Tank Cycling

[Alfredomeinhardt]

I started cycling my 60 Gal. tank last Monday 8/25/25, using Dr. Tim's one and only. I added 2ppm of ammonia chloride and a bottle of Dr. Tim''s to the tank. The tanks have dry rock and a few pieces of live rock from my other tank.
The next day I checked the levels and, as expected, the ammonia was 2ppm and the Nitrites 0. On Saturday, 8/30, the Ammonia levels started to drop to 1ppm and the Nitrites levels started to climb to 0.5/0.75.
Yesterday, 9/2, the ammonia levels were about 0.75, and the Nitrite levels were at 2.0.

Any thoughts on when I should expect the tank to be fully cycled?? I know I would have to do a very large WC (probably 2, about 50%) because the Nitrates will be very high before I add my fish. (I haven't tested yet, but I know they will be high)

I have 2 clown fish from my other tank that I would like to transfer to this one before I start adding more fish.

I also have a few Zoas and a Duncan that I want to transfer, but I'm not sure if it is wise with Ammonia and Nitrites still present in the tank.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Nitrites aren't a concern. What are your nitrates at? Nitrates will rise as the end result of the cycle.

 

[TX_REEF]

Generally a first cycle can take anywhere from 1 week to a month with the method you are using. Patience is key here. Is the flow in your tank sufficient? I'd also ensure you leave the lights off. Don't pay much heed to nitrite, just watch ammonia and nitrate.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Here's another thread in regards to Dr. Tim's.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dr-tim’s-cycle.644921/

 

[get-salty]

If im reading this right, you added established rocks from your other tank - this means at this moment you can literally add the clowns.

I think you sorta messed things up by adding the ammonia into the tank.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

If im reading this right, you added established rocks from your other tank - this means at this moment you can literally add the clowns.

I think you sorta messed things up by adding the ammonia into the tank.

I didn't catch that part. This would certainly speed things up.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Generally a first cycle can take anywhere from 1 week to a month with the method you are using. Patience is key here. Is the flow in your tank sufficient? I'd also ensure you leave the lights off. Don't pay much heed to nitrite, just watch ammonia and nitrate.

Flow is enough and the lights are off

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

If im reading this right, you added established rocks from your other tank - this means at this moment you can literally add the clowns.

I think you sorta messed things up by adding the ammonia into the tank.

Well, the Dr. Tim's procedure asks for ammonia to be added to the tank. It actually asks for several doses, but I only added ammonia at the beginning because I didn't want to run the risk of stalling the cycle..

I have 4 large pieces of dry rock in it and two somewhat medium pieces of live rock from my other tank

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

If im reading this right, you added established rocks from your other tank - this means at this moment you can literally add the clowns.

I think you sorta messed things up by adding the ammonia into the tank.

Well, the Dr. Tim's procedure asks for ammonia to be added to the tank. It actually asks for several doses, but I only added ammonia at the beginning because I didn't want to run the risk of stalling the cycle.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Well, the Dr. Tim's procedure asks for ammonia to be added to the tank. It actually asks for several doses, but I only added ammonia at the beginning because I didn't want to run the risk of stalling the cycle..

I have 4 large pieces of dry rock in it and two somewhat medium pieces of live rock from my other tank

sorry "get-salty" the first comment was not meant for you

 

[get-salty]

I didn't catch that part. This would certainly speed things up.

Well, the Dr. Tim's procedure asks for ammonia to be added to the tank. It actually asks for several doses, but I only added ammonia at the beginning because I didn't want to run the risk of stalling the cycle..

I have 4 large pieces of dry rock in it and two somewhat medium pieces of live rock from my other tank

To be more specific, by adding established rocks from an established tank into a newly setup tank, you are seeding the newly setup tank with the good bacteria and it should be ready to rock n roll. At this point, you can add fish instantly. No need for the cycling process.

 

[get-salty]

sorry "get-salty" the first comment was not meant for you

gotcha. NP

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

To be more specific, by adding established rocks from an established tank into a newly setup tank, you are seeding the newly setup tank with the good bacteria and it should be ready to rock n roll. At this point, you can add fish instantly. No need for the cycling process.

Thanks. I will check my nitrates today to see where they are and if I need to do a WC before adding the fish

 

[Fish Fan]

Just one comment about nitrite I hope helps is that while it is indeed non-toxic, and nothing to worry about in and of itself, it does interfere with testing for nitrate, causing nitrate tests to read falsely high when nitrite is present. For this reason, you can’t know your true nitrate concentration until your nitrite has gone to zero.

The advice about needing to do a massive water change or two after the cycle I’m starting to think is a bit cookie-cutter, one size fits all advice that’s not necessary true. You don’t need to do a water change after the cycle unless your nitrate is truly high (which you won’t know while you still have nitrite), and even then only if you’re keeping animals super sensitive to nitrate. Your Clownfish won’t care at all about nitrate, and Zoas are very forgiving.

I think the reason a lot of people do indeed end up with high nitrate after the cycle is because they are adding in dose after dose of the ammonium chloride, and then “testing” the cycle with even more ammonium chloride at the end. This is what I think results in the very high nitrate, and it sounds like you didn’t add anywhere near that much ammonium chloride. I would not expect your tank to have high nitrate based on what you’ve dosed.

I’d suggest going ahead and adding the Zoas now. Coral can handle, even benefit from, some ammonia in the water. And although I think you could add the Clowns now and be fine, I’d give it another few days to a week to add the fish, just out of an abundance of caution.

Once your nitrite goes to zero, then test your nitrate, and then decide if a massive water change is warranted. There’s other ways to bring nitrate down too, though nothing as fast as doing a big water change.

Good luck!

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Just one comment about nitrite I hope helps is that while it is indeed non-toxic, and nothing to worry about in and of itself, it does interfere with testing for nitrate, causing nitrate tests to read falsely high when nitrite is present. For this reason, you can’t know your true nitrate concentration until your nitrite has gone to zero.

The advice about needing to do a massive water change or two after the cycle I’m starting to think is a bit cookie-cutter, one size fits all advice that’s not necessary true. You don’t need to do a water change after the cycle unless your nitrate is truly high (which you won’t know while you still have nitrite), and even then only if you’re keeping animals super sensitive to nitrate. Your Clownfish won’t care at all about nitrate, and Zoas are very forgiving.

I think the reason a lot of people do indeed end up with high nitrate after the cycle is because they are adding in dose after dose of the ammonium chloride, and then “testing” the cycle with even more ammonium chloride at the end. This is what I think results in the very high nitrate, and it sounds like you didn’t add anywhere near that much ammonium chloride. I would not expect your tank to have high nitrate based on what you’ve dosed.

I’d suggest going ahead and adding the Zoas now. Coral can handle, even benefit from, some ammonia in the water. And although I think you could add the Clowns now and be fine, I’d give it another few days to a week to add the fish, just out of an abundance of caution.

Once your nitrite goes to zero, then test your nitrate, and then decide if a massive water change is warranted. There’s other ways to bring nitrate down too, though nothing as fast as doing a big water change.

Good luck!

Thank you very much for your advice. This goes in line with what I researched about having high Nitrates after the cycle. That is one of the reasons I didn't add more Ammonia Chloride to the cycle, even though it is what Dr. Tim's process recommends.

I have cycled other tanks by only adding Ammonia Chloride once (smaller tanks than this), and the cycle went fast and with no issues.

 

[schooncw]

Add some "real" live rock as by far, it's the best way to cycle BUT look beyond the cycle.
Live rock will cycle, add biodiversity and result in faster maturity and stability. Bottled magic does not do that.