- Joined
- Jan 16, 2019
- Messages
- 38
- Reaction score
- 29
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.
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.
Last edited: