Cycling opinion assistance

[Hypothetical]

Hi there - I started my cycle on Sunday with Dr tim's and some stuff from the local fish shop (start smart). I started in fresh so I know to be patient so I didn't bother testing until today. So 4 days-ish:

No nitrite - no ammonia, and the nitrates are darker than 0 (yes that's the fresh scale behind it but I am aware of differences). Is this .. possible?

In case the testing kit was bad I threw more dr tim's in:

Nope not bad:

Has anyone cycled this fast before? Was my Fiji pink just magically still very alive somehow? I'm worried I made a mistake - so I'm really going to feed the bacteria -

But like - did I do something wrong? Maybe now I did I added a ton of ammonia omg.

 

[IceNein]

If you have any question whether or not your are cycled, you can calculate how much ammonia to add to bring the tank to 1ppm, and if it's testable after you have added it, and then it goes to zero the next day, then you are cycled.

Four days does seems suspicious.

Did you test for ammonia after you dosed it, or did you assume you had the proper concentration of ammonia in your tank?

 

[Fish Fan]

Did you mean that you started your cycle "fresh" meaning brand new, or did you literally use freshwater to fill your aquarium? I noticed you have the API Freshwater test kits as well.

 

[Hypothetical]

Brand new with fresh rodi water plus instant ocean - I added the same number of drops I just did to make it dark green ... Which is probably too many. I'm starting to think I might've used an incorrect bottle in the ammonia two part test perhaps .. because that dark is 8 ppm which is probably bad and too much ammonia for under a week. Oh man.. can I just leave it and let it cycle with that much?

I'm also over indexing on the measurement of the salinity - I've made calibration solution 3 times now for my refractometer but I think it's dialed in based on that, but I dunno how much salinity I really have.

I'm not going to add any more of the start smart I imagine and just see what happens?

Edit: thank you both for responding

 

[Fish Fan]

Are you using the freshwater versions of the API test kits here? I don’t know for sure, but my concern would be that they wouldn’t work in saltwater.

You can buy premade calibration solution for your refractometer. You can also try a floating bulb style hydrometer.

Most likely, you can bring a sample of water to your local store and have all your parameters double checked.

 

[Hypothetical]

Are you using the freshwater versions of the API test kits here? I don’t know for sure, but my concern would be that they wouldn’t work in saltwater.

You can buy premade calibration solution for your refractometer. You can also try a floating bulb style hydrometer.

Most likely, you can bring a sample of water to your local store and have all your parameters double checked.

The chemicals are the same, just the color chart changes - you have any experience using a brewing hydrometer and converting the measurements?

 

[Hypothetical]

Edit: I found charts for conversions online - my wife won't let me get another lol

 

[unchainedcoot]

The chemicals are the same, just the color chart changes - you have any experience using a brewing hydrometer and converting the measurements?

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/SalinityConversion.php

 

[Hypothetical]

https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/SalinityConversion.php

Oh god this is amazing thank you

 

[Fish Fan]

The chemicals are the same, just the color chart changes - you have any experience using a brewing hydrometer and converting the measurements?

Are you sure the reagents are the same? And even so, in your pics above it looks like you're using the freshwater charts. Would you not need to use the saltwater chart?

And did you get a refractometer for home brewing? If so, I'm not totally sure those are interchangeable with seawater refractometers. What unit is it reporting in? Is it something like Brix and a %?

 

[Hypothetical]

Are you sure the reagents are the same? And even so, in your pics above it looks like you're using the freshwater charts. Would you not need to use the saltwater chart?

And did you get a refractometer for home brewing? If so, I'm not totally sure those are interchangeable with seawater refractometers. What unit is it reporting in? Is it something like Brix and a %?

Ya reagents are the same, it's just the colors - I don't need accuracy I just need ammonia presence, nitrite presence and nitrate presence for now - and I've got them all at home :) also the ammonia chart I sent a picture of has both salt and fresh on the same card, cause the standalone kits say fresh and salt.

And I guess we've rabbit holed - a bit, mostly I was wondering about how fast y'all have seen stuff cycle, and now I have 8 ppm or more of ammonia in my tank, I hope it cycles still lol. I appreciate the help!

 

[Hypothetical]

Ya reagents are the same, it's just the colors - I don't need accuracy I just need ammonia presence, nitrite presence and nitrate presence for now - and I've got them all at home :) also the ammonia chart I sent a picture of has both salt and fresh on the same card, cause the standalone kits say fresh and salt.

And I guess we've rabbit holed - a bit, mostly I was wondering about how fast y'all have seen stuff cycle, and now I have 8 ppm or more of ammonia in my tank, I hope it cycles still lol. I appreciate the help!

Before I forget this is the specific gravity reading area on the hydrometer

 

[Fish Fan]

Friend, let's hold up a minute :)

I searched for if API test kits can be used for both freshwater and saltwater. I did see an AI generated reply suggesting that they could, but you would need the corresponding color charts. I'm not an expert, but I'm skeptical. Either way, in your first pics you show the test vials next to freshwater charts. What gives, friend :-)

From the pics above, you most definitely purchased a refractometer intended for a different hobby. Achieving and keeping the correct salinity in a reef tank is, I believe, the most important thing; more important than any other parameter.

I would suggest getting a refractometer suited for saltwater.

I'd also suggest this read if you've not seen it yet:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.84/
Good luck, please post again with further questions!

 

[Hypothetical]

Friend, let's hold up a minute :)

I searched for if API test kits can be used for both freshwater and saltwater. I did see an AI generated reply suggesting that they could, but you would need the corresponding color charts. I'm not an expert, but I'm skeptical. Either way, in your first pics you show the test vials next to freshwater charts. What gives, friend :)

Check out the picture of my kit:(already posted) friend, it is a standalone ammonia test that shows both salt and freshwater colors - the kit itself listed saltwater and freshwater as suitable uses (right hand side for ammonia in green):

Thanks for not being condescending and so friendly

From the pics above, you most definitely purchased a refractometer intended for a different hobby. Achieving and keeping the correct salinity in a reef tank is, I believe, the most important thing; more important than any other parameter.

I would suggest getting a refractometer suited for saltwater.

I'd also suggest this read if you've not seen it yet:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.84/
Good luck, please post again with further ques

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Why does the hydrometer say 'beer' and 'wine'? Seriously, you need a proper aquarium salinity tester, a refractometer is better than hydrometer, and hanna tester is the best.

API is not a good testing kit in saltwater because its not accurate enough for our hobby, most of us will suggest against it. And using the freshwater API test just seems like it would be even more inaccurate than it already is.

IMO you are going forward in a very complex hobby with the wrong tools.

 

[Freenow54]

Hi there - I started my cycle on Sunday with Dr tim's and some stuff from the local fish shop (start smart). I started in fresh so I know to be patient so I didn't bother testing until today. So 4 days-ish:

No nitrite - no ammonia, and the nitrates are darker than 0 (yes that's the fresh scale behind it but I am aware of differences). Is this .. possible?

In case the testing kit was bad I threw more dr tim's in:

Nope not bad:

Has anyone cycled this fast before? Was my Fiji pink just magically still very alive somehow? I'm worried I made a mistake - so I'm really going to feed the bacteria -

But like - did I do something wrong? Maybe now I did I added a ton of ammonia omg.

Make sure you use PURE Ammonia. So what is it at now?

 

[Hypothetical]

Why does the hydrometer say 'beer' and 'wine'? Seriously, you need a proper aquarium salinity tester, a refractometer is better than hydrometer, and hanna tester is the best.

API is not a good testing kit in saltwater because its not accurate enough for our hobby, most of us will suggest against it. And using the freshwater API test just seems like it would be even more inaccurate than it already is.

IMO you are going forward in a very complex hobby with the wrong tools.

Agreed thank you all for your time goodbye

 

[ScottJ]

FWIW, to my understanding, the API kits use the same reagents, color charts different, but not even that much. They are good enough to show you trends.

That Smart Start bottle says it instantly cycles aquarium. Apparently it works!

As to adding the ammonia up to 8ppm+, just wait it out. From what I have gotten from what @Lasse writes, a large shot of ammonia can overwhelm the bacteria that converts the nitrites to nitrates. When this happens, the nitrogen cycle gets sort of backed up. It takes time for the bacteria to catch up. This will show up on test kits as high nitrites, and really high nitrates. (Nitrite interferes with nitrate readings, causing them to be high.) But the nitrogen cycle will catch up, and will clear ammonia, nitrite, and end up as nitrate which you export with water changes.

So... If I were you, I would wait a couple days and test ammonia and see it go down. After its testing 0 or very low (API often doesn't test to 0, and that's ok) test nitrate. You don't have to worry about testing about testing for nitrite, but you can if you want. You will see nitrate rise pretty high, then fall. Once it falls and is steady, do a water change and carry on.

That was a TOTAL layman explanation, and my apologies to Lasse for butchering his words :winking-face-with-tongue:

Salifert makes good, reasonably priced hits IMHO. Don't bother with ammonia or nitrite, you won't need them after there is life in the tank. Nitrate, Phosphate, and Alk are the big ones to start with.

As to a Refractometer, you can get one on Amazon or an Aquarium supply place, along with a bottle of calibration fluid, and calibrate every time you use it. My refractometer looses calibration if I look at it funny. VERY frustrating, but necessary.

Also, the Guide to Saltwater tanks article referenced earlier in the thread is really good to look at.

I hope this helps!

 

[Fish Fan]

Agreed thank you all for your time goodbye

I'm not sure if/why you're getting upset, everyone here is trying to help you and giving solid advice. If you have further questions, please let us know.