Greetings,
I am in the process of starting a new reef tank. It will be a 20g IM NUVO. However, i am in the process of moving so I have decided to get a jump-start on cycling my dry rock. I decided to use Dr. Tim's fishless cycle method by using his One and Only along with his Ammonium chloride. I am doing the cycling of my dry rock in a 32g BRUTE trashcan (brand new and cleaned). I made my saltwater using my 7 stage RODI and out the salinity at 1.025 and temp at 82F. I cured the dry rock (which was used in a previous reef tank 3 years ago but has been sitting in a box for more than a year) I cured it using bleach for a week to get rid of all dead biological material and any other living material and then cleaned it off and let it soak in a bucket of RODI with PRIME de-chlorinator for another week to make sure all of the bleach is eliminated.
So 3 days ago I put the rock (25lbs) in the BRUTE trashcan (not the same trashcan that I cured it in) filed it with the saltwater, added a heater and a small wavemaker for circulation. I then added the Dr. Tim's One and Only....waited 24 hours and then added the Ammonium Chloride. (4 drops per gallon). I then waited 24 hours and tested for Ammonia. It was SUPER HIGH. Using the API Ammonia test kit, the Ammoia showed at least 5ppm, but it is probably higher. I also tested Nitrites but it tested 0ppm. I then decided to add more One and Only and I also added some Seachem Microbacter7. 24 hours later the Ammonia levels are still very high and nitrites are zero. The water has a slight haze/cloudiness to it just in the past 24 hours.
Questions:
I am in the process of starting a new reef tank. It will be a 20g IM NUVO. However, i am in the process of moving so I have decided to get a jump-start on cycling my dry rock. I decided to use Dr. Tim's fishless cycle method by using his One and Only along with his Ammonium chloride. I am doing the cycling of my dry rock in a 32g BRUTE trashcan (brand new and cleaned). I made my saltwater using my 7 stage RODI and out the salinity at 1.025 and temp at 82F. I cured the dry rock (which was used in a previous reef tank 3 years ago but has been sitting in a box for more than a year) I cured it using bleach for a week to get rid of all dead biological material and any other living material and then cleaned it off and let it soak in a bucket of RODI with PRIME de-chlorinator for another week to make sure all of the bleach is eliminated.
So 3 days ago I put the rock (25lbs) in the BRUTE trashcan (not the same trashcan that I cured it in) filed it with the saltwater, added a heater and a small wavemaker for circulation. I then added the Dr. Tim's One and Only....waited 24 hours and then added the Ammonium Chloride. (4 drops per gallon). I then waited 24 hours and tested for Ammonia. It was SUPER HIGH. Using the API Ammonia test kit, the Ammoia showed at least 5ppm, but it is probably higher. I also tested Nitrites but it tested 0ppm. I then decided to add more One and Only and I also added some Seachem Microbacter7. 24 hours later the Ammonia levels are still very high and nitrites are zero. The water has a slight haze/cloudiness to it just in the past 24 hours.
Questions:
- Why is the ammonia not going down? (or the nitrites not going up? Do I just need to be patient and wait longer...it has been 4 days?
- Do I need to keep the powerhead/wavemaker on or should I turn it off?