Oopsie

[Jivatma]

So i made a mistake? I'll let the experts decide.

Got tank set up and running.

Salinity 34.8ppt (via hannah)
Temp 78.0

I used some dr. Tim's and ammonia chloride via instructions. An 8oz bottle of bacteria in the tank, and 4 drops per gal. (Approx 90g total volume with sump)

Waited a day an a half an ammonia is read 8.0+ ppm via API test kit. (Nitrites at 0 and nitrates 0-5ppm? Hard to tell)

Sand was rinsed. Rock was bleached and dried for 2 weeks before putting in. It did have some spiderwebs on it i noticed after i filled tank though.

I'm not sure why ammonia is so high. Should I let it ride a few more days, or get a water change ready? I don't have any fish needing it and I can just let it run it's course if needed, I just didn't want to mess something up on day 1. LOL!

 

[PeterC99]

Time for more Dr Tim’s and the You should wait out - you just turbocharged your cycle.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Allow 72 hrs before testing. Also if possible, take a water sample to a trusted LFS for a second test result to match against yours. Assure the store you go to does not use API kit as they are notorious for false test reading results

 

[Jedi1199]

I agree that Right now it is too soon to start testing. Wait it out.. the cycle has begun. I disagree with adding more Dr. Tims. The bacteria you need are airborne. They will start doing their job all on their own. I personally dislike using extra chemicals of any kind in my tanks, but that is my opinion.

You mentioned rinsing the sand. Did you use dry sand or the wet "live" sand like Caribsea? Live sand should not be rinsed.

Since you have no life in the tank at this time, I would advise just letting the cycle run its course. Toss in a cube of frozen brine or mysis shrimp every 3 or 4 days.. That will break down and cause ammonia, which will trigger Nitrite and eventually Nitrate.

I personally would test once a week, starting at day 7 and see where things are. The cycle is not something that mysteriously doesn't happen. As long as you have a source of ammonia, you have the building blocks to run the cycle.

 

[Jivatma]

I had caribsea 'live sand' that i had had in storage for a couple years. It was still in the original bag, back from when I got it as. Bday gift when i first started showing interest in a SW tank. It was by no means wet. Which is why i rinsed it. Was this another mistake? ;Sorry

As for testing, I guess I was a little excited! I will report back in a week or so I guess then!

One more question though. Bottle instructions say no skimmer/socks for first 48hrs. Is this sound advice or doesn't really matter either way?

 

[Jedi1199]

I had caribsea 'live sand' that i had had in storage for a couple years. It was still in the original bag, back from when I got it as. Bday gift when i first started showing interest in a SW tank. It was by no means wet. Which is why i rinsed it. Was this another mistake? ;Sorry

As for testing, I guess I was a little excited! I will report back in a week or so I guess then!

One more question though. Bottle instructions say no skimmer/socks for first 48hrs. Is this sound advice or doesn't really matter either way?

For the sand, That is debatable.. I do not know what the shelf life of that sand is, so I can't really give you a good answer.

For testing, I understand.. This is new and exciting, and there is nothing at all wrong with a benchmark sample. That is sound scientific method. You can test every day if you want! There are no "testing police" to come haul you off to QT if you do.

I have never used the bottled ammonia or bacteria, so I don't know what the instructions say.. But, no skimmer or socks makes sense.. Right now, you have nothing to skim or filter. You are simply moving water.

Edit.. If I was setting up a new tank, I would use a good mechanical filtration setup from the get go... It clears out the fine particulate matter from the initial startup much better than simply allowing it to settle. The other advantage to that is, you wont be constantly be stirring up a dust storm every time you move anything. After the tank clears up, remove the mechanical and rinse out and then allow the tank to run without them until the cycle is complete.

I realize this info is probably too late for you now, but when you set up your next tank, you will be armed with information.

 

[BostonReefer300]

Which Dr. TIm's bacteria are you using? Don't dose any more ammonia right now

 

[Jivatma]

Which Dr. TIm's bacteria are you using? Don't dose any more ammonia right now

Dr. Tim's One and Only

And ya. Definitely not adding more ammonia. Hindsight is 20/20. Probably should have tested before adding. Ha!

 

[BostonReefer300]

OK. How big is your tank and how much rock roughly is in it?

 

[Jivatma]

OK. How big is your tank and how much rock roughly is in it?

75g display. I wanna say about 80lbs dry rock and life rock. Around 90g total

 

[BostonReefer300]

75g display. I wanna say about 80lbs dry rock and life rock. Around 90g total

OK thanks. That's a good amount of rock, plus you have sand too. Water looks cloudy to me. Did you just recently add the sand or disturb it or are your circ pumps blowing sand around? If not, then you have a bacterial bloom going.
Based on everything you've said, I bet you're cycled already assuming the Dr. Tim's you used isn't expired and was stored correctly. As noted previously, the API test kits are garbage. If you're worried (and your water is cloudy due to sand, not a bacterial bloom), you can add more Dr. TIm's or a small bottle of biospira from a pet store. Then feel free to add fish but don't overload your system with too much livestock right away.
Regarding livestock, I'd strongly suggest buying pre-quarantined fish if you're not going to do a separate QT protocol---and hold off adding inverts/corals to the tank just in case you need to dose the whole tank due to fish disease.
Good luck and have fun!

 

[Jedi1199]

I respectfully disagree with BostonReefer. That picture looks more like light spillage and not cloudy water.

What day did you set up your tank?

 

[Jivatma]

OK thanks. That's a good amount of rock, plus you have sand too. Water looks cloudy to me. Did you just recently add the sand or disturb it or are your circ pumps blowing sand around? If not, then you have a bacterial bloom going.
Based on everything you've said, I bet you're cycled already assuming the Dr. Tim's you used isn't expired and was stored correctly. As noted previously, the API test kits are garbage. If you're worried (and your water is cloudy due to sand, not a bacterial bloom), you can add more Dr. TIm's or a small bottle of biospira from a pet store. Then feel free to add fish but don't overload your system with too much livestock right away.
Regarding livestock, I'd strongly suggest buying pre-quarantined fish if you're not going to do a separate QT protocol---and hold off adding inverts/corals to the tank just in case you need to dose the whole tank due to fish disease.
Good luck and have fun!

That was a FTS shortly after adding salt and water the tank has only been wet for 3 days now so a bacterial bloom would be rather unprecedented, wouldn't it?

That photo was taken under full powered lights (AP9Xs) and then altered with a phone app. This one was taken last night under cheap LEDs that came with the tank.

 

[BostonReefer300]

I respectfully disagree with BostonReefer. That picture looks more like light spillage and not cloudy water.

What day did you set up your tank?

If you don't want to use bottled bacteria, no worries---many people prefer to follow the classical no bacterial additives route for tank cycling. It's a tried and true approach, but it does take time, patience, and good testing. However, if you want to instant cycle a tank, the bacterial products are great for this. They work very reliably assuming they're not expired and that your key water parameters and flow are good. I've instantly cycled several DTs and several dozen QTs using bottled bacteria and never had a problem.

 

[Jedi1199]

That was a FTS shortly after adding salt and water the tank has only been wet for 3 days now so a bacterial bloom would be rather unprecedented, wouldn't it?

That photo was taken under full powered lights (AP9Xs) and then altered with a phone app. This one was taken last night under cheap LEDs that came with the tank.

3 days seems a bit long for water to still be that cloudy IMO. Put your mechanical filtration on and clear that up, then take it back out as you run your cycle.

 

[BostonReefer300]

3 days seems a bit long for water to still be that cloudy IMO. Put your mechanical filtration on and clear that up, then take it back out as you run your cycle.

I agree that the water shouldn't be that cloudy by now. If you have felt filter socks, put those in and it should clear that up quickly unless you have super fine sand and your pumps are constantly agitating the sand---or you have a bacterial bloom going on. If it is a bloom, it's potentially due to over dosing ammonia or your rocks have lots of gunk in them that the bacteria are feeding on.

 

[Jedi1199]

If you don't want to use bottled bacteria, no worries---many people prefer to follow the classical no bacterial additives route for tank cycling. It's a tried and true approach, but it does take time, patience, and good testing. However, if you want to instant cycle a tank, the bacterial products are great for this. They work very reliably assuming they're not expired and that your key water parameters and flow are good. I've instantly cycled several DTs and several dozen QTs using bottled bacteria and never had a problem.

I am not debating this. The results from other people who use these products is irrefutable. I have simply never needed them as all of my tanks have been set up using seeded rocks and water from existing tanks.

I disagreed with your analysis that A) his tank is experiencing bacterial bloom, and B) his tank is cycled already.

Waited a day an a half an ammonia is read 8.0+ ppm via API test kit. (Nitrites at 0 and nitrates 0-5ppm? Hard to tell)

That one statement alone says it is not cycled.

 

[Jivatma]

OK thanks. That's a good amount of rock, plus you have sand too. Water looks cloudy to me. Did you just recently add the sand or disturb it or are your circ pumps blowing sand around? If not, then you have a bacterial bloom going.
Based on everything you've said, I bet you're cycled already assuming the Dr. Tim's you used isn't expired and was stored correctly. As noted previously, the API test kits are garbage. If you're worried (and your water is cloudy due to sand, not a bacterial bloom), you can add more Dr. TIm's or a small bottle of biospira from a pet store. Then feel free to add fish but don't overload your system with too much livestock right away.
Regarding livestock, I'd strongly suggest buying pre-quarantined fish if you're not going to do a separate QT protocol---and hold off adding inverts/corals to the tank just in case you need to dose the whole tank due to fish disease.
Good luck and have fun!

That was a FTS shortly after adding salt and water the tank has only been wet for 3 days now so a bacterial bloom would be rather unprecedented, wouldn't it?

That photo was taken under full powered lights (AP9Xs) and then altered with a phone app. This one was taken last night under cheap LEDs that came with the tank.

3 days seems a bit long for water to still be that cloudy IMO. Put your mechanical filtration on and clear that up, then take it back out as you run your cycle.

This is right now. Still think I should run filtration?

 

[BostonReefer300]

That was a FTS shortly after adding salt and water the tank has only been wet for 3 days now so a bacterial bloom would be rather unprecedented, wouldn't it?

That photo was taken under full powered lights (AP9Xs) and then altered with a phone app. This one was taken last night under cheap LEDs that came with the tank.





This is right now. Still think I should run filtration?

I would. I can still see cloudiness. But it's up to you

 

[Jedi1199]

That was a FTS shortly after adding salt and water the tank has only been wet for 3 days now so a bacterial bloom would be rather unprecedented, wouldn't it?

That photo was taken under full powered lights (AP9Xs) and then altered with a phone app. This one was taken last night under cheap LEDs that came with the tank.





This is right now. Still think I should run filtration?

If it was me, I would have had mechanical filtration in place from the start. Since you have no livestock in the tank yet, I personally would add the mechanical filtration and then give all of the sand a good stir.. Get as much of that super fine stuff out of your tank as you can.