More patience for cycle after 3 weeks or re-add Dr Tims?

stev

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Tank is a 90litre/~24gallon aqua one minireef

OK. So Mixed advice from nearby LFSs started me on my journey
LFS a) Just ghost feed and be patient (no live rock, no bacteria)... this lasted a week after a conversation with LFS b ##Week 1
LFS b) Just ghost feed and add Dr Tims bacteria... tick ##Week 2

## Week 3
After reviewing the full Dr Tims approach. I stopped ghost feeding, waited for Ammonia and Nitrate to approach zero and the dosed 1ppm of Dr Tims Ammonia. I figured this would be a reasonable assessment of how I went ghost feeding. I like this approach as it feels more controlled and measurable for a newbie.

24 hours later and the seachem ammonia alert is still showing as 0.05 free ammonia. I will note that the API test is showing 0.25... (I know, could also be zero).
Nitrates are at 10ppm this morning, Nitrates are at 0.25.

Here is what I thing I did that may have negatively impacted the cycle:
* I did a 25% water change (end of week2) as nitrites were very high, I had not read the advice of not vacuuming the sand bed at this point... so I vacuumed the sandbed
* While I have 1inch sand bed and Dry Rock in the tank, I only added biomedia to the sump 1 week ago

Here are my options as I see them and I unsure which would be best:
1) Be patient, let the 1ppm ammonia dose get to zero, hit it with 2ppm ammonia, get to zero, repeat until I see 2ppm get to zero within 24hours
2) Same as above but also add another Dr Tims All in One Reef to the tank.
3) Let the 1ppm to reach zero and add a pair of juvenile clownfish (e.g. Stev, you are way over thinking this)
4) Same as item 3, but also add another Dr Tims All in One, Just as a precaution to

The tank is cycling as I have nitrites and nitrates, it just takes longer thank I hoped at this point to deal with a 1ppm ammonia dose, which was how I figured I would check that I am ready for the clownfish.

Thanks for any guidance :D
 

KrisReef

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Nice details.
Removing nitrItes from the water in week 2 could have slowed the development of that bacteria, but should not impact the ammonia removers.

The tank should be ready in another week, (according to some of the local cycle debaters) and it won't hurt me at all if you wait another week. :) Should be fine for a couple of fish by then, and do a big water change before you add fish and start feeding them.
When you do add fish, for Pete's sake feed them lightly! They can survive on tiny amounts of food better than in water infested with rotting food and fish wastes. HTH!

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Let's see what others recommend.
 

Bj’s Reef

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Just remember nothing good happens fast in this hobby. Slow and steady wins the race. By the way welcome to the forum.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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There's no way you're not cycled says 32 pages of cycle calls. Day ten is our action date there over and over.
 
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stev

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There's no way you're not cycled says 32 pages of cycle calls. Day ten is our action date there over and over.
Agreed. The tank is cycling. I hit zero on ammonia and nitrite previously, plus seeing reduced ammonia over the last 24 hours since dosing.

The question is more about whether it is able to cope with the bioload of adding fish and minimising the discomfort to the fish. Which rethinking my concerns I could have made the post clearer on that front.

Kris and BJ have pretty much helped me think I should just go with where I thought would be safest and flex that patience muscle for another week or so. I like the guidance (and unsure where I read it) that a 2ppm ammonia dosing should be cycled in 24 hours and that's not been achieved yet.

Always keen to hear other views. Though being a beginner, erring on the side of caution makes sense to me.

:)
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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I’m saying it’s done, not that it’s cycling. The whole thread is us assigning an exact start date to every cycle and stating when it can carry bioload. Viewing a cycle through the lens of api or Red Sea, and not a digital nh3 meter is the cycling equivalent of flat earthing.
 

PatW

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People can cycle tanks without adding any culture. The bacteria will get in eventually.

Your ammonia should be at 0 before adding any livestock. Your ammonia has gone down and that is good. You should wait until all of the ammonia and nitrite is converted to nitrate. Then you probably need a few water changes to get the nitrates down to a reasonable level (or not, you can defer and let your routine water changes do it.

If you can afford it and are impatient, sure you can add more bacteria culture. But it should resolve in a week or two. Of course, “should” does not always happen.
 

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