QT tank cycle

[XclusiveReef]

Hey all I just started a new 100 gallon reef tank after about 15 years out of hobby. A Lot have changed over the years. So I will get to the point. I have never cycled with Dr tims or any other bacteria in a bottle. i started QT tank 14 days ago with Dr. tim's one and only. After 4 days of not seeing ammonia , n02/n03 I went to a lfs and picked up Seachem stability. I am now on day 10 of stability and ammonia is still 2.0ppm using Dr. Tim's ammonia. N02 and N03 both at 0 and never moved. Used another kit to test and same results.

Looking for opinions on what to do here?

 

[marrone]

Usually what most of these type products do is put in bacteria that converts over ammonia and nitrites into nitrates, so if anything you should see a lot of nitrates. Some of these products also give off false test readings, so it's not always good to go by the test results to see if it working. I'm not familiar with Dr's Tim ammonia product but it's possible that you added too much and there isn't enough of Dr's Tim bacteria in the tank to catch up to all the ammonia in the tank. Also, since the tank is bare bottom there isn't a lot of places for the bacteria to settle in and grow. I would put in a piece of LR or some other type of media where it can grow on.

 

[samster]

His test kit is showing up at 2.0p ammonia no? He's in early cycle stage, ammonia isn't even being converted to nitrites yet. Unless the colors off from the picture? But I see ammonia reading of some sort.



Sorry misunderstood your situation, I would say you need some type of media for the BB to grow.

 

[samster]

Just throw in some dead **** and let it cycle the natural way.

 

[XclusiveReef]

i do have bio media in the filter and also added biofil in the media bag. Ammonia is always same color not lighter or darker. This is a QT tank not my main DT. I am still in process of building the stand for the DT. I did not want to get it infested with something in a live rock if I get it from a lfs..

 

[Odysi]

I would just wait it out at this point not much else you can do. Your nitrite spike will eventually come.

 

[ourcoralreef]

Sponge from DT or a friends
Don?t add rock or sand parasites love that stuff

 

[theMeat]

If you are phantom feeding, which you should be, and you see no spikes in nutrients after 2-3 weeks, then you are cycled. If you're not phantom feeding then even if you have cycled it could/will crash.
With enough bio... if you are cycled than you will only see nitrates and phosphate continue to climb.
Without enough bio you will see all nutrients climb, but it won't be a quick spike then fall as you see when cycling. They will all just rise my slowly

 

[ourcoralreef]

If you are phantom feeding, which you should be, and you see no spikes in nutrients after 2-3 weeks, then you are cycled. If you're not phantom feeding then even if you have cycled it could/will crash.
With enough bio... if you are cycled than you will only see nitrates and phosphate continue to climb.
Without enough bio you will see all nutrients climb, but it won't be a quick spike then fall as you see when cycling. They will all just rise my slowly

This is not necessary for a QT tank
I agree fully for a display tank very good info

 

[theMeat]

This is not necessary for a QT tank
I agree fully for a display tank very good info

What's not necessary?

 

[ourcoralreef]

What's not necessary?

A full cycle
It needs a small cycle

Live rock and sand is what keeps a cycle alive
Sponges and surfaces also have bacteria but live rock and sand gives your bacteria more space to grow
Your basically adding bacteria that can break down the bio-load into less toxic waste, if you don?t build enough bacteria your tank crashes

In a quarantine tank you are not supposed to keep more than 1-3 fish depending on their bio load so you dont need as much live bacteria to break it down (you are also supposed to make frequent water changes)
If a tank crashed because it did not having a proper cycle it will not kill fish (it will kill coral and coral needs a different type of quarantine)
Fish quarantine systems are not supposed to have any substrate no live rock should be bare bottom with some pvc pipe fittings for the fish to feel comfortable and hide whenever they want to, some simple water movement, simple filtration like sponges should do the trick it?s good to introduce some live bacteria so that the bacteria can break down the small bio-load of a quarantine tank

 

[XclusiveReef]

I am not phantom feeding. my ammonia is still at 2.0ppm and my nitrates, nitrites are both still at 0. I can add some more ammonia I got from Dr. tim's but i was told not to add anymore ammonia until this ammonia goes down to .5 . I think I have enough surface for the bacteria to attach on to. I have the sponge in the filter, bio media in the the filter, i also have the pvc pipes and a bag with biofil which is filled with bacteria. In 11 days I am pretty shocked that I have not seen any change in ammonia, no2/no3... At this point not sure if I should just empty the tank and start all over.... what the hell are the chances that I got 2 bad bottles of bacteria !!!with my display tank, I am going the shrimp method. I am not messing with the bacteria in a bottle c r a p...

 

[theMeat]

A full cycle
It needs a small cycle

Live rock and sand is what keeps a cycle alive
Sponges and surfaces also have bacteria but live rock and sand gives your bacteria more space to grow
Your basically adding bacteria that can break down the bio-load into less toxic waste, if you don?t build enough bacteria your tank crashes

In a quarantine tank you are not supposed to keep more than 1-3 fish depending on their bio load so you dont need as much live bacteria to break it down (you are also supposed to make frequent water changes)
If a tank crashed because it did not having a proper cycle it will not kill fish (it will kill coral and coral needs a different type of quarantine)
Fish quarantine systems are not supposed to have any substrate no live rock should be bare bottom with some pvc pipe fittings for the fish to feel comfortable and hide whenever they want to, some simple water movement, simple filtration like sponges should do the trick it?s good to introduce some live bacteria so that the bacteria can break down the small bio-load of a quarantine tank

live rock, sand and other very porous material with lotsa surface just adds more bio load capacity. Whether you add bacteria or let it grow naturally has nothing to do with that capacity. you have to somewhat maintain a balance between waste and bacteria that breaks it down to keep that bacteria alive. Not enough waste/nutrients for bacteria to feed on and it dies and tank crashes, no matter "full cycle" or "small cycle". When tank crashes fish and/or corals will suffer and could die. The bigger the bio capacity, the bigger the crash.

While bare bottom rockless tank is a good idea for qt, as large a bio capacity is also good to reduce the need for water changes, when one of the goals for a qt should be low stress. Can increase capacity with oversized or doubled up biowheel hang on, canister, noodles, etc. You're not supposed to do frequent water changes, you do water changes when you need to because of nutrients or whatever medication schedule you might have.

But I agree for a hospital tank your ideas are good. And if the qt is set up the way I'd recommend, it's easy to just switch gears from qt to hospital without skipping a beat

There's no "supposed to" keep 1-3 fish in qt. It depends on the size of the tank, bio capacity, and how frequently you have/want to do water changes. The more fish, the more stress so that's also a consideration. But 2 purple tangs would be in the "supposed to"1-3 range yet would be way to much stress to promote wellness

 

[piranhapat]

I was told to try Colony by ATM Marine bacteria in bottle. Will cycle your tank in 6-10 days. It's much cheaper and dr. Foster now sells it. It's a much faster bacteria than stability by sea chem. I'm trying it out on my Qt tanks. I will see if it really works in 6 -10 day mark. A bottle of 32oz treats 100gals....for $18.

 

[piranhapat]

If you are trying to cycle qt tank with say Stability. Like you mentioned... Like the bottle says you can add fish as long you add it for 7 days your be safe. Not to fast.... It's best to add PRime with Stability. To help break down ammonia and nitrites. I also would not treat Qt with medication while using Prime. It's best to feed little during this process. Fish gills and waste will produced enough ammonia. To much feeding will spike ammonia faster than bacteria will grow. Stability uses a slower bacteria. So it will be wise to test and watch ammonia and nitrites. And WC should be done when levels become to high. But Prime might give some false reading. As long they a sponge or filter in Qt bacteria will grow even with the WC. This is only if your cycling with fish in QT. Fish less cycling is another way and a safer way... Seeding bacteria from another tank is great. But remember if that tank has a parasite you might very well introduced it to Qt. If you have no fish and you added ammonia they'd nothing you can do that will speed up bacteria except a different bacteria. Stability works much slower than other bacteria. It's just a waiting game now. A lot of people don't have a successful Qt because of the cycling. My next test will be Colony bacteria by ATM...

 

[XclusiveReef]

Well I am almost out of stability so I guess I will order colony bacteria by ATM and give that a shot. It will be the 3rd bottle bacteria I am getting.. BTW who ever asked about the water changes, I have not done a water change yet in 12 days. this morning checked ammonia batch and still grey, checked kit and still 2.0 ppm. it's like the bacteria is dying or something. this is so strange...I speak to others who use dr. tim's and add fish within 3-5 days and here is am on 16 days total and nothing.

 

[XclusiveReef]

I was told to try Colony by ATM Marine bacteria in bottle. Will cycle your tank in 6-10 days. It's much cheaper and dr. Foster now sells it. It's a much faster bacteria than stability by sea chem. I'm trying it out on my Qt tanks. I will see if it really works in 6 -10 day mark. A bottle of 32oz treats 100gals....for $18.

OK So I just read up on ATM Colony and it says to use a fish on day 1 with the colony. Unless I am reading it wrong, but I don't like or agree with using a "damsel" to cycle the tank. It will burn the fish's gills. Anyone know if I can just at the ATM to tank and use the existing ammonia in the tank? also I am not ghost feeding the tank..

 

[piranhapat]

You might not need to if you added ammonia. I haven't received it but would also like to do it with a fish. Temp is important and amount of surface is where bacteria needs to grow. Time and patience ...

 

[piranhapat]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yJpMdjnG0mQ

 

[mk4fan]

Go buy some real reef live rock from pet warehouse and be done with it.

This is what i used for my qt tank.

my 2 cents.