Help with cycle, Ammonia but no Nitrites, its been (7 weeks)

[brandon429]

That fully explains your issue. Add rocks, do a reef cycle with them. Troy nice clue detecting

 

[brandon429]

Post #5 shows how bac get in without bottle bac. No cycling guide shows rockless cycling, the bricks are useless. Reef tank cycles are about cycling rocks.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Post #5 shows how bac get in without bottle bac. No cycling guide shows rockless cycling, the bricks are useless. Reef tank cycles are about cycling rocks.

Can you summarize the 8 page thread regarding how the bacteria was introduced/developed?

 

[brandon429]

The read is important to catch other details. It shows rocks being prime focus in the cycle

 

[Zero_Cool]

Thank you for editing your initial "No" response. I am legitimately interested in learning about this hobby and have often found your responses very informative so I was surprised by the one word denial of information.

Is it just naturally occurring on surfaces of all things and just takes a food source and proper environment to replicate?

 

[brandon429]

I can fully understand how misleading sales tactics by companies like BRS would make someone think biobricks help at all in reefing, I was just tagging them with no response yesterday in that matter. @BRS

Your biobricks are a ripoff because water does not flow through them it flows only around, path of least resistance

 

[Troylee]

I can fully understand how misleading sales tactics by companies like BRS would make someone think biobricks help at all in reefing, I was just tagging them with no response yesterday in that matter. @BRS

Your biobricks are a ripoff because water does not flow through them it flows only around, path of least resistance

If you lined them all standing up like dominoes and they didn’t fall down it would help a little lol..

 

[brandon429]

We should ask @BRS if it's possible to clean an aquarium using granular charcoal by simply laying some on the floor of a sump. They'd say no, of course not, you have to channel water through it: then continue to sell biobricks for exactly that same use.




it’s a sales gimmick, the water doesn’t contact enough of the brick to make a difference

you need rock for your cycle

 

[asjustin]

Were the bio bricks, sponges and ceramic media new or were they from an established tank?

If no bottled bacteria was used how did you introduce the nitrifying bacteria to your system?

They were brand new, i just used the shrimp method

 

[asjustin]

It sounds like a empty box with just water from his explanations.. no sand and no rocks as he’s designing his aqua scape… hmmmm I don’t think the glass has enough surface area to cycle like he’s wanting..

but what about all the filter media and bio bricks?

 

[brandon429]

Those don’t help, you need rock in contact with cycling water

where did you read to leave rocks out/ what setup example didnt use rock in reef cycling

 

[asjustin]

Those don’t help, you need rock in contact with cycling water

where did you read to leave rocks out/ what setup example didnt use rock in reef cycling

Im just still designing my aqua scape, and figuring which dry rocks to use like macro and stuff

 

[Troylee]

but what about all the filter media and bio bricks?

Those are just nitrate traps.. the heart beat of every system is the live rock! Until you get some rocks in that tank or sump you’re gonna have problems…

 

[srobertb]

This is my two cents although bear in mind I say this and it comes from years in the fresh/brackish side of aquarium knowledge. I studied a lot of salt but I’m not an expert nor have I set mine up yet. That said it sounds like you experienced a bacterial bloom. Happens when an organic compound in excess makes it way into your tank. Heterotrophic bacteria (that cloudy water your seeing) are reproducing rapidly. Usually in a new tank with no fish just let it be and wait it out. A turning point will arrive. That said it can be hard to wait. So adding for example seachem prime or another type of ammonia eating bacteria in a bottle can fix this fast. It depends on if you want the assistance with the cycle. The last tank I had did this. I let it sit 3 months (past when I needed to but it didn’t hurt.) Now it houses Discus no bacteria bottle required.

but again just a reminder I’m quite possibly wrong. Saltwater is new to me and I’m learning.

Agree. This happened right after my first cycle on my current tank (and again a month or two ago when I had to move everything to a temp tank). Water changes and ride it out or if you’re impatient like me, get an appropriately sized UV filter and run it as a HOB for a week. Pro tip: appropriate size is more expensive and larger than you think.

Brandon (not to be too familiar) is of the belief that tanks are “cycled” much quicker than previously thought. My definition of “cycle” extends past the ammonia-nitrate cycle. You tank will go through many changes in the first 8-16 months where bacteria and algae will grow and die off. Cyano may come into play, diatoms surely will appear, waves of copepods, amphipods will take over. That doesn’t mean you can not add fish or even coral, just expect imbalance (mitigated by frequent water changes) moving forward and roll with it.

It’s a natural flow and you ride it out. Not an “911 help! Something’s wrong!!!!” Each evolution is not something to fight or find an immediate solution for. Water changes and time are your friend. Stir up the diatoms, suck out the cyano, scrub the algae (I used the toothbrush of whatever child was on my poop list), and relax.

 

[brandon429]

By not having rocks in the tank he can’t begin even the maturation portion that comes after ammonia cycling / everything gets delayed


the approach here is the same as not cycling whatsoever

 

[brandon429]

and now for the fix

who wants a redo of an arbitrary wait time cycle that's what got us here

we can get you the same quality cycle using testless means, much quicker

same rule as prior:

add in your rocks. add in one bottle of any common cycling bac meant for cycling, not tank cleaning. Fritz or Dr. Tims one and only for example

add in two pinches of fish food do nothing else

wait eight days do as much % water change as you can muster.

you are now cycled for ammonia control and can begin reefing, without testing anything. in eight days. given the details of your tank that's the projected timeframe. this was not a particular setback at all.
yes I think just setting rocks in for eight days would work, that water has lots of bac in it

add fritz for the easy win if you want.

 

[ptrick21186]

I'd drain the tank and start over. Aquascaping is much easier in an empty tank. Aquascape. Add sand (if you're using sand). Refill. And start the cycle over. There's no way you have enough surface area for this tank to cycle properly. Even if it did you'd end up going through basically a whole nother cycle after you put the rock in. Remember you're cycling the rocks....not the water. The water column accounts for only a fraction of the bacteria in the overall system.

 

[brandon429]

no he would only need to set the rock in the tank and wait eight days

there are myriad floating bacteria in suspension, giving them amplified surface area to attach to is the specific fix, the bac in the water aren't dead. do rocks plus eight days then drain and change water, and refill, and you're done. if you want ultimate cheat do fritz and two pinches of fish food then eight days and you're cycled.

 

[ptrick21186]

no he would only need to set the rock in the tank and wait eight days

there are myriad floating bacteria in suspension, giving them amplified surface area to attach to is the specific fix, the bac in the water aren't dead. do rocks plus eight days then drain and change water, and refill, and you're done. if you want ultimate cheat do fritz and two pinches of fish food then eight days and you're cycled.

Yes technically that's correct but who wants to deal with the hassle of trying to aquascape under water. It's much easier without having to be elbow deep in salt water

 

[brandon429]

that locked aquascape is going to get him in ways he's not factoring

he should not have a locked scape. it should be modular. bommies, a small stack etc. or a group of rocks

not a locked in arch, for a reason

this is step by step going to be very hard for him if no change of course

invasion management=hidden fell in the current approach

needs rocks that can be lifted out for guiding if needed