In process of cycling

[R33FDr3amer]

I am doing a fishless cycle in a biocube 32 gallon (tank holds 26 gallons. I counted as i filled it). Dry white rock, live sand. I thought I had purchased Fritz zyme 9 from my lfs along with MicroBacter QuikCycl. However, when I was finally ready, everything put together to start the cycle i couldn't find the bottle of fritz, so I ordered a bottle of MicroBacter7 off Amazon as it would arrive the next day. First night I dosed with quikcycl ammonia following the directions on the back (5ml + 4 drops) and dosed 1 cap full + 4 drops of MicroBacter per bottle instructions. I didn't check the levels as it slipped my mind. QuikCycl bottle stated not to go over the amount anyhow, so I didn't worry too much about forgetting to test the ammonia the first night. Second night i dosed MicroBacter7 1 cap full + 4 drops per instructions. NO QuikCycl. Tested for ammonia it was 1-1.5, Nitrite .5, Nitrate 10. Third night dosed again MicroBacter7 1 cap full + 4 drops and NO QuikCycl. Ammonia .5, Nitrite 1, Nitrate 10-25. Now, I am having a heck of a time reading these color coded test lol I have a hanna Nitrate and Ammonia (silica high range) tester arriving today so I can be more accurate going forward. Salinity level is 34ppt and the temp is 78F. I am working on raising salinity to 35ppt.

Now for why I have posted....
I found the bottle of Fritz ;Facepalm Should I go ahead and start using that instead? This is just a one time treatment but the MicroBacter7 is to be added daily over a 2wk period. I like that Fritz says its helpful with the dreaded ugly stage. Unsure of where to go from here. Tried to call lfs but he's only open 3hrs a day during the week and isn't answering his business phone so thought I would ask here and hope for some constructive help ;Happy I do apolize in advance if this is a stupid question. I have done a lot of research but there isn't really 1 good answer. Everyone always has a dif opinion so it can get confusing. TIA!

Ammonia test result pic from day 2:

 

[blaxsun]

The directions indicate for a new system - not in cycling a system (since you need ammonia, nitrite, etc. to get things started). So no, I wouldn't add it in the middle of a cycle. Probably at the end once your tank has cycled to "clean up the uglies".

FritzZyme® 9 Saltwater

Fritz Aquatics' FritzZyme® 9 Saltwater is a live, nitrifying bacteria used to rapidly eliminate toxic and nitrites in saltwater systems.

fritzaquatics.com

 

[R33FDr3amer]

The directions indicate for a new system - not in cycling a system (since you need ammonia, nitrite, etc. to get things started). So no, I wouldn't add it in the middle of a cycle. Probably at the end once your tank has cycled to "clean up the uglies".

FritzZyme® 9 Saltwater

Fritz Aquatics' FritzZyme® 9 Saltwater is a live, nitrifying bacteria used to rapidly eliminate toxic and nitrites in saltwater systems.

fritzaquatics.com

ok thank you! I was confused because lfs gave me the fritz and quikcycl to use together. I'll continue to keep following the MicroBacter7 instructions for the 2wk dosing! I really appreciate you helping me out! ;Happy

 

[R33FDr3amer]

I am back...and still having some doubts. I have done research but haven't found anything that mentions the combination i've used (quikcycl & M7) Everyone/Article seems to have different opinions on what to do. My parameters are still the same for the past 5 days, ammonia 0, nitrite 4, nitrate 100 (i know this can be due to high nitrites throwing the test off)....nothing has changed except a weird spidery web substance in the back of my tank (it's an AIO) I will share a short video and pic of it. I cleaned off the back webby stuff before I took a pic of it but have a pic of it in the display There is still one string on the rock next to the hole. I have the intake media basket water director and it was covered in this webby stuff. Just to update, I didn't use live rock. I had live sand and base white rock. I will attach pics of my parameters over the last 10 days as well. Just looking for confirmation that the cycle is going as it should or is there something I should change?

I was going to wait it out but this webby stuff has me overthinking and worried something is going left.... ;Facepalm

• No water changes
• No filtration besides return pump
• No ammonia added since day 1
• temp steady 79.3F
• salinity 34ppt
• m7 dosed daily since day 1 per instructions
• tank has been in total blackout since day 1
• using Salifert test kits and refractometer for salinity test

 

[Miami Reef]

The tank is already cycled. There’s no ammonia, and nitrite isn’t toxic is saltwater, and the presence of nitrites will make nitrates appear much higher than normal.

 

[R33FDr3amer]

oh! so its time for a water change then?!?! <3 That went a lot faster than I thought. I was in for the long run....thinking a month or two just to complete a cycle. So the "webby stuff" is normal then? There was a little more in the display tank too but I cleaned it up.

@Miami Reef Thank you!