Has my tank actually cycled?

[lsween89]

Hi,

Sorry newbie who posts too much! So we’ve been cycling our tank for around a month. Ghost feeding mysis shrimp and adding NT labs Optimus and Satus. Optimus is meant to bind amonia and reduce new tank syndrome whereas Satus is bacteria. We think we may have missed the amonia spike but tests showing consistently no amonia no nitrites but also no nitrates.
We are planning on a FOWLR tank so I know nitrates aren’t as important but do I need to have at least some before adding fish?
We have a couple of hermit crabs and snails in who seem to be thriving. And we have had a massive bloom of copepods so it seems to be doing well but the lack of any Nitrates has me worried about adding my clown fish?

 

[lsween89]

Just to add we started with dry rock but live sand , have dosed bacteria religiously and the hermit we added appears to be covered in coraline algae when we added it.

 

[Fish Fan]

If I'm reading your first post correctly, I think you're going to be fine, I think your hermits and snails will be fine, but I don't think you're cycled

First, I would discontinue the use of the Optimus. Ammonia binding products like this and SeaChem Prime have been tested and shown to be in effective at binding or reducing ammonia, despite what the bottle may claim. And, even if it did work, that would be working against the idea of cycling the tank where you want to have enough ammonia to build a population of bacteria that can handle the future waste of your livestock. Trying to limit ammonia at this stage is limiting the bacteria growth that you want.

In my experience, ghost feeding fish foods takes A LOT more fish food that the typical "pinch" a day often suggested. I think you need to use a lot of fish food, or a piece of seafood market shrimp, when using this method. This is not my favorite way to add ammonia to a new tank.


IF YOU HAD NOT ALREADY ADDED LIVESTOCK:
I would get some bottled ammonium chloride (Dr Tim's or Fritz brand, etc.) or ammonium carbonate (food grade, found at many grocery stores in the baking section) and add enough to raise the ammonia level of the tank to 2.0 ppm using a good ammonia test kit (API is fine for this, but Salifert or Hanna brands preferred).

Check the ammonia again in 24 hours. If you're nearly zero, you're in good shape to continue adding some livestock, if you still have measurable ammonia, you'll likely need to cycle the tank longer. You want ammonia to go up, come down, and for nitrates to be showing up. No need to measure nitrites during your cycle.

SINCE YOU HAVE ALREADY ADDED LIVESTOCK:
I think you should consider temporarily rehoming the snails and hermits, and proceeding as I described above, or just riding this out like a "fish-in" cycle. If the hermits and snails are still doing well in a few days to a week, check for nitrates again. You really want to see some nitrates to know you're cycling, and you want to add livestock slowly to allow the biofilter to catch up to the extra bioload.

I hope that helps and good luck!

 

[lsween89]

If I'm reading your first post correctly, I think you're going to be fine, I think your hermits and snails will be fine, but I don't think you're cycled

First, I would discontinue the use of the Optimus. Ammonia binding products like this and SeaChem Prime have been tested and shown to be in effective at binding or reducing ammonia, despite what the bottle may claim. And, even if it did work, that would be working against the idea of cycling the tank where you want to have enough ammonia to build a population of bacteria that can handle the future waste of your livestock. Trying to limit ammonia at this stage is limiting the bacteria growth that you want.

In my experience, ghost feeding fish foods takes A LOT more fish food that the typical "pinch" a day often suggested. I think you need to use a lot of fish food, or a piece of seafood market shrimp, when using this method. This is not my favorite way to add ammonia to a new tank.


IF YOU HAD NOT ALREADY ADDED LIVESTOCK:
I would get some bottled ammonium chloride (Dr Tim's or Fritz brand, etc.) or ammonium carbonate (food grade, found at many grocery stores in the baking section) and add enough to raise the ammonia level of the tank to 2.0 ppm using a good ammonia test kit (API is fine for this, but Salifert or Hanna brands preferred).

Check the ammonia again in 24 hours. If you're nearly zero, you're in good shape to continue adding some livestock, if you still have measurable ammonia, you'll likely need to cycle the tank longer. You want ammonia to go up, come down, and for nitrates to be showing up. No need to measure nitrites during your cycle.

SINCE YOU HAVE ALREADY ADDED LIVESTOCK:
I think you should consider temporarily rehoming the snails and hermits, and proceeding as I described above, or just riding this out like a "fish-in" cycle. If the hermits and snails are still doing well in a few days to a week, check for nitrates again. You really want to see some nitrates to know you're cycling, and you want to add livestock slowly to allow the biofilter to catch up to the extra bioload.

I hope that helps and good luck!

Hi!

So snails and crabs have been in for 2 weeks now and doing really well. We have brown diatoms on rock. We’ve had another bloom of copepods.
I’ve been adding full cubes of frozen mysis shrimp daily and no amonia and no nitrites still. But also still no nitrates!!
My test kit does say that 0 is what we are aiming for but I’m scared to introduce my first fish incase it’s not cycled fully!
Adding pictures of tank, test kit and copepods


View attachment 20260203_135233_204BEA31-756D-460E-906B-F7776BBA1F77.mov

 

[Fish Fan]

You really should be seeing something for nitrate if you're adding all that food. Looks like you may have the NT Labs test kits? Do you have a local store that could test your water for you just to double check?

If your tank has been running like this for a month or so, you're likely just fine, but you really should be seeing some nitrate. Zero nitrate is not the target, you should have something for nitrate at this point.

 

[Kooma]

Looks like you have a Bacterial bloom. Don’t add fish until that water is completely clear.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I also agree with getting a second opinion on your water. If you have been cycling your tank that long you should 100% have detectable nitrates

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would stop adding "cubes of frozen daily" at this point until you figure out whats happening, your tank will turn green.

 

[lsween89]

I would stop adding "cubes of frozen daily" at this point until you figure out whats happening, your tank will turn green.

I will do, I only upped the food because someone said the pinch we were doing wasn’t enough.

 

[lsween89]

You really should be seeing something for nitrate if you're adding all that food. Looks like you may have the NT Labs test kits? Do you have a local store that could test your water for you just to double check?

If your tank has been running like this for a month or so, you're likely just fine, but you really should be seeing some nitrate. Zero nitrate is not the target, you should have something for nitrate at this point.

Yes it’s the NT labs test kit. It’s so hard with all the conflicting advice. Some people have said since we used the satin and love said and have the bio orbs that they may just be consuming the nitrate straight away?

We have a LFS about 15 mins away. Do I just take a small tub of water with me? Thanks again for your advice!

 

[lsween89]

Looks like you have a Bacterial bloom. Don’t add fish until that water is completely clear.

We initially thought that but when shinning light on the water there’s thousands of copepods so thought it was more likely to be a copepod bloom that a bacterial one?

 

[Kooma]

We initially thought that but when shinning light on the water there’s thousands of copepods so thought it was more likely to be a copepod bloom that a bacterial one?

That would surprise me.

 

[lsween89]

That would surprise me.

Does that mean it’s bacterial as well as copepods? I’ll stop feeding the tank then and hope it clears

 

[Fish Fan]

Yes it’s the NT labs test kit. It’s so hard with all the conflicting advice. Some people have said since we used the satin and love said and have the bio orbs that they may just be consuming the nitrate straight away?

We have a LFS about 15 mins away. Do I just take a small tub of water with me? Thanks again for your advice!

Yeah, just take a small amount of water in a clean container to a local shop that will test for you. I think most shops offer testing, but maybe call ahead to be sure.

There's nothing in your tank that would be consuming nitrate, it should be accumulating at this point.