How's my cycle going so far?

[Alex23]

Hi guys. Just wanted to get your guys thoughts on how my cycle process is doing. Is it on track? Something not right? Let me know!

Here's all the information I have:
(JBJ 28G)
(Using Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit)

Cycle start date: 8/23

DISPLAY TANK: 80-81 degrees F.

8/30:
Alkalinity= dkH= 10, Meq/L=3.6
Ammonia= 0
Nitrate=0
Nitrite=0
PH= 8.6

9/3
Alkalinity= dkH= 7, Meq/L=2.5
Ammonia= 0
Nitrate=0
Nitrite=0
PH= 8.2

9/5- Put frozen shrimp in tank.
9/7- Took out frozen shrimp.

9/7
Alkalinity= dkH= 7, Meq/L=2.5
Ammonia= 2
Nitrate=2
Nitrite=0
PH= 7.8

9/8: Started ghost feeding flakes.

9/10
Alkalinity= dkH= 6, Meq/L=2.1
Ammonia= 2
Nitrate=5
Nitrite=1
PH= 8.2

9/13
Alkalinity= dkH= 6, Meq/L=2.1
Ammonia= 0.2
Nitrate=50
Nitrite=0.2
PH= 7.6

Testing the alkalinity is slightly difficult with this test kit, but I believe that's the correct result.

 

[Alex23]

QUARANTINE TANK: 78-79 degrees F
(20G)

Cycle start date: 8/23

Frozen Shrimp placed in tank on 9/5
Frozen Shrimp out of tank on 9/7

9/7
Alkalinity= dkH= 6, Meq/L=2.1
Ammonia= 2
Nitrate=2
Nitrite=0
PH= 7.6

9/8: Started ghost feeding flakes.

9/10
Alkalinity= dkH= 6, Meq/L=2.1
Ammonia= 2
Nitrate=0
Nitrite=0
PH= 8.2

9/13
Alkalinity= dkH= 7, Meq/L=2.5
Ammonia= 2
Nitrate=0
Nitrite=0
PH= 8.2

Thank you.

 

[Alex23]

Bump

 

[brandon429]

What kind of rocks, dry start or live rocks

 

[Alex23]

What kind of rocks, dry start or live rocks

Dry rocks, live sand.

 

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...tail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/page-4

I know that's long but the very last post is directly about your kind of cycle

You are doing it right and should expect that ammonia to drop if you are bottle bac dosing regularly. 4-5 week cycle for ya if you keep up the bottle bac in the presence of the shrimp degradation. I would increase frequency of bottle bac dosing

 

[Alex23]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...tail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/page-4

I know that's long but the very last post is directly about your kind of cycle

You are doing it right and should expect that ammonia to drop if you are bottle bac dosing regularly. 4-5 week cycle for ya if you keep up the bottle bac in the presence of the shrimp degradation. I would increase frequency of bottle bac dosing

But I'm not using any bottle bac. Will I be ok without it?

 

[brandon429]

for sure yes 100% it will still cycle, they've already contaminated in from the environment just in lesser numbers it might take longer. couple bucks off amazon mailed to ya is a real cycle scoot! the only way we can assemble an aquatic system of any type and not import nitrifying bacteria cast about the world is to do it in a positive-pressure microbiology lab using all sterilized media, materials and water. anything shy of that is a slow slow cycle to vital space takeover by bacteria, because we added water in an unclean way not because we did anything else.

 

[Alex23]

for sure yes 100% it will still cycle, they've already contaminated in from the environment just in lesser numbers it might take longer. couple bucks off amazon mailed to ya is a real cycle scoot! the only way we can assemble an aquatic system of any type and not import nitrifying bacteria cast about the world is to do it in a positive-pressure microbiology lab using all sterilized media, materials and water. anything shy of that is a slow slow cycle to vital space takeover by bacteria, because we added water in an unclean way not because we did anything else.

Since I'm already like 3 weeks into the cycle, I think I can wait it out without that stuff. How much longer do you think I have? How much you think I'd have with that bottle?

 

[brandon429]

the fun part is you can use liquid ammonia from the link page one to test and know, my bio guess all factors given is probably 50 days to pass a digestion test

if you were determined to do it without any bottle bac at all and any liquid ammonia to check for digest test passing, then id just not use fish for the first 60 days in the system and put in some light corals and shrimp/crabs after 30 days, a nice big water change, and removal of the rotting shrimp. They wont present much loading at all, they'll seed the system further and feed it just fine for 60 days until you could for sure do some light fish, quarantined fish, all of that is going off known timeframes and what wet live sand brings initially into a system. Some choose to stock corals, wait 72 days, then add qt fish.

The filtration time frames are different from ideal transfer procedures regarding fish

 

[Alex23]

@Humblefish How's it looking??

 

[PatW]

You are pretty close now. I would not add fish or inverts until the ammonia reached 0. Ghost feeding should support the bacteria you have built up.

Your nitrates are higher than one would want. Also if you have a LFS that does it, you might want to get your phosphates tested. Testing phosphates will tell if they leached out of your dry rock.

You can lower nitrates in several ways. One is running algae in a refugium and removing algae as it grows. Second is adding carbon as vinegar, vodka or a commercial prep. For this to work, you need a skimmer that is ideally oversized for your system. What happens is bacteria use the carbon as an energy source to multiply like crazy. In reproducing they incorporate nitrates and phosphates in their tissues. The skimmer removes them.

Of course, the most reliable method of nutrient export is the brute force approach..... Water changes. To get below 5 ppm nitrates, you will need to remove 90 percent of your tank water.

 

[Alex23]

You are pretty close now. I would not add fish or inverts until the ammonia reached 0. Ghost feeding should support the bacteria you have built up.

Your nitrates are higher than one would want. Also if you have a LFS that does it, you might want to get your phosphates tested. Testing phosphates will tell if they leached out of your dry rock.

You can lower nitrates in several ways. One is running algae in a refugium and removing algae as it grows. Second is adding carbon as vinegar, vodka or a commercial prep. For this to work, you need a skimmer that is ideally oversized for your system. What happens is bacteria use the carbon as an energy source to multiply like crazy. In reproducing they incorporate nitrates and phosphates in their tissues. The skimmer removes them.

Of course, the most reliable method of nutrient export is the brute force approach..... Water changes. To get below 5 ppm nitrates, you will need to remove 90 percent of your tank water.

And I'd do that 90% change after the ammonia gets to 0? And that's an option instead of the other things you said first, or in additional step to it?

 

[PatW]

I found that the ammonia went to undetectable after a couple of weeks. I used ammonia rather than shrimp. I would add a little ammonia daily (enough to be detectable) and the next day it was back at 0. If it does not budge in a week or so, it might be a false high reading on your test. You can take it to a LFS and have it tested and see if it is really 0. Ammonia is pretty toxic so you want to have a good handle on what your test results mean.

 

[Alex23]

I found that the ammonia went to undetectable after a couple of weeks. I used ammonia rather than shrimp. I would add a little ammonia daily (enough to be detectable) and the next day it was back at 0. If it does not budge in a week or so, it might be a false high reading on your test. You can take it to a LFS and have it tested and see if it is really 0. Ammonia is pretty toxic so you want to have a good handle on what your test results mean.

Do you have the link to the ammonia product?

 

[Robink]

http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling
you can get Dr Tim's ammonium chloride on amazon.