Quarantine tank, 4 weeks after Fritz TurboStart, still not cycled

[Kilman805]

I started a 10 gallon quarantine tank on Sept 4th. RODI water with 1.025 Instant Ocean, the recommended dose of Fritz TurboStart 900, and Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride at 2ppm. After a few days, there was no change in ammonia and undetectable nitrite and nitrate, so I added another dose of TurboStart. After 8 days, still no change, so I contacted the Fritz company and they advised trying a 25% water change. Since then, almost 4 weeks later now, there has been some activity, but the tank is seems stuck mid-cycle. Ammonia is still 0.75 ppm, nitrite is 5 ppm, and nitrate is 20 ppm, pH is 8.2. These are all API test kit results, but I've confirmed that they all test zero on fresh saltwater. I have a SeaChem ammonia badge that's reading only 0.05 ppm ammonia, but that only reacts to free ammonia, not the ammonium chloride. I have two sponge filters with air stones running, bare bottom, and PVC pipe fitting for the future fish being quarantined.

I requested a replacement bottle of the TurboStart. The first arrived warm in the mail (no LFS), which is supposed to be OK for a few days according to Fritz.

Am I missing something? Just got a bottle with too few viable bacteria? Just wait? Add more once the replacement arrives?

My display tank is just starting up too, but it got Tampa Bay live rock, which seems to be doing great so far. But I don't particularly want to take rock from it since the quarantine tank should ideally have no rock.

 

[Dburr1014]

I assume you have a filter on the QT and that it's a new setup.
Just take a small rock from the display and move it to the QT. Before adding any fish to the QT, you will move the rock back to the display.

You could also seed the filter in the display then move that to the QT.

No cross-contamination because the QT is new and has not seen any fish yet.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Could be a bottle that was a dud for some reason. Turbo start works pretty fast.

fritz turbo start 900 false advertisement

dnu maybe my bottle was trash then

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Kilman805]

Could be a bottle that was a dud for some reason. Turbo start works pretty fast.

Yeah, I’ve read good things about it, which is why I’ve been disappointed in the slow cycle.

Is there any known influence from aeration/ oxygenation of the water? With two air driven sponge filters, that’s the only thing I can identify as “different “ compared to HOB filters, AIO sock filters, etc.

I’ll probably try the replacement bottle first. If that doesn’t work, maybe I’ll move a sponge filter into the display tank with the live rock for a while to seed it. I’m just hesitant to mess with the display tank too much since it’s just getting started too.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yeah, I’ve read good things about it, which is why I’ve been disappointed in the slow cycle.

Is there any known influence from aeration/ oxygenation of the water? With two air driven sponge filters, that’s the only thing I can identify as “different “ compared to HOB filters, AIO sock filters, etc.

I’ll probably try the replacement bottle first. If that doesn’t work, maybe I’ll move a sponge filter into the display tank with the live rock for a while to seed it. I’m just hesitant to mess with the display tank too much since it’s just getting started too.

I don't think any unusual degree of aeration is needed, or even a sponge filter at all.

 

[Kilman805]

A new bottle of TurboStart arrived. It was several days in the mail too and arrived warm. I added a couple more doses. The ammonia seems to be mostly consumed now but nitrites remain pretty high, around 1-2 ppm. Monday I moved a couple small chunks of live rock over temporarily. Hopefully next week I can get a few fish started in quarantine. The display tank is ready to go with live rock (see My Tank thread link).

 

[sandybottomreefer]

did you check your alkalinity as well?