Fishless cycle/new reefer

[Bertle92]

My tank has been cycling for almost 4 weeks. I am doing a fishless cycle and at first I accidentally dumped too much ammonia in so I did a water change and replaced it with water from an established tank to help break down the left over ammonia. I am still dosing my tank up to .25 to .5 ppm and waiting for it to come back down to zero. I know once it goes from .5 to 0 in 24 hours it should be fully cycled. But my question is, none of my other levels have spiked. Do I need to add more ammonia or is it more stable because I used water from established tank? Nitrite and nitrate are still at 0 and I thought they were supossed to go up at some point?

 

[starypotter]

You usually see 2.0ppm to 0 in 24 hours, and to make sure everything cycles fully you'll usually see ammonia, then nitrate, rise and fall to 0 and nitrate to rise. Water doesn't really hold much denitrifying bacteria in it, so it's impact is likely minimal.Did you start with a dry system? Any live rock? My guess would be that you haven't added enough ammonia to the tank in order to see any sort of increase in nitrite or nitrate yet.

 

[Bertle92]

Oh its a full 2.0 not 0.2? I guess I read that wrong initially dangit. I started with live rock and sand.
I will try adding some more ammonia.

 

[starypotter]

Oh its a full 2.0 not 0.2? I guess I read that wrong initially dangit. I started with live rock and sand.
I will try adding some more ammonia.

Yeah, I know for the API test kits, at least mine, it doesn't even register the finer details accurately mine constantly reads .25 on a fully cycled tank so it would be helpful to use a calculator to know how much ammonia you need to put in to reach 2ppm.

 

[40breederzach]

if you havent already you can add another bottle of bacteria (you cant overdose) that helped me in my fishless cycle i got two or three bottles each different companies and added them and within a day i was ready for fish

 

[Bertle92]

I have the bottle of bacteria but I only add a few drops a day. Sounds like I kinda need to add a little bit more of everything? Dang I thought I was getting so close! I guess that's just how it goes. Thank you!

 

[40breederzach]

the bottle of bacteria is a pour it all or use what u want then throw away the bacteria doesnt tend to survive after opening if not in the tank very long i would suggest getting Dr. Tims One and Only or Fritz 9 (both on amazon) and get enough for your tank size and raise ammonia levels to 2.0ppm and test every day. and the api test kit can be off but it gives you a sense if the bacteria are in good shape or not and like @starypotter said when it goes from 2.oppm to 0ppm in 24 hours you usually are ready for fish

 

[Bertle92]

Hmm ok, hopefully I can find it in a store because I just read on their website that it's best not to ship if it's over 80° out.

 

[40breederzach]

petco and petsmart have a thing called bio spira its the same thing

 

[IslandLifeReef]

The water you added from an established tank won't help in the cycle, the bacteria live in the rock and sand. If you started with actual live rock, i.e. it was always wet and from an established tank or LFS, then you don't add ammonia to cycle the tank, you just wait. Usually 30 days is the amount of time required to wait. Then start slow when adding fish/coral.

 

[Bertle92]

OK guys, update: I got another bottle of that bacteria, dosed my tank up to 2.0ppm, added the bacteria, waited 24 hrs and tested it. I am back down to 0 ammonia now. Should I try it again without adding the bacteria? Or am I good to go? (if nitrites are also zero?)
Side note: after testing it, I changed my filters since they looked kinda gunky but I doused the new filter with the bacteria stuff too. Also I am seeing TONS of copepods in the tank now idk if that means anything or not? I never saw those littles guys before but now they are scurrying all over the place!

 

[IslandLifeReef]

No, don't dose any more ammonia. It could kill the living things in the tank. I think your tank is cycled. You could add a CUC and or a fish or two.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I fishless cycled my reef tank a few months back. Used MB7 to boost bactieral cultures. Started with live rock as well that was cooked and fully cured before going into the tank for cycling. I ghost fed the tank to provide ammonia. I did not even test for ammonia or nitrite just nitrate. Once the tank had 10 ppm no3 I considered it bacteria cycled and then I waited for it to drop to 0 ppm no3 before adding fish. No lights for the first 3 months prevents algae issues.

 

[cromag27]

I fishless cycled my reef tank a few months back. Used MB7 to boost bactieral cultures. Started with live rock as well that was cooked and fully cured before going into the tank for cycling. I ghost fed the tank to provide ammonia. I did not even test for ammonia or nitrite just nitrate. Once the tank had 10 ppm no3 I considered it bacteria cycled and then I waited for it to drop to 0 ppm no3 before adding fish. No lights for the first 3 months prevents algae issues.

not really how to properly cycle a tank, but as long as it’s converting ammonia now, you’re fine.