I'M CONFUSED... and pretty impatient at this point.

[Mr. Experience]

Hello reefers,
I'm pretty confused on whats going on with my new tank. I recently purchased the newer model of a Biocube 32 and I believe I am currently in the cycling process but I'm having doubts. Heres the equipment I'm currently using and some specifics about the tank:

First Chamber:
Aquatop submersible heater
(Soon to have a protein skimmer but haven't gotten around to it, and heard it was best to wait until after the cycle to use one as it strips nutrients from the water)

Second Chamber
Intank Media basket with filter floss, Seachem Purigen, and Chemipure Elite.
(Also soon to be a refugium, but yet again, haven't gotten around to it)

Third Chamber
Biocube Generic water pump

I'm using dry rock, live sand, a small powerhead so faint I might as well not have it, and I'm doing a cycle with fish (2 clowns) due to inconveniences with traveling and time and I know it can be harmful to the fish depending on conditions. However, my concern is in relation to the cycling process. Before I did much research when I was really little my tanks would cycle without me even realizing in the span of around 2-4 weeks and I barely payed attention, let alone knew about, the process. But in my new Biocube I setup, its been running for about 3 weeks now and I have about 0.40 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 0 nitrates (using the API Master Testkit).

Now I completely understand that cycling can take up to 6 weeks for even some unlucky people but in the way I've set myself up I did not expect for it to take this long and for me to have no readings of nitrite and nitrate. I even added Fritz TurboBoost (which is supposedly supposed to cycle the tank in days) in the first few days and just recently purchased a bottle of Nite-Out 2 to dose the tank daily with the Nitrifying bacteria, yet not a single sign of improvement, and ammonia has been CONSTANTLY fluctuating between 0.25 and 0.5.

I also believe I had a bacterial bloom as the water became pretty foggy after about 2 weeks of the tank being up and I've noticed the bacteria that grew on the glass but is no longer there. I also saw some hair algae and small bubbles forming on very, very few sections of the rock work as I had my lights running persistently (up until about a week ago as other people on the forums mentioned it could cause an algae bloom) as I thought I had a Diatom bloom but now am not sure.

But now my water is crystal clear, my sandbed is spotless, my glass has no algae nor diatoms nor bacteria growing on it, but I still get no readings of Nitrite and Nitrate and my water smells funky from the prime I also added to keep my water nontoxic to the fish. And before anything is suggested about Bottle #2 on the Nitrate test kit, I'm aware of all the shaking and hitting I have to bring upon the bottle to get an accurate reading but still have 0 nitrates and feel like no progress is being made. I tested all my water parameters and everything seems to be normal except that the tank hasn't cycled.

If you knew me, you'd know I get more impatient sometimes but if anyone knows what might be going on or has any reccomendations I'd more than appreciate the help.

 

[DSC reef]

Being impatient is going to be a problem with this hobby. I would remove the fish immediately and rehome them. Sounds like your cycle is stalled and the fish are just suffering. Starting with dry rock and sand is just going to make the process slower so that will add to the impatient part and adding prime is also stalling the cycle. I'd suggest rehoming the fish, stop dosing prime and cycle the tank patiently without livestock.

 

[reef lover]

My first suggestion would be an immediate large water change as you are torturing those 2 fish with the constant presence of ammonia in the water.

 

[TheEngineer]

Being impatient is going to be a problem with this hobby. I would remove the fish immediately and rehome them. Sounds like your cycle is stalled and the fish are just suffering. Starting with dry rock and sand is just going to make the process slower so that will add to the impatient part and adding prime is also stalling the cycle. I'd suggest rehoming the fish, stop dosing prime and cycle the tank patiently without livestock.

I was in the process of writing much the same thing. If patience is not something you have a good supply of, this hobby might become a hassle more than a pleasure. We're happy to help get your tank up and running and successful, but its important to know you're willing to do it properly.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

We are here to help and I agree with the advice above. It would be a great idea to return the fish and go slow. Starting with dry rock means it's going to take longer and honestly I wouldn't rush the cycle.

 

[Mr. Experience]

Being impatient is going to be a problem with this hobby. I would remove the fish immediately and rehome them. Sounds like your cycle is stalled and the fish are just suffering. Starting with dry rock and sand is just going to make the process slower so that will add to the impatient part and adding prime is also stalling the cycle. I'd suggest rehoming the fish, stop dosing prime and cycle the tank patiently without livestock.

Gotcha! I'll see what I can do. They don't seem unhappy though, I remember from when I would transfer tanks back then when they were stressed they dove to the bottom walls but now they seem happy and fine but I'm not taking any chances. Thankyou!

 

[Don Lidtke]

As I have read multiple times, nothing good comes from moving quickly in this hobby.

I would hope that this would start to apply to things going forward.

 

[DSC reef]

Anytime and like mentioned above, we are all here to help @Mr. Experience Welcome to R2R and please, any questions you have ask away.

 

[Mr. Experience]

Anytime and like mentioned above, we are all here to help @Mr. Experience Welcome to R2R and please, any questions you have ask away.

Much thanks

 

[Bob Weigant]

always remember there is no such thing as a dumb question. I still learn something new after 15 years or so

 

[michael giordano]

Take out all the media, the carbon the purigen and all the othe crap that will stale your cycle. To speed up process get a couple pieces of live rock and get quality used water out a buddy reef or stores reef and do a water change with that water. That will balance your tank and help with cycle. Don’t do a lot let it cycle and keep lights off you will just develope algae. Even fish can tolerate just room lighting

 

[Mr. Experience]

always remember there is no such thing as a dumb question. I still learn something new after 15 years or so

Thankyou for the support! Glad I joined the forums.

 

[Vahanyos]

Take the fish out, remove any media you have, throw some fish food (ghost feed) in the tank and leave the lights off for 3 weeks. Just leave it alone... Make sure you're topping off the water tho with R.O.... nothing needs to run during this process besides your heater, and flow. Since you didn't start the cycle the "right" way, it's trying to adapt to all the change and get mature but with everything in there, it's not happening the way it should be. Removing everything and just letting it sit will stabilize everything in time.

 

[jd371]

I'm in the process of cycling a nem tank right now. I started cycling the 20g breeder with dry rock and sand, dosed some MB7 and pure ammonia and just waited. Like my main tank I used pure ammonia to start the cycling process instead of waiting for a raw shrimp or ghost feeding to breakdown and release ammonia which probably saved a week. I'm 3 weeks in and if I dose ammonia to 2.0 it's at 0 the next day so the cycling is going along smoothly. I'm just waiting on a NO2 test kit so I can test that. Once this tank is stable enough I will be moving a rock with a bunch of BTA's to this tank.