Possible my tank is cycled in 4 days?

[SaltyWater1108]

Hello,

I am very new to the aquarium space and I had a couple of questions. I recently got an Aquatop 24 gallon tank for starting my saltwater aquarium.

On Saturday (2/21), I filled the tank with live sand, dry rock, and premixed salt water. I also added Fritz Turbo Start and Fishless Fuel, according to bottle instructions.

On Monday (2/23), I conducted my first water tests. Here are the results:
- Ammonia: 0
- Nitrate: 50-100 (I think my high Nitrite reading was inflating my results here)
- Nitrite: 5
- pH: 6.8 (this is low and I am wondering if my testing strips are off a little here)
- Alkalinity: 80-120

On Tuesday (2/24), I ran my tests again and got a salinity reading. Here are the results:
- Ammonia: 0
- Nitrate: 50
- Nitrite: 1
- pH: 6.8
- Alkalinity: 80
- Salinity: 1.023

I have not yet run my tests for today but is it possible my tank is already close to cycled? What can/should I do about my pH? I am using SJ Wave testing strips, do you all recommend anything else?

Thank you for your guidance!!

 

[beancounsel]

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

Yes, you’re likely cycled

The Fritz TurboStart product specifically is known to work quite quickly at establishing a biofilter (at least temporarily). If the Fishless Fuel ammonia product got your ammonia up to about 2.0 ppm and it is now zero, you’re good to start slowly adding some hardy livestock.

Good luck!

 

[SaltyWater1108]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

Yes, you’re likely cycled

The Fritz TurboStart product specifically is known to work quite quickly at establishing a biofilter (at least temporarily). If the Fishless Fuel ammonia product got your ammonia up to about 2.0 ppm and it is now zero, you’re good to start slowly adding some hardy livestock.

Good luck!

This is so helpful - thank you! At what point should I do another Ammonia test? Should I get it back up to 2.0ppm and see if it cycles within 24 hours? Do I need to wait for my nitrites to come down to 0 before I do that?

 

[Fish Fan]

This is so helpful - thank you! At what point should I do another Ammonia test? Should I get it back up to 2.0ppm and see if it cycles within 24 hours? Do I need to wait for my nitrites to come down to 0 before I do that?

I'm happy to try to help where I can

Personally, I didn't thin you have to, but you can "test" the system if you'd prefer, most suggest doing this. Just add enough of the Fishless Fuel to get the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm, then test again in 24 hours, and if the ammonia is back down to like 0.25 ppm or under, you're in god shape to proceed with stocking.

There is no need to test for or worry about nitrite, it is non-toxic in saltwater tank, unlike how it is toxic in freshwater tanks. Most here on R2R don't test for nitrite at all. The only thing you need to know about nitrite is that when nitrite is present, it makes your nitrate test artificial high, so when you have nitrite, you can't yet know your real nitrate concentration. Other than that one thing, nitrite is of no concern in saltwater

I hope that helps!

 

[Tahoe61]

Nope.

To cycle a tank that quickly you would need to start with wet cured live rock.

 

[SaltyWater1108]

I'm happy to try to help where I can

Personally, I didn't thin you have to, but you can "test" the system if you'd prefer, most suggest doing this. Just add enough of the Fishless Fuel to get the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm, then test again in 24 hours, and if the ammonia is back down to like 0.25 ppm or under, you're in god shape to proceed with stocking.

There is no need to test for or worry about nitrite, it is non-toxic in saltwater tank, unlike how it is toxic in freshwater tanks. Most here on R2R don't test for nitrite at all. The only thing you need to know about nitrite is that when nitrite is present, it makes your nitrate test artificial high, so when you have nitrite, you can't yet know your real nitrate concentration. Other than that one thing, nitrite is of no concern in saltwater

I hope that helps!

AMAZING - thank you so much!

 

[SaltyWater1108]

AMAZING - thank you so much!

I'm happy to try to help where I can

Personally, I didn't thin you have to, but you can "test" the system if you'd prefer, most suggest doing this. Just add enough of the Fishless Fuel to get the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm, then test again in 24 hours, and if the ammonia is back down to like 0.25 ppm or under, you're in god shape to proceed with stocking.

There is no need to test for or worry about nitrite, it is non-toxic in saltwater tank, unlike how it is toxic in freshwater tanks. Most here on R2R don't test for nitrite at all. The only thing you need to know about nitrite is that when nitrite is present, it makes your nitrate test artificial high, so when you have nitrite, you can't yet know your real nitrate concentration. Other than that one thing, nitrite is of no concern in saltwater

I hope that helps!

Sorry one last question - do you recommend a water change at all before adding livestock? If so, how much?

 

[Fish Fan]

Sorry one last question - do you recommend a water change at all before adding livestock? If so, how much?

I personally do not. Because, the "traditional wisdom" was to do a large water change to lower high nitrate, but again, when you have nitrite in the water, you nitrate will appear very high, and I don't think it's worth worrying about until the nitrite goes to zero. And, most people are looking to add some fish, usually Clownfish, and they won't be bothered by nitrate until it's incredibly high.

 

[Reefin' Steve]

Sorry one last question - do you recommend a water change at all before adding livestock? If so, how much?

The brightwell dry rock kit says to do 25% at the end, but you probably don’t have to like fish fan says. But if you want to do it, I don’t think it would hurt, and there’s a statement from a manufacturer

 

[Tahoe61]

I personally do not. Because, the "traditional wisdom" was to do a large water change to lower high nitrate, but again, when you have nitrite in the water, you nitrate will appear very high, and I don't think it's worth worrying about until the nitrite goes to zero. And, most people are looking to add some fish, usually Clownfish, and they won't be bothered by nitrate until it's incredibly high.

It's been less than 4 days, in a system started with dry rock, inferring the introduction of a pair of clowns in a nano?

 

[Fish Fan]

It's been less than 4 days, in a system started with dry rock, inferring the introduction of a pair of clowns in a nano?

Yep!

Please know that I wouldn't personally do this (adding a fish to an unicycled tank), but the Fritz TurboStart specifically - and no other bottled bacteria product - does seem to get ammonia under control quickly, and many people have reported success when adding fish inside a day or so after adding the TurboStart.

Again, I wouldn't do this, and I fully agree that the best and fastest way to start a tank is with real, wet, mature live rock

Here's a couple of quotes from Randy Holmes-Farley confirming that the Fritz TurboStart (and ONLY TurboStart) is the fastest at getting a biofilter going in a new tank, but keep in mind that these are a blend of heterotrophic bacteria, and not what will process ammonia and nitrite in the long term. Those bacteria still need 3-4 weeks to grow. Think of Fritz TurboStart more like a Baid-Aid rather than a cure

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/s...nd-i-dont-see-progress.1149086/#post-14192059https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microbacter-7-vs-….1143463/post-14103029https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/day-4-drtims-cycle.1147241/#post-14163250

 

[Reefin' Steve]

It's been less than 4 days, in a system started with dry rock, inferring the introduction of a pair of clowns in a nano?

Similarly to one and only, turbostart says you can add fish alongside the bacteria and it’s safe. But, turbostart is almost undoubtedly better than one and only IMO… probably the best bacteria on the market, and the only true live one. It’s $130 a qt and needs to be refrigerated. I’m with fish fan, especially if OP has some left to re dose if needed, and I would probably do that at some point.

 

[Tahoe61]

Similarly to one and only, turbostart says you can add fish alongside the bacteria and it’s safe. But, turbostart is almost undoubtedly better than one and only IMO… probably the best bacteria on the market, and the only true live one. It’s $130 a qt and needs to be refrigerated. I’m with fish fan, especially if OP has some left to re dose if needed, and I would probably do that at some point.

The original premise is "is my tank cycled in 4 days?" Likely not regardless of the bacterial boost product.
Introducing fish to a nano under a week old, hmm and likely no quarantine what could possibly go wrong?

 

[Fish Fan]

Similarly to one and only, turbostart says you can add fish alongside the bacteria and it’s safe. But, turbostart is almost undoubtedly better than one and only IMO… probably the best bacteria on the market, and the only true live one. It’s $130 a qt and needs to be refrigerated. I’m with fish fan, especially if OP has some left to re dose if needed, and I would probably do that at some point.

Just to follow up, I don't consider TurboStart and Dr. Tim's One and Only the same kind of product, and if I had to pick one I'd actually prefer the Dr. Tim's (if I wasn't starting with live rock, which is hands down the best way). The Fritz product contains bacteria that *can* process ammonia, and they are quick to grow, so they can process ammonia and make the system safe for fish quickly. However, they are not the autotrophic bacteria that are the long-term nitrogen processing bacteria in the tank. Dr. Tim's is said to contain at least some of the real autotrophs that we want long term, but it does take 3 or sometimes 4 weeks to establish a tank. But if one is not focused just on how fast they ca get their Clownfish into a new tank, I believe it's best to use the Dr Tim's One and Only, and just wait a few weeks for your cycle to run its course.

All of this is just my $0.02, so please everyone do your own research and do what you think is best for your tank

For the record, I don't typically recommend adding fish to a new tank before about 3-4 weeks, regardless of the bacteria product, and wound't personally do it

 

[Reefin' Steve]

Just to follow up, I don't consider TurboStart and Dr. Tim's One and Only the same kind of product, and if I had to pick one I'd actually prefer the Dr. Tim's (if I wasn't starting with live rock, which is hands down the best way). The Fritz product contains bacteria that *can* process ammonia, and they are quick to grow, so they can process ammonia and make the system safe for fish quickly. However, they are not the autotrophic bacteria that are the long-term nitrogen processing bacteria in the tank. Dr. Tim's is said to contain at least some of the real autotrophs that we want long term, but it does take 3 or sometimes 4 weeks to establish a tank. But if one is not focused just on how fast they ca get their Clownfish into a new tank, I believe it's best to use the Dr Tim's One and Only, and just wait a few weeks for your cycle to run its course.

All of this is just my $0.02, so please everyone do your own research and do what you think is best for your tank

For the record, I don't typically recommend adding fish to a new tank before about 3-4 weeks, regardless of the bacteria product, and wound't personally do it

Wouldn’t you be basically fish in cycling while Turbo is controlling ammonia levels?

I agree on 3 weeks. My last dry rock start took something like 20 days to reach <.25ppm dosed ammonia from a dry start using brightwell start xlm.

I have no LFS (within a couple hours anyway) and I didn’t enjoy my velvet issue, so I don’t really want someone else’s rocks. This is right in my wheel house (but you still probably know more than I)

One thing I haven’t seen, is any info on what strains of bacteria are in turbo specifically… in other words I’m not sure if/which autotrophic is in it or not but isn’t a subject I’ve looked into

 

[Reefin' Steve]

The original premise is "is my tank cycled in 4 days?" Likely not regardless of the bacterial boost product.
Introducing fish to a nano under a week old, hmm and likely no quarantine what could possibly go wrong?

Agree on no quarantine, but the fish *shouldn’t* die

 

[Fish Fan]

Wouldn’t you be basically fish in cycling while Turbo is controlling ammonia levels?

Yes, basically that's what this is, a fish-in cycle, which even using the Fritz TurboStart I don't personally recommend. I think it's just better to wait the three or so weeks.

You can order live rock from places like Tampa Bay Saltwater, which is premium, maricultured live rock. This is officially my favorite way to start a tank:
https://tbsaltwater.com/

 

[Reefin' Steve]

Yes, basically that's what this is, a fish-in cycle, which even using the Fritz TurboStart I don't personally recommend. I think it's just better to wait the three or so weeks.

You can order live rock from places like Tampa Bay Saltwater, which is premium, maricultured live rock. This is officially my favorite way to start a tank:
https://tbsaltwater.com/

I would only do it if it’s guaranteed pest and disease free, I’m scared after losing the tank. Which I’m not sure is really possible with live rock

In theory I agree, in practice I lost all my fish from disease, sans knowing where it came from. But I’m better educated on that now. If the tank doesn’t have it, they can’t develop it or catch it from stress or anything else

 

[SaltyWater1108]

Yes, basically that's what this is, a fish-in cycle, which even using the Fritz TurboStart I don't personally recommend. I think it's just better to wait the three or so weeks.

You can order live rock from places like Tampa Bay Saltwater, which is premium, maricultured live rock. This is officially my favorite way to start a tank:
https://tbsaltwater.com/

Thank you again for all of this info. Super helpful. I was advised by my local Tropical Fish store to take the approach I did (as opposed to live rock), but this is all helpful info.

If I wanted to wait a few weeks to add fish, just to be safe, do I need to keep dosing ammonia to make sure that the beneficial bacteria from the TurboStart doesn't die? I read that if I am "cycled" then I need to keep dosing ammonia every few days to keep the bacteria alive before live stock is present.