Modified API Test Results

[ndmccain]

Hello,

After seeing a post about Dan_P’s modified API ammonia test. I decided to give it a try since I’ve been getting the .25 Ammonia reading on API for a month now (my tank is six weeks old and has 0 nitrites and 10-20 Nitrates). I’ve tried the Seachem Ammonia test to compare and the results very. The modified API is below. I now it means there is Ammonia present since it’s a pale blue. I was hoping someone could help interpret how much? Thank you!

 

[Garf]

@Dan_P

 

[Dan_P]

Hello,

After seeing a post about Dan_P’s modified API ammonia test. I decided to give it a try since I’ve been getting the .25 Ammonia reading on API for a month now (my tank is six weeks old and has 0 nitrites and 10-20 Nitrates). I’ve tried the Seachem Ammonia test to compare and the results very. The modified API is below. I now it means there is Ammonia present since it’s a pale blue. I was hoping someone could help interpret how much? Thank you!

How did you modify the test?

 

[brandon429]

And I would add: you thought api .25 meant something was broken or bad about your cycle? surely you’ve read about the reading nearly everyone can expect with api, it’s all over the boards for 20 years.

at six weeks wait, the only way you can’t be cycled is if that’s just water and rocks and sand sitting there. If you did any type of feed, and or bottle bac, your cycle is done and no type of testing is needed at all.

 

[ndmccain]

How did you modify the test?

The three drops of each regent with the mixing in between.

 

[ndmccain]

I used bottled bacteria (Stability) and did a fish in cycle (I did a water change every other day so they were safe).

I just want to make sure, since I’ve had the .25 to 0 to .50 colors all within a couple of days.

 

[brandon429]

This is a done cycle and no more testing is needed for ammonia whatsoever.

 

[Waters]

I used bottled bacteria (Stability) and did a fish in cycle (I did a water change every other day so they were safe).

I just want to make sure, since I’ve had the .25 to 0 to .50 colors all within a couple of days.

Just to clarify......changing the water every other day during a cycle is counter productive....you are removing the ammonia that is needed for the cycle. That is why most do not use fish. I agree with @brandon429 though........it has been long enough (with added bacteria) that the initial cycle is complete.

 

[Dan_P]

The three drops of each regent with the mixing in between.

We can’t rule out a false positive with the modified version.

With all the water changes you did, you are likely to have a weak nitrifying bacteria population. I am skeptical about the nitrate test results since you did not add any ammonia. The zero nitrite reading in this case might not be indicative of a successful cycling. Also, bottled bacteria do not settle and form a biofilm quickly. The water changes removed some of the bacteria.

Since you did a rather unorthodox cycling procedure, go slow with stocking fish and keep an eye on the ammonia. It is a very easy thing to be careful.

 

[brandon429]

Post a picture of this reef tank so we can see the surface area, the rocks, that sat among water for six weeks while being fed and carrying life successfully after being dosed with water bacteria

Two standout markers for old cycling science are fear based warnings that have no searchable threads for the stated fear. The warnings are perpetuations from only words, but not searchable outcomes anyone relaying the fear ever actually saw

Anyone reading: post a link from a thread you saw, participated in, where at week six of carrying fish and fish food and bottle bac and rocks the cycle wasn't done. Don't just Google up someone's api reading and claim that, use a thread you actually worked to completion as the example

I have a counter link against that claim:

Build Thread - My SPS Waterbox Peninsula Mini 15

Hi all. Long time member (I think I joined right around when R2R started or took off years ago) but got out of the hobby for about 6 years and now I am back! I don't see many build threads for the PM 15 (mostly the 25) so thought I'd share my journey here. This post will be a bit behind...

www.reef2reef.com

That's food alone, no bottle bac and no fish, fully preparing a reef tank by week 4. When we add in fish the whole time it went even faster than 4 weeks.

Ok now let's see the null hypothesis link for this thread. That's any thread ever posted on the site of a bioload- carrying reef tank at week six that isn't cycled.


The impact of partial water changes to this cycle was 0%, because no link from a reef tank is going to be posted.

 

[brandon429]

Old cycling science will never be simply resolute about the closure of a cycle.

You'll get a list of why water bacteria directly added to water might not have set up shop. You'll eventuality be led to buy more bacteria thinking the first round died



We'll see a doubt about completion warning included 100% of the time in old cycling science threads.

By contrast here's new cycling science, scan these pages for any doubt:

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

non digital ammonia test kit readings (api, Red Sea, nyos, seachem badges) make you think you aren’t cycled when indeed you are if you owned a $200 expensive seneye meter, you’d never be doubting your cycle status. since .01% of the reefing population owns these, we need a way to help the...

www.reef2reef.com

See the stark contrast between new and old cycling science? You've been warned about ammonia control which can't be an issue now, but immediate disease import is simply unmentioned for the life of the thread.

We counted to day ten as the sole marker for each tank. This thread here today is on day 45 ish.



How many times in those forty pages did we stammer on a cycle close date

How much focus have we put on fish disease prevention?

If your pics show no rock used that's a problem. But if you have rocks in this mix then your cycle has been done for weeks. Your stock rate isn't controlled by limited ammonia control, it's set by your disease control protocols

 

[ndmccain]

The nitrites where in the light purple (.25) range for a while and just recently (last couple of days) turned 0. Nitrates have been in the orange (10-20) for awhile.

Live rock from LFS and the bagged live sand.

Bacteria was dosed with each water change as well.

Great to know no more testing is needed (and less water changes)!

Thank you all for your input.

 

[brandon429]

A thread tracking pure skip cycle instant reefs, no bottle bac

THE GOLDEN EXAMPLE OF A SKIP CYCLE DAY 1 REEF https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/octo-high-end-sps-skip-cycle-build.713256/ read that entire thread before you read ours. that's the heart of skip cycling. Everything we do going forward in this thread reflects on that ability above, in the #1...

www.reef2reef.com

Your cycle was ready day one

We all thought, assumed, you did dry rock. I'm lucky and thankful you used any rock at all as two recent cycle threads worked took a while before the keeper bothered to mention they used no rock at all

Those posts were why I changed my signature line jokes.

Partial water changes were never going to affect your cycle even if it was a dry rock start. In this particular case, 100% changes twice a day wouldn't have harmed the cycle.


What an api test kit says, used in any iteration, has 0% bearing on where a cycle stands=updated cycling science.

 

[Garf]

Live rock from LFS

That’s a good start, lol.

 

[ndmccain]

A thread tracking pure skip cycle instant reefs, no bottle bac

THE GOLDEN EXAMPLE OF A SKIP CYCLE DAY 1 REEF https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/octo-high-end-sps-skip-cycle-build.713256/ read that entire thread before you read ours. that's the heart of skip cycling. Everything we do going forward in this thread reflects on that ability above, in the #1...

www.reef2reef.com

Your cycle was ready day one

We all thought, assumed, you did dry rock. I'm lucky and thankful you used any rock at all as two recent cycle threads worked took a while before the keeper bothered to mention they used no rock at all

Those posts were why I changed my signature line jokes.

Partial water changes were never going to affect your cycle even if it was a dry rock start. In this particular case, 100% changes twice a day wouldn't have harmed the cycle.


What an api test kit says, used in any iteration, has 0% bearing on where a cycle stands=updated cycling science.

Nice, great to know! I assume everyone used rock and such so I didn’t think to initially mention it.

I never understood the whole appeal of bare tanks, especially saltwater and reef. Don’t you want it to look and act as natural as possible?

 

[Timfish]

Nice, great to know! I assume everyone used rock and such so I didn’t think to initially mention it.

I never understood the whole appeal of bare tanks, especially saltwater and reef. Don’t you want it to look and act as natural as possible?

I found it very annoying when self appointed gurus started touting sterile rock and just bacteria cultures for cycling. There's no way the ecosystem is going to be anything close to what corals expect. See Aquabiomics article.

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[brandon429]

I'm curious to know if any lfs employees told you live rocks need cycling bacteria purchased @ndmccain

When you studied tank cycling, did you see any sources or articles that discussed complete skip cycling?

I've never seen any updated cycling science articles to relay that option.

The only cycle training out there is from bottle bac salesmen or old cycling science

 

[ndmccain]

I'm curious to know if any lfs employees told you live rocks need cycling bacteria purchased @ndmccain

When you studied tank cycling, did you see any sources or articles that discussed complete skip cycling?

I've never seen any updated cycling science articles to relay that option.

The only cycle training out there is from bottle bac salesmen or old cycling science

The employees didn’t tell me anything about needing bottled bacteria. I know some BRS videos about starting a reef tank say to get some (they recommended Dr. Tim’s One & Done). I think I came across the one I used (Stability) when Googling what I needed for a reef tank and read that if you follow their regiment than you can add fish right away (like with API Quick Start and such) which is why I got it and followed the regiment and added fish (and my fish never seemed in distress).

The only skip cycling article I saw was the post you made on this forum. I didn’t think it applied to me.

I use bottled bac for my freshwater aquarium so figured it would do good in a saltwater as well. As far as I know you can’t have too much good bacteria.

 

[brandon429]

nicely said. agreed to all, I just check occasionally w new cycles to see if they were able to find any formal training on skip cycling/articles etc other than our web posts. neat setup, threw us for a loop I was expecting a dry start/those are 98% of all cycles it seems

 

[ndmccain]

Thanks! Someone has to keep everyone on their toes. Lol.