New to hobby, question about parameters during cycle

45bravo

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Here let me give you more perspective on this. I’m using the fish less cycle to cycle live rock so everything is ready for my tank when I get home and finish my basement. I’m also using Dr.Tim’s, the fish less cycle where you just add the ammonia from the bottle, my girlfriend is the one that’s been setting this stuff up and moving everything around (I’m out of the country), but this is day 6 of the fish less cycle. Cheap test kits I know, however I only use the API for ammonia and nitrite because they are accurate enough for their purpose otherwise I tend to use salifert kits. You’re never really gonna use them again after the initial setup anyways. Look how much higher your ammonia test would have been if you did it this way. It would most certainly kill fish.

700AA75D-94CA-48AD-B820-901C32353229.jpeg FF519851-A9F8-4B7B-A1FD-2AD1F91EDFEC.jpeg 2BA6A5D2-742D-44FD-925D-F73E214051EA.png
 
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JustinMN18

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Here let me give you more perspective on this. I’m using the fish less cycle to cycle live rock so everything is ready for my tank when I get home and finish my basement. I’m also using Dr.Tim’s, the fish less cycle where you just add the ammonia from the bottle, my girlfriend is the one that’s been setting this stuff up and moving everything around (I’m out of the country), but this is day 6 of the fish less cycle. Cheap test kits I know, however I only use the API for ammonia and nitrite because they are accurate enough for their purpose otherwise I tend to use salifert kits. You’re never really gonna use them again after the initial setup anyways. Look how much higher your ammonia test would have been if you did it this way. It would most certainly kill fish.

700AA75D-94CA-48AD-B820-901C32353229.jpeg FF519851-A9F8-4B7B-A1FD-2AD1F91EDFEC.jpeg 2BA6A5D2-742D-44FD-925D-F73E214051EA.png
oh ****, yea thanks for sharing that. The amonia test is tough because it's such a light color to compare with. But it has been at 0.8 / 1 on the Red Sea color spectrum. I appreciate the help.

Any thoughts on like... how long the cycle will take with the fish? It's been 1 week today.
 

45bravo

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oh ****, yea thanks for sharing that. The amonia test is tough because it's such a light color to compare with. But it has been at 0.8 / 1 on the Red Sea color spectrum. I appreciate the help.

Any thoughts on like... how long the cycle will take with the fish? It's been 1 week today.

Yeah with just the fish way it used to take about 3--4 weeks sometimes more. Don't rush on it just wait I know it sucks, I already know that even after I put this 260lbs of rock in the tank its gonna go through a mini cycle again, gotta add the 100-120 lbs of sand at that time too, so I'm sure Ill add more bacteria at that time. That's going from this 100 gallon stock tank to what will be about 300 gallons with the filter on the actual tank though so its to be expected.

You can just check your water every few days if you want, I would even knowing it could take a while. after they are both zero I'd check it again the next day, maybe even 1 more after that, just to be sure they are still zero. Then you should be good go ahead and do a small water change, probably just 10 gallons in your case, then add another fish, maybe 2, but go slow don't add a lot at once increasing the bio load quickly will produce to much ammonia at once and you wont have the bacteria to convert it all and you'll have ammonia again.
 

Glott3133

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Welcome to R2R and the hobby. Many people have cycled their tanks using clown fish, having the live sand helps with the bacteria load. Especially when setting up a quarantine tank, it usually starts a new cycle; but definitely just keep an eye out for your ammonia levels. Good luck.
 
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JustinMN18

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Yeah with just the fish way it used to take about 3--4 weeks sometimes more. Don't rush on it just wait I know it sucks, I already know that even after I put this 260lbs of rock in the tank its gonna go through a mini cycle again, gotta add the 100-120 lbs of sand at that time too, so I'm sure Ill add more bacteria at that time. That's going from this 100 gallon stock tank to what will be about 300 gallons with the filter on the actual tank though so its to be expected.

You can just check your water every few days if you want, I would even knowing it could take a while. after they are both zero I'd check it again the next day, maybe even 1 more after that, just to be sure they are still zero. Then you should be good go ahead and do a small water change, probably just 10 gallons in your case, then add another fish, maybe 2, but go slow don't add a lot at once increasing the bio load quickly will produce to much ammonia at once and you wont have the bacteria to convert it all and you'll have ammonia again.
Thanks a lot for your help. So it is going to take a couple weeks likely. I appreciate it!
 

45bravo

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Thanks a lot for your help. So it is going to take a couple weeks likely. I appreciate it!

It could, but I‘d expect a little faster you did use live rock, sand and bacteria. There is no formula that I know of, not saying it doesn’t exist, that can properly determine the length of time it will take.
 

Arabyps

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You urgently need to get the ammonia under control. If you are adding more Dr. Tim's from the bottle you have and no effect, the bacteria in your bottle may not be viable. Get a new bottle or try Microbacter XLM, Microbacter 7 or Fritz TurboStart 900. For the most part within reason, you cannot overdoes bacteria. Microbacters and TurboStart are more potent. You need to be careful and make sure the ammonia never goes above 0 for any length of time.
 
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JustinMN18

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You urgently need to get the ammonia under control. If you are adding more Dr. Tim's from the bottle you have and no effect, the bacteria in your bottle may not be viable. Get a new bottle or try Microbacter XLM, Microbacter 7 or Fritz TurboStart 900. For the most part within reason, you cannot overdoes bacteria. Microbacters and TurboStart are more potent. You need to be careful and make sure the ammonia never goes above 0 for any length of time.
So adding more bacteria during a cycle is ok with fish and everything?

My amonia has been around 0.4 and 0.8 for the week. Ph and phosphates good.
 
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JustinMN18

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Absolutely. In fact, when the ammonia is elevated it is necessary to aid the fish.
I added more Dr Tim's, and here are my levels after a couple days.

Ammonia 0.2, Nitrite 0.4, nitrate almost 10.

Did a 10% water change yesterday.

I'm noticing a really fast spread of some algae. It's like brown color releasing little bubbles. It's on the sand, rocks, glass, heater, and filter.

I've attached some pictures. Is this ok? Diatoms?

I'm really looking forward to the day when my ammonia hits 0.

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