New Tank - Dr Tim’s Bad?

[mattevo]

I have a new tank I’m trying to cycle. Second ever so semi-new to this. 80gal. Used ammonia (registering that on tag) and Dr Tim’s. After 5 days Nitrites still zero. Same with Nitrate. Ammonia still reading about 0.2. My Dr Tim’s came with a bunch of other stuff and at one point in shipping the bottle was frozen. Did that cause it to go bad? Is it doing anything or should I grab a new bottle?

 

[LPS Bum]

Can you grab a few pieces of seasoned live rock instead? There’s no better way to cycle a new aquarium.

 

[mattevo]

Can you grab a few pieces of seasoned live rock instead? There’s no better way to cycle a new aquarium.

Yea I can grab from existing tank. Maybe one large rock without messing up the whole thing.

 

[fishyjoes]

Dr tims works, but is slower than some others. Fritz turbo start is quicker. I do not believe freezing is a problem but I may be wrong (the dr tims website should say one way or another).

There is a very good bottled bacteria testing thread
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/n...-equal-whos-who-and-what-do-they-need.989780/

 

[twentyleagues]

How high was the ammonia when you started? If it was .2 then I would say it either is bad or just has not started working yet which seems strange. If your ammonia was higher its possible while not probable you missed the nitrite phase.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree that "still" reading 0.2 ppm ammonia is unusual wording.

You did boost it to 2 ppm, right?

Focus on the ammonia drop, nothing else matters.

 

[Fish Fan]

A fish-less cycle using Dr. Tim's One and Only and ammonia can take +/- 3 weeks or so. Not seeing a whole lot change in the first 5 days isn't unusual at all.

 

[mattevo]

Thanks all! I’m nervous about moving and disturbing 1 of 3 large rocks that have been in my Evo tank for a year before I was ready to move the fish. Agree live rock is the best way to go though.

Yea I boosted it to 0.2 and it’s been there. I’ve also head mixed reviews of those floating tags that measure this but that’s what I’d used before.

 

[JayceTheGaymer]

I had tried Dr. Tim’s for my cycle and 4+ weeks in I had nitrites but 0 nitrates forming. My LFS hooked me up with some Nite-Out II and that did the trick pretty quickly. I’m sold on their bacteria since then.

My friend used turbo start for his and that worked really well too.

 

[Bear22]

Speaking from experience with both Fritz's and Dr. Tim's: Double or even triple the advertised expected cycling time for your application.

 

[mcarroll]

A whole lot of expense, bother and uncertainty over something that will natrurally take care of itself in 30-40 days.

IMO use Dr Tims as the directions tell you to, or use the natural method.

Fishless cycling is WAY overrated and not really a solution for the perceived problem (not real problem) of cycling with fish.

Neither is very foolproof for newbs.....but the natural method is.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks all! I’m nervous about moving and disturbing 1 of 3 large rocks that have been in my Evo tank for a year before I was ready to move the fish. Agree live rock is the best way to go though.

Yea I boosted it to 0.2 and it’s been there. I’ve also head mixed reviews of those floating tags that measure this but that’s what I’d used before.

Do you mean you boosted it to 0.2 ppm total
Ammonia? not 2.0? Or is that free ammonia?

What floating tag?

Boosting to 0.2 ppm total ammonia is not anyone’s recommendation. It is too low.

 

[mfinn]

I've used Dr. Tims a couple times and had pretty decent results.

One thing I noticed that the op said it was still reading .2 ammonia.
Having used API Saltwater test kits in the past, I remember seeing .2 ammonia not going away, even after it went through nitrite and nitrate.

 

[mcarroll]

What floating tag?

Seachem Ammo Alert

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Seachem Ammo Alert

That’s likely, but did not see it mentioned.

The questions remains what was dosed.

 

[mattevo]

Sorry yes it’s the Seachem Ammo Alert. Reading about 0.2. That’s what I dosed to. My LFS warned not to go too crazy with the ammonia and even said I prob don’t need it. So I went light.

Entirely possibly I just haven’t given the Dr Tim’s enough time. Just anxious to get the new tank going :)

I’m going to move the live rock and maybe dose a small amount of Turbo Start and let it go for a couple more weeks.

It’s an 80gal. Someone told me I could probably move my Clowns now but that seemed premature to me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you know how much ammonia you dosed aside from the badge reading?

 

[twentyleagues]

Do you know how much ammonia you dosed aside from the badge reading?

Good point. I think .2 on the badge or api is with in margin of error so they could have not dosed enough ammonia to do anything testable.
@mattevo how many drops or ml did you add to your 80g and do you know actual water volume with rock, sand, sump?

 

[mattevo]

Do you know how much ammonia you dosed aside from the badge reading?

Good point. I think .2 on the badge or api is with in margin of error so they could have not dosed enough ammonia to do anything testable.
@mattevo how many drops or ml did you add to your 80g and do you know actual water volume with rock, sand, sump?

Half the bottle. So about 100gal worth. My total volume with sump is 110. Though directions say subtract 20% of volume to account for rocks and substrate.

 

[twentyleagues]

Half the bottle. So about 100gal worth. My total volume with sump is 110. Though directions say subtract 20% of volume to account for rocks and substrate.

If you are just relying on the ammonia badge you may want to cross check it against another test. I would think that would bring it higher than .2, but I'll let @Randy Holmes-Farley comment on the quantity added as I am not sure how high that would likely be.