Dr. Tim's one and only question

[Xclusive Reef]

I am setting up my QT tank now and have a question on Dr. Tim's one and only. It said to add 2 caps of one and only for every 10 gallons of water. My QT is 10 gallons and i find it really now amount 2 caps for 10 gallons of water.

Just want to confirm I am reading it correct and it is 2 caps for 10 gallons of water?

 

[tankstudy]

Yes. Its two capfuls which is approximately 10 mL.

 

[Mike N]

Yep, and I think its impossible to overdose on nitrifying bacteria so don't be worried.

 

[tankstudy]

Yep, and I think its impossible to overdose on nitrifying bacteria so don't be worried.

Yes, you can't overdose on it. I generally use x3 times the minimum dosage. It's better to be over versus being under on bacteria.

 

[Xclusive Reef]

Yes. Its two capfuls which is approximately 10 mL.

perfect thank you..

 

[Xclusive Reef]

So tested few hours after I put in the Dr. Tim's and got 2.0 ammonia, 0 nitrate and 0 nitrite.. today is day 2 and seachem is showing ammonia warning in patch. Should I test again today or wait till tomorrow? I should see Nitrites go up correct?

 

[tankstudy]

So tested few hours after I put in the Dr. Tim's and got 2.0 ammonia, 0 nitrate and 0 nitrite..

You usually don't see a change after a few hours. Wait 24 hours.

today is day 2 and seachem is showing ammonia warning in patch. Should I test again today or wait till tomorrow?

I test every 24 hours for the first couple days to make sure the cycle is going.

I should see Nitrites go up correct?

Yes, nitrites should start appearing.

 

[kinetic]

Took me a week before ammonia dropped below 2.0ppm

 

[Xclusive Reef]

Took me a week before ammonia dropped below 2.0ppm

today day 3 will test but looking at the patch it is still grey so I know ammonia is still high. just hope i see some movement in the nitrates and nitrites today. I am just concerned that the bacteria did not go back with the heat and all. I had it in my bedroom in a box where its pretty cool and expiration is 2018 so I think should be ok.

 

[Xclusive Reef]

day 3 and still same only change i see id the PH went from 8.2 to 8.0.. ammonia still 2 no2/no3 still 0.. should i have seen a change by day 3?

 

[tankstudy]

Shake the bottle and add more of the bacteria. I'm assuming you only added the 10 mL?

 

[Xclusive Reef]

Shake the bottle and add more of the bacteria. I'm assuming you only added the 10 mL?

No like 30 ml... Should I add another 20ml?

 

[tankstudy]

No like 30 ml... Should I add another 20ml?

Yes add another 20 to 30 ml. Keep in mind that the bottle does not always have a specific number of bacteria. If a ton of them died on the way your possession, the recommended dosage will be off but at the same time you can't overdose so you can keep pouring till you see numerical changes. Once you see nitrites appear you can stop.

 

[Xclusive Reef]

ok added another 20 ml, lets see if there is any change tomorrow

 

[Xclusive Reef]

Day 4 no change at all.

 

[tankstudy]

From personal experience, if your not seeing changes at many times more than the recommended dosage, your bacteria product might be dead or at very very very low concentrations. I generally buy dr.tims bacteria from Amazon which comes directly from them. You can keep adding more of the current dr.tims or you can get a new bottle. For me, a bottle full of healthy bacteria can usually cycle my tank in just a couple days.

 

[Xclusive Reef]

From personal experience, if your not seeing changes at many times more than the recommended dosage, your bacteria product might be dead or at very very very low concentrations. I generally buy dr.tims bacteria from Amazon which comes directly from them. You can keep adding more of the current dr.tims or you can get a new bottle. For me, a bottle full of healthy bacteria can usually cycle my tank in just a couple days.

I emailed dr. tim's and see what they say. But on their site it says that sometimes nitrates are so low, less than 10ppm that the kits don't read it well. it also says that it work instantly so sometimes you don't see any change. I am going to wait till end of week Friday and see if I see any change in ammonia. I mean ammonia i can clear with a water change as long as nitrates/nitrites remain 0. I can also get a test kit for low nitrates and see if it detects something.

 

[Xclusive Reef]

Well I just added a LOT of the one and only into the QT tank. If this does not do it in 2-3 days then the bacteria is back. I added almost 1/2 bottle lol. Can;t over dose so no reason now why it will not work. I should start seeing ammonia go down correct? in theory..

 

[tankstudy]

Hopefully you should see it at this point.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

I emailed dr. tim's and see what they say. But on their site it says that sometimes nitrates are so low, less than 10ppm that the kits don't read it well. it also says that it work instantly so sometimes you don't see any change. I am going to wait till end of week Friday and see if I see any change in ammonia. I mean ammonia i can clear with a water change as long as nitrates/nitrites remain 0. I can also get a test kit for low nitrates and see if it detects something.

No, No, No! If you are seeing ammonia in the water, then you don't have a good bio filter established. You have it backwards with ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. You can use water changes to get rid of nitrate, but something is wrong if you are showing ammonia and or nitrite. Ammonia gets changed to nitrite. Nitrite gets changed to nitrate. If the ammonia isn't going down, then you don't have any bacteria changing the ammonia to nitrite. That is the reason for the 0 nitrite reading. Without any nitrite, you don't have anything to be converted to nitrate. That's the reason for the 0 nitrate reading. The bottle that you used was bad! You need a new bottle of bacteria, or just wait and the bacteria will come from the air and eventually cycle your tank. This will take several weeks to well over 1 month.