Cycling my tank

[becs_nano_reef]

Cycling my tank!
Only on day 3!
I used Dr Tim’s one and only and 2 clowns who are very happy.
Live sand and dry rock
I feed once a day and dose microbacter 7 and prime daily.

Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite 0.1-0.25
Nitrate 5

Is it going in the right direction?

 

[H-C6179]

Patience is key in this hobby. I started in Jan this year and it took 6 weeks for my cycle. Obviously every tank is different. I would say your ammonia is a bit high? What test kit you using?

 

[becs_nano_reef]

Patience is key in this hobby. I started in Jan this year and it took 6 weeks for my cycle. Obviously every tank is different. I would say your ammonia is a bit high? What test kit you using?

Yes I understand it’s going to take time.
Im using salifert tests. It’s gone up slightly since yesterday.

 

[H-C6179]

Yes I understand it’s going to take time.
Im using salifert tests. It’s gone up slightly since yesterday.

I would monitior and test alot at this point. You will have a spike in ammonia as part of your cycle. Mine got up quite high before coming back down to levels that would be deadly to fish. I would be looking at some water changes at this reading.

 

[brandon429]

Tell about the rock history

why are half the rocks purple and half white, where did the purple ones come from

 

[Nanoreef90]

Tell about the rock history

why are half the rocks purple and half white, where did the purple ones come from

I just brought them from different shops. Both dry rock

 

[Nanoreef90]

I would monitior and test alot at this point. You will have a spike in ammonia as part of your cycle. Mine got up quite high before coming back down to levels that would be deadly to fish. I would be looking at some water changes at this reading.

I was told a water change during a cycle will stop or halt the cycle and will jeopardise it

 

[becs_nano_reef]

Tell about the rock history

why are half the rocks purple and half white, where did the purple ones come from

They are from different shops. Both dry rock

 

[becs_nano_reef]

I would monitior and test alot at this point. You will have a spike in ammonia as part of your cycle. Mine got up quite high before coming back down to levels that would be deadly to fish. I would be looking at some water changes at this reading.

I was told water changes stop the cycle and causes it to take a lot longer

 

[H-C6179]

I was told water changes stop the cycle and causes it to take a lot longer

Potentially yes. I did 1 or 2 towards the end... but you already have fish in it. So you'll need to do water changes, esp if you see ammonia spiking

 

[brandon429]

How to fix

not true about the water changes harming the cycle

the cloud is nearly certainly non rinsed sand clouding harmless

stop adding prime going forward its not needed, chemists here discovered it’s not actually doing anything it’s a sales ploy, don’t use it in freshwater or saltwater, throw it out

just do water changes alone to slowly work the clouding out and when you pour back in, have a super clean bowl someone is holding just below the water line to deflect the pour water outwards so it doesn’t re cloud the sand over and over

no more additives at all are needed and are unhelpful / adding more bac to the water is not helpful it’s oxygen competition / water changes only

your clowns are not hurt agreed, they act normal because that’s how fish in cycle always go with dr tims just allow it all to seat in with simple water changes. Easy cycle here


your dosed bacteria will stick to the rocks and sand by day ten easily

give one more dose of dr tims then that’s enough / just water changes here on out

quit testing for ammonia it doesn’t matter what it reads, prime dosed messes up the test you can’t know the level now till its all changed out in increments

no more testing for ammonia is helpful for the rest of the tanks life at this point, it will self manage just fine even after the prime is worked out via water changes

 

[MikeCRK]

Don't use energy on light, the rock will not bloom and nitro bacs do not need it - algae do

Do the water changes as @brandon429 advices, do not panic. It will be all sound, just takes time.
No point in testing water all the time, once a week does the trick if you really want to play chemist.

Check my unusual method Brandon helped me with HERE.

You can also try to read about various 'ugly stages' knowing it would give you more than testing in my opinion

Good Luck!