Cycling question

[rsach]

I started cycling my aquarium two days ago. I used Brightwell MicroBacter QuickCycl (1ml/5g), add around 13ml for 55g with 15g sump. On day one the ammonia is at 0 and at day 2 it's the same. Am I missing something? Shouldn't it be at 2ppm?

 

[Plecosam]

Well did you add a source of ammonia?

 

[rsach]

Well did you add a source of ammonia?

Isn't the Brightwell MicroBacter QuickCycl supposed to be the source of ammonia? The bottle said contains ammonia.

 

[cvrle1]

Easiest way would be to just dose pure ammonia or ammonium chloride. Then use something like Microbacter Start XLF for bacteria source.



Reading about QuickCycl, it has phosphates and nitrate in it, as well as ammonia, which doesnt make too much sense to me. Nitrate will automatically appear when you dose bacteria like Start XLM, so no idea why they would add extra. And I cant say I understand why PO4 is needed for cycling either. I will have to let someone smarter than me fill that in.

 

[rsach]

Easiest way would be to just dose pure ammonia or ammonium chloride. Then use something like Microbacter Start XLF for bacteria source.



Reading about QuickCycl, it has phosphates and nitrate in it, as well as ammonia, which doesnt make too much sense to me. Nitrate will automatically appear when you dose bacteria like Start XLM, so no idea why they would add extra. And I cant say I understand why PO4 is needed for cycling either. I will have to let someone smarter than me fill that in.

I was using live sand, so I though there is no need for introducing bacteria source. I will get microbacter. I wonder if I need to dose more ammonia to feed it.

 

[cvrle1]

I was using live sand, so I though there is no need for introducing bacteria source. I will get microbacter. I wonder if I need to dose more ammonia to feed it.

You need to get ammonia to 2ppm. I am not sure about live sand. I know that if you use actual live rock, you dont need bacteria source, as it is full of them. @brandon429 should have more info for you in that regard, so I will let him chime in.

And if you havent done so, read this thread, or at least 1st post. It has lots of info that may answer all your questions

Cycling an Aquarium

Cycling a new aquarium. One of the earliest topics a new aquarium hobbyist needs to learn is how to properly cycle their aquarium. There is a ton of information on this process and many different methods on how to accomplish it. There are many different chemical and biological cycles our tank...

www.reef2reef.com