If either ammonia or nitrite levels are above zero, then the tank is not yet fully cycled and you should not add fish

These above quotes from the sales blurb are a little contradictory, don’t you think?

 

[brandon429]

"if, and only if, both ammonia and nitrite levels are zero"

the sheer impact of that false statement cannot be measured in reefing. that rule, that fake, false, old cycling rule perpetuated for 20 years has caused double-quadruple bottle bac sales moreso than any other false sale mechanism in reefing. ammonia doesn't run at zero in cycled reef tanks, it runs at consistently low levels. just ask any api or red sea ammonia tester. nitrite has no bearing in reef cycling; we dont need to test for it

it's bottle bac sellers that make those extreme statements. they know the masses use test kits that won't usually ever show true zero, meaning "my bottle must be compromised" and they buy three more. biggest fleece in reefing.

if you're reading or quoting any cycling rule that comes from any sales entity, expect to be misled.