Tank cycled?

[Salty_Fish306]

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First SW tank. Before we get started. I ordered sol salifert kits... but this looks cycled to me. Question is a watwr change needed when its "done"?

 

[tzabor10]

looks good, but did you see positive ammonia before this? What bacteria did you add? Or was it live rock?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Cannot answer without knowing what you did.

 

[Salty_Fish306]

looks good, but did you see positive ammonia before this? What bacteria did you add? Or was it live rock?

Fritzyme 9 then microbe lift nit out 2 for a singular dose then its tested the same for 2 days . It has dry rock. Or did have dry rock

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In general, the need for water changes after most types of cycling is exaggerated.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Fritzyme 9 then microbe lift nit out 2 for a singular dose then its tested the same for 2 days . It has dry rock. Or did have dry rock

I cannot tell from that if you added ammonia.

 

[Salty_Fish306]

Cannot answer without knowing what you did.

Added ammonia then let the cycle start? added fritzyme 9 and let ride for 3 weeks or so then added microbe lift nite out 2 one time and its tested good? For a couple days now.

 

[tzabor10]

How long did this take?

 

[Salty_Fish306]

Fritzyme 9 then microbe lift nit out 2 for a singular dose then its tested the same for 2 days . It has dry rock. Or did have dry rock

I cannot tell from that if you added ammonia.

I did when i set up the tank.

 

[Salty_Fish306]

How long did this take?

This is going on 4 weeks.

 

[Salty_Fish306]

I did when i set up the tank.

dosed it to 1.5ppm and let her chooch until last week(Thursday) where I added microbe lift one time,

 

[Fish Fan]

You've got some very experienced reefers replying here, so please take their advice.

I would just like to say that something isn't right here. If you added ammonia to a concentration of 1.5 ppm, you should if nothing else be seeing some nitrate if your cycle has completed. The zero, zero, zero I see across your three tests has me concerned that something isn't playing out right.

Following to see how this turns out

Good luck!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Did you add a pinch of fish food?

 

[Salty_Fish306]

You've got some very experienced reefers replying here, so please take their advice.

I would just like to say that something isn't right here. If you added ammonia to a concentration of 1.5 ppm, you should if nothing else be seeing some nitrate if your cycle has completed. The zero, zero, zero I see across your three tests has me concerned that something isn't playing out right.

Following to see how this turns out

Good luck!

Okay then what could cause this 0,0,0 "issue" but anyway. Ill takes the "advice" got it.

 

[Salty_Fish306]

Did you add a pinch of fish food?

Every couple starting last week. It wasnt until i added the microb lift nite out 2 that it read 0 nitrates. Based on someone's elses recommendation on this forum. I can see why people quit this hobby.

 

[Fish Fan]

Okay then what could cause this 0,0,0 "issue" but anyway. Ill takes the "advice" got it.

I don't know, I'm only trying to help sort this out

Every couple starting last week. It wasnt until i added the microb lift nite out 2 that it read 0 nitrates. Based on someone's elses recommendation on this forum. I can see why people quit this hobby.

Try not to get frustrated, there's often more than one "right" way to do things in this hobby

I promise you, you have some of the most knowledgeable reefers anywhere replying to this thread. They'll get you through this for sure, I think they just need a little more info about your tank to help

 

[Salty_Fish306]

Okay then what could cause this 0,0,0 "issue" but anyway. Ill takes the "advice" got it.

I don't know, I'm only trying to help sort this out

Every couple starting last week. It wasnt until i added the microb lift nite out 2 that it read 0 nitrates. Based on someone's elses recommendation on this forum. I can see why people quit this hobby.

Try not to get frustrated, there's often more than one "right" way to do things in this hobby

I promise you, you have some of the most knowledgeable reefers anywhere replying to this thread. They'll get you through this for sure, I think they just need a little more info about your tank to help

I've literally given all that has happend like do you want me to make up some stuff that didn't happen? Like, really? Im not frustrated. Folks are complaining something else has happened or it didn't happen. Blah blah blah when I've literally stated what I've done what ive used and this is where im at.

 

[Salty_Fish306]

Should i add more ammonia or put some more marine pellets in and let er eat for another week or so?

Thanks guys and gals

 

[Fish Fan]

I've literally given all that has happend like do you want me to make up some stuff that didn't happen? Like, really? Im not frustrated. Folks are complaining something else has happened or it didn't happen. Blah blah blah when I've literally stated what I've done what ive used and this is where im at.

I guess I'm not sure what's going on, I've never experienced this situation before, but I'd like to try and help.

Is it possible your ammonia test kit is faulty, and the ammonia was not as high as 1.5 ppm initially? I don't know, I'm just throwing out ideas....

In theory, if ammonia was up to 1.5 ppm, and converted to nitrite, and then to nitrate, it would be expected to see *something* for nitrate at this point. You're showing zero for nitrate, which is very, very unusual at this point. Many here at R2R ONLY test for nitrate when cycling a new tank.

Maybe the nitrate kit is faulty? Can you bring some water to a Local Fish Store (LFS) and have them test it to double check?

Should i add more ammonia or put some more marine pellets in and let er eat for another week or so?

Thanks guys and gals

Again, you have some really knowledgeable reefers replying here, but at this point I'd say yes, add more ammonia. Make sure it hits like 1.5 ppm - 2.0 ppm. Then test it again in 24 hours and if it's nearly zero I'd say you're good to begin to slowly add some hardy livestock. Though I'd expect to be seeing some nitrate with all this ammonia added

Please post back with further questions! Remember, you really can't stop or stall a cycle, it's a natural, biological process, and it will happen all on its own

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Should i add more ammonia or put some more marine pellets in and let er eat for another week or so?

Thanks guys and gals

I’d add ammonia to 2 ppm, verify it by testing, then watch it decline.

The tank is almost certainly cycled, but that will prove it.