General cycling questions (2 Viewers)

[hali08]

Hello people!

90 gallon tank, Carib rock, added water and sand on 9/13.
Added Fritz Turbo 900 and 2 clownfishes on 9/17.

Have been feeding the fish about 1/3 Mysis frozen cube every day.
Not running skimmer/reefmat.

ammonia/nitrites/nitrates are still 0, I'm assuming the cycle hasn't started.

should I start the skimmer? or do anything else, or just wait and see when the ammonia does spike?

Thanks In advance

 

[MurseJB]

Hello people!

90 gallon tank, Carib rock, added water and sand on 9/13.
Added Fritz Turbo 900 and 2 clownfishes on 9/17.

Have been feeding the fish about 1/3 Mysis frozen cube every day.
Not running skimmer/reefmat.

ammonia/nitrites/nitrates are still 0, I'm assuming the cycle hasn't started.

should I start the skimmer? or do anything else, or just wait and see when the ammonia does spike?

Thanks In advance

Using Turbo start basically insta cycled your tank for 2 clownfish in a 90 gallon. I don't think you are going to see ammonia and nitrites if you added that whole bottle:

FritzZyme® TurboStart® 900 Saltwater

Fritz Aquatics' FritzZyme® TurboStart® 900 Saltwater contains a highly concentrated level of our nitrifying bacteria to reduce fish loss due to toxicity.

fritzaquatics.com

Just going to need to monitor your nitrates and phosphates. Probably don't even need a skimmer at the moment bc it probably wouldn't pull much outta your water with 2 clownfish and your current feeding regimen. If you want a milestone to follow: if your water starts to look cloudy (bacterial bloom), good time to turn on the skimmer. As well if you are going to be adding more fish, fire that sucker up.

 

[hali08]

Using Turbo start basically insta cycled your tank for 2 clownfish in a 90 gallon. I don't think you are going to see ammonia and nitrites if you added that whole bottle:

FritzZyme® TurboStart® 900 Saltwater

Fritz Aquatics' FritzZyme® TurboStart® 900 Saltwater contains a highly concentrated level of our nitrifying bacteria to reduce fish loss due to toxicity.

fritzaquatics.com

Just going to need to monitor your nitrates and phosphates. Probably don't even need a skimmer at the moment bc it probably wouldn't pull much outta your water with 2 clownfish and your current feeding regimen. If you want a milestone to follow: if your water starts to look cloudy (bacterial bloom), good time to turn on the skimmer. As well if you are going to be adding more fish, fire that sucker up.

Thanks!
I was just worried since nothing was happening in tests lol

 

[MurseJB]

yeah turbo start is a great product!

 

[Team Turtle]

Now is a good time to develop the habit of keeping your rock work clean. Turkey baster or power head to keep the uneaten mysis from building up and potentially spiking those nitrates

 

[hali08]

When do I add a CUC?

 

[Team Turtle]

When do I add a CUC?

Rule of thumb is start when you add fish..go slow and size cuc to number and size of fish

 

[Cody]

Using Turbo start basically insta cycled your tank for 2 clownfish in a 90 gallon. I don't think you are going to see ammonia and nitrites if you added that whole bottle:

FritzZyme® TurboStart® 900 Saltwater

Fritz Aquatics' FritzZyme® TurboStart® 900 Saltwater contains a highly concentrated level of our nitrifying bacteria to reduce fish loss due to toxicity.

fritzaquatics.com

Just going to need to monitor your nitrates and phosphates. Probably don't even need a skimmer at the moment bc it probably wouldn't pull much outta your water with 2 clownfish and your current feeding regimen. If you want a milestone to follow: if your water starts to look cloudy (bacterial bloom), good time to turn on the skimmer. As well if you are going to be adding more fish, fire that sucker up.

I'm genuinely curious, but I wonder what percentage of the nitrifying bacteria actual lives while injected into a completely new water source. Without any ammonia or nitrite, how much of it starves to death? I'm not sure what they put in the bottles to keep the bacteria alive but I wonder how that compares to a fresh tank. Having said that, dosing nitrifying bacteria definitely expedites the process, from personal experience.

 

[soymilk]

I assume that there is a certain amount of die off in a new tank without ammonia for it to consume. But then the dying ones will create ammonia for its brethren to consume.

 

[hali08]

Small update, I thought the cycle was finished weeks ago, but I guess that wasn't the case.

About 2 weeks ago I tested, and my Ammonia was .25-.5ppm nitrites .25ppm and nitrates 5-10ppm.

I figured that could be because I added a small CUC(assuming my cycle had concluded) and some might have died during the shipping process.

I changed the water for the first time(10-15%) and added another bottle of fritz bacteria+dosed stability per LFS recommendation.

Fast forward 2 weeks and the parameters are still the same as they were before the water change.

What should I do? Should I do another water change? Could it just be the testing kit(API)?

 

[Cody]

Small update, I thought the cycle was finished weeks ago, but I guess that wasn't the case.

About 2 weeks ago I tested, and my Ammonia was .25-.5ppm nitrites .25ppm and nitrates 5-10ppm.

I figured that could be because I added a small CUC(assuming my cycle had concluded) and some might have died during the shipping process.

I changed the water for the first time(10-15%) and added another bottle of fritz bacteria+dosed stability per LFS recommendation.

Fast forward 2 weeks and the parameters are still the same as they were before the water change.

What should I do? Should I do another water change? Could it just be the testing kit(API)?

If the ammonia and nitrites are that low while the nitrates are that high, I’d say it’s probably true that you have a colony of nitrifying bacteria established, which would technically constitute a cycled system. Plus, like you mentioned at the end, the test kits can also be a little funky. I wouldn’t put too much stock in the precise number of the API kit. They’re great for measuring ballparks but not for dialing in. If the readings are that low then you’re probably good to go.

At this point, I don’t think it would hurt to do a 10-20% water change. If it were my tank I would feel comfortable slowly adding more livestock too to allow the nitrifying bacteria a chance to grow as your feeding does.

 

[decimal]

 

[hali08]

If the ammonia and nitrites are that low while the nitrates are that high, I’d say it’s probably true that you have a colony of nitrifying bacteria established, which would technically constitute a cycled system. Plus, like you mentioned at the end, the test kits can also be a little funky. I wouldn’t put too much stock in the precise number of the API kit. They’re great for measuring ballparks but not for dialing in. If the readings are that low then you’re probably good to go.

At this point, I don’t think it would hurt to do a 10-20% water change. If it were my tank I would feel comfortable slowly adding more livestock too to allow the nitrifying bacteria a chance to grow as your feeding does.

Thanks Cody! That is encouraging news.
I was going in circles trying to figure out why things aren't trending in one direction, or the other.

Much appreciated!

 

[hali08]

Off-topic, I mixed some salt water on Friday evening.
I left it in a container with no powerhead. Would it be okay today?
Once I opened it, there was a certain stench to it. Not sure if that is normal or not?

 

[decimal]

IMO it should be ok but… don’t know what kind of containers, what type of stench, Was it sealed or just open? All that would influence my decision making. When in doubt, just mix another batch.

 

[Cody]

Off-topic, I mixed some salt water on Friday evening.
I left it in a container with no powerhead. Would it be okay today?
Once I opened it, there was a certain stench to it. Not sure if that is normal or not?

I mix my saltwater once a month for my daily automatic water changes. What salt is it? Each brand has their own unique smell.

 

[hali08]

IMO it should be ok but… don’t know what kind of containers, what type of stench, Was it sealed or just open? All that would influence my decision making. When in doubt, just mix another batch.

Just going to mix a new batch just to be safe lol

I mix my saltwater once a month for my daily automatic water changes. What salt is it? Each brand has their own unique smell.

Its Red Sea blue bucket.

 

[Cody]

Just going to mix a new batch just to be safe lol


Its Red Sea blue bucket.

That has a sour smell to it, kinda like a green apple without the sweetness. I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, which smells very much like a multivitamin.

I wouldn't think twice about using that saltwater in my tank. Should be good to go.

 

[decimal]

@cody… is just confusing glade plug-ins with the smell of ocean salt.

 

[Cody]

@cody… is just confusing glade plug-ins with the smell of ocean salt.

Nah salt has taste too just like gasoline. Regular is kinda sour, premium is kind of tangy, and diesel tastes pretty good.