Did I Miss My Cycle?

[Jdgreef24]

First off I want to say I love this community and it's been a little while since I've had a tank up and running (whew, I made it) lol

So I've begun cycling my Redsea 350 (dream build woo!!). This will be my fifth tank since entering the hobby but this time I was able to add the automation and bells and whistles I was never able to before so there was a learning curve either way (Apex is no Joke). I plan on a huge build thread soon. I'm so excited!

I watched Dr. Tim give a short lecture on a speedy cycle and some of the things happening on a microbial level and decided I was going to combine a fishless cycle with the WWC/BRS 4 month cycle approach. Which means:

Tank started and currently runs at

• 83 degrees F.
• 1.020 SG
• No lights
• Dr Tims ammonia
• Microbacter 7
• Skimmer and UV are not running
• No dosing yet
• Completely new dry rock aquascape
• half inch sand bed
• 4 hand-fulls or so of Marinepure ceramic spheres
• 2 handfuls of bioballs submerged for the sake of surface area (I know I know the nitrates, just curious)
• Testing ammonia with a new box of API which I'm not crazy about but I'm just looking for signs rather than spot on.
• Looking for Nitrites with 5 in 1 API test stick things (I use these for my sons freshwater tank for nitrate and I'm always able to see distinct pinks show up so I know they register even if it's loose)
• Have not tested Nitrate but plan on doing so via NYOS
• Started 1 gallon daily auto water changes for sake of rhythm at the 2 week mark

My confusion is: I've added Dr. Tims ammonia on three occasions trying to get to 2ppm but no matter when I test it never exceed .5ppm
I see no Nitrites (MAYBBBEEEEE the slightest almost nonexistent discoloration which could probably have been dust in the air lol) and no nitrates.

All that to say the bottled stuff is in the water!

Is it possible that with the elevated temp and low salinity the bacteria is decimating whatever I put in and I just didn't catch it? Should I start bring the tank down to proper temp and salinity? I plan to wait around for longer for coral but I also expected to see some signs of the cycle by this point. I even ghost fed some flakes twice. Maybe I just need to wait longer. Thanks all!

 

[CuzzA]

Start your fish qt. For a 73 gallon system there is little concern for adding one or two small fish at a time spread out over time. Diatoms should appear soon, add a couple snails and hermits. They produce waste too, ghost feed sparingly, but by the time your first fish is out of qt your tank will be ready.

 

[brandon429]

we are missing the time axis we'd reference on cycling charts, how long as this arrangment been stewing? the bottle bac used makes tanks ready in about two days if they're not dead, and any ammonia movement down since adding them signifies they're alive, we've almost narrowed down this cycle. how many days underwater

 

[Jdgreef24]

Oh well that’s reassuring. Underwater for 18- bottlebac and ammonia for 16. Would dropping the temp and SG reduce the robustness of the colony or leave it till it’s fish time?

 

[MichaelReefer]

Why are you running the temp so high? And salt so low?

 

[brandon429]

the only way you could render the bac ineffective is to boil, dry them, extended freeze or add antibiotics, they're set! minor variances to salt levels and temp is no killer it just alters their metabolism and they adapt back n forth. the biofilms they live under insulates them from many insults. nothing we do within reason will alter your filtration bac.

 

[Jdgreef24]

Why are you running the temp so high? And salt so low?

During Dr. Tims lecture at Macna he suggested to do so due to the fact that the colony is multiplying and growing faster between 83-85 degrees and optimized in the lower salinity. Once the colony is established, you gradually bring the tank back to the parameters we all know. He spoke so confidently that I thought I'd try it and see how it went.

 

[brandon429]

That's true. I differ with him that nitrite factors in any way to a reef cycle however. Opinions vary he's got the phD awards lol


I also have about five hundred examples proving reef cycles cannot stall, we differ there too

His bottle bac is good stuff

 

[Jdgreef24]

the only way you could render the bac ineffective is to boil, dry them, extended freeze or add antibiotics, they're set! minor variances to salt levels and temp is no killer it just alters their metabolism and they adapt back n forth. the biofilms they live under insulates them from many insults. nothing we do within reason will alter your filtration bac.

YAY! I'd like to hear anyone else who has heard of or tried this approach.

 

[brandon429]

Hey check this guy out, an entire reef stocked in one day. Nitrite bacteria take longer to establish but since they don't matter in cycling his stuff is great even today


That's an instant all dry start reef skip entire cycle

 

[brandon429]

Bio-spira works great

I just started a new tank a little over a week ago. I started with all dry rock and new sand. I added a bottle of Bio-Spira and put fish and coral the same day. Never saw any ammonia and fish and coral seem healthy.

www.reef2reef.com