New to Reef, Cycle Day 8. Am I stuck ?

[SparSandbar]

Hi All!
First post, new to reef aquariums. Been reading a lot and watching lots of videos (BRStv!)

I have a AIO Fluval Flex 32.5 Gal. I started the fish-less cycle last Wednesday. So today is day 7 according to Dr. Tim!
In the tank I have RODI water. Dry rocks and CaribSea Arag-Alive. Current temp is 81F.

On Day one I added Dr. Tim One and Only and ammonia (120 drops). Removed filters for 48 hours.
Day 2, Ammonia was 1.8, Nitrite 0.2
Day 3, Ammonia 1.8, Nitrite 0.5 -> Added another 120 drops of Ammonia.
Day 4, Ammonia 2+ (out of the test range), Nitrite 0.1
Day 5, 6, 7 Ammonia unchanged, Nitrite 0.3.

This is using Red Sea test kit.

I am in no rush to add fish. One thing I definitely got from reading all the posts here is to be patient I am just wondering if I should just wait and do nothing ? I haven‘t added ammonia since day 3.

Thank you!

 

[brandon429]

Cycle trick of the millennia

turn your tank into a testless cycle you’ve supplied all the bases.

do this: add in half a pinch of well ground up fish food/ carbon boost trick

wait until April 4th, change out about half the water for new and you are cycled, it doesn’t matter what your test kits say. Fish food and April 4th= known submersion date - timed testless reef tank cycle.

 

[SparSandbar]

Cycle trick of the millennia

turn your tank into a testless cycle you’ve supplied all the bases.

do this: add in half a pinch of well ground up fish food/ carbon boost trick

wait until April 4th, change out about half the water for new and you are cycled, it doesn’t matter what your test kits say. Fish food and April 4th= known submersion date - timed testless reef tank cycle.

Thanks. My plan was to go with just a pair of QT‘d clowns and some inverts for 4 months with no lights. But after reading this thread, I am really interested in corals first, fish later.

Corals would mean turning on the light, would you go with inverts only for 4 months and then turn on the light and add corals? Can I also add copepods to build a nice population at any times?

I still want the most likely successful path even if it takes longer.

 

[brandon429]

that is a very very wise thread order of ops to follow: fish disease is a big deal nowadays. big deal

that structure from his thread saves you big time and money for sure. for sure you can add pods but in the end a dry rock bringup is still going to have a little uglies challenges compared to live rock setups, some coral growth challenges as the rock is both maturing + carrying your $ frags at the same time. that being said, the single most impactful thing you can do is go to a pet store, buy 15 pounds of real live rock, skip cycle coralline real not painted live rock from your pet store

 

[brandon429]

you waiting 4 mos to use lighting will not help your issue, that's a random thing BRS started.

 

[brandon429]

Build Thread - My SPS Waterbox Peninsula Mini 15

Hi all. Long time member (I think I joined right around when R2R started or took off years ago) but got out of the hobby for about 6 years and now I am back! I don't see many build threads for the PM 15 (mostly the 25) so thought I'd share my journey here. This post will be a bit behind...

www.reef2reef.com

there is a direct thread you can copy for technique of turning white rock into a reef tank/ no 4 mos wait. very helpful reference roadmap there for sure.

 

[SparSandbar]

Build Thread - My SPS Waterbox Peninsula Mini 15

Hi all. Long time member (I think I joined right around when R2R started or took off years ago) but got out of the hobby for about 6 years and now I am back! I don't see many build threads for the PM 15 (mostly the 25) so thought I'd share my journey here. This post will be a bit behind...

www.reef2reef.com

there is a direct thread you can copy for technique of turning white rock into a reef tank/ no 4 mos wait. very helpful reference roadmap there for sure.

Thanks!

 

[dangles]

Hi All!
First post, new to reef aquariums. Been reading a lot and watching lots of videos (BRStv!)

I have a AIO Fluval Flex 32.5 Gal. I started the fish-less cycle last Wednesday. So today is day 7 according to Dr. Tim!
In the tank I have RODI water. Dry rocks and CaribSea Arag-Alive. Current temp is 81F.

On Day one I added Dr. Tim One and Only and ammonia (120 drops). Removed filters for 48 hours.
Day 2, Ammonia was 1.8, Nitrite 0.2
Day 3, Ammonia 1.8, Nitrite 0.5 -> Added another 120 drops of Ammonia.
Day 4, Ammonia 2+ (out of the test range), Nitrite 0.1
Day 5, 6, 7 Ammonia unchanged, Nitrite 0.3.

This is using Red Sea test kit.

I am in no rush to add fish. One thing I definitely got from reading all the posts here is to be patient I am just wondering if I should just wait and do nothing ? I haven‘t added ammonia since day 3.

Thank you!

Your ammonia should start to drop in the next couple of days I would think.

I recently cycled my tank using his method as well. I began Jan 5 with the ammonium chloride and bacteria. Over the next week I dosed the ammonium chloride a few times. Nitrite started showing up almost from day 2. After about 5-6 days my ammonia was starting to reliably get processed but my nitrite and nitrate stuck around longer than I expected. It took almost 2 weeks for my nitrite to drop. From what I’ve read, it takes longer for the bacteria that processes nitrite to develop. That being said, it’s not harmful to marine fish. So once your ammonia levels drop to zero you’re good to add fish.

As for pods and CUC, I added pods and started dosing phyto for the pods about 2 weeks after my first fish, along with a couple of Trocus snails, a Nessarius snail, and couple of hermits (I have a 50 gallon tank). About 6 weeks later I turned the lights on using acclimation mode and added a cleaner shrimp and a couple more hermits. A couple weeks after that (last week) I added more pods. I’m up to full lights now. So far I’ve had absolutely no uglies. I’m up to 4 fish now and feed decently heavily. All my parameters are great. I attribute that to taking things slow, leaving the lights off to begin with, and focusing on pods and CUC very early.

My experience is just that - my own. As I’m sure you’ve found out already, there are lots of opinions out there. Especially on forums. There are also lots of ways to do it right. BRS is a fantastic resource. That’s what I followed, and so far it’s been working wonderfully. There are other methods as well. Each has pros and cons. Like they say, pick a method and stick to it. Don’t mix&match.

Have fun and try not to max out too many credit cards!

*edit - I also started dosing Microbacter Clean weekly once I added my first fish

 

[SparSandbar]

Your ammonia should start to drop in the next couple of days I would think.

I recently cycled my tank using his method as well. I began Jan 5 with the ammonium chloride and bacteria. Over the next week I dosed the ammonium chloride a few times. Nitrite started showing up almost from day 2. After about 5-6 days my ammonia was starting to reliably get processed but my nitrite and nitrate stuck around longer than I expected. It took almost 2 weeks for my nitrite to drop. From what I’ve read, it takes longer for the bacteria that processes nitrite to develop. That being said, it’s not harmful to marine fish. So once your ammonia levels drop to zero you’re good to add fish.

As for pods and CUC, I added pods and started dosing phyto for the pods about 2 weeks after my first fish, along with a couple of Trocus snails, a Nessarius snail, and couple of hermits (I have a 50 gallon tank). About 6 weeks later I turned the lights on using acclimation mode and added a cleaner shrimp and a couple more hermits. A couple weeks after that (last week) I added more pods. I’m up to full lights now. So far I’ve had absolutely no uglies. I’m up to 4 fish now and feed decently heavily. All my parameters are great. I attribute that to taking things slow, leaving the lights off to begin with, and focusing on pods and CUC very early.

My experience is just that - my own. As I’m sure you’ve found out already, there are lots of opinions out there. Especially on forums. There are also lots of ways to do it right. BRS is a fantastic resource. That’s what I followed, and so far it’s been working wonderfully. There are other methods as well. Each has pros and cons. Like they say, pick a method and stick to it. Don’t mix&match.

Have fun and try not to max out too many credit cards!

*edit - I also started dosing Microbacter Clean weekly once I added my first fish

Thanks for the info. Yes it has started to drop considerably. I am planning on doing a water change tomorrow, and have fish arriving on the next day or so after. Pods at the end of the week. Didn’t realize I had to feed them too, so thanks again for the details! I am going to wait a bit for the CUC too so they actually have something to eat as well!

Your build looks great btw!

 

[dangles]

Thanks for the info. Yes it has started to drop considerably. I am planning on doing a water change tomorrow, and have fish arriving on the next day or so after. Pods at the end of the week. Didn’t realize I had to feed them too, so thanks again for the details! I am going to wait a bit for the CUC too so they actually have something to eat as well!

Your build looks great btw!

I’m not sure you *have* to feed them but I’ve read it can be helpful - especially in a very young tank where there’s very little else in your tank for the pods to feed on. Phyto is pretty much THE bottom of the food chain. Once the lights are on and you start to see algae and other “uglies” the pods will have plenty to feed on so I will likely stop then - at least until I get a clam

 

[SparSandbar]

Just a quick update, it’s been a month now. I’ve been doing weekly water changes since adding 2 Clowns. My ammonia and nitrite have been at zero consistently. Nitrate 2 to 5 trending down. I’ll be adding the CUC soon!