New Tank with Dry Rock (Marco Rock) - Is it ever going to Cycle? I Test Every Day and Ammonia is 0

that Reef Guy · Aug 30, 2015

I recently set up a New Frag Tank.

Due to Nuisance Algae from Live Rock in the Past I decided to do the All Dry Rock Method (Marco Rock).

So I set up the Tank and added a couple Damsels the Next Day.

Every Day I have been testing the following.

PH
Alkalinity
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate

The Tank has been up for 8 Days now and Every Day Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are 0?

I expected there to be Ammonia the next day.

I Power Feed the Fish Two or Three Times a Day and there is Extra Food left over after each Feeding that is Rotting.

What is going on?

Is the Tank not going to cycle?

that Reef Guy · Aug 30, 2015

My Last Two Tanks I Set Up Never Cycled but I got Fully Cured Live Rock from my LFS so there was Plenty of Beneficial Bacteria on it to Break Down all the Waste.

Once before that I ordered Live Rock Online.

It did not come with any Water so it was Rotting and Nasty.

I Tested that Tank too every Day and Immediatly Ammonia was off the Charts.

Then in One Week Ammonia was 0 and Nitrite was off the Charts.

One Week after that Nitrite was 0 and Nitrate was off the Charts.

A Week Later Nitrate was 0

Each took Exactly One Week to Drop to Zero.

After Three Weeks that Tank was Completely Cycled.

that Reef Guy · Aug 30, 2015

And I Spoke with Someone Today.

They are doing the Same thing.

All Dry Marco Rock with no Actual Live Rock.

He had it up for one Week.

Then he added some Fish and Fed them every day.

It has been Three Weeks since adding the Fish and he too says that he never got any Spikes in Ammonia, Nitrite, or Nitrate.

So Tank Empty Water and Dry Rock / No Fish = 1 Week
Fish in Tank = 3 Weeks
Total Time Tank has been Up = 4 Weeks

He is having the Same Problem as Myself.

Is anybody Else ever Experienced This?

that Reef Guy · Aug 31, 2015

Anybody have any experience with this?

ReefBum · Aug 31, 2015

That seems really odd that you didn't see any evidence of a cycle......did you check the accuracy of the test kits to make sure you were getting accurate readings? Did you add anything else to the tank that might have some bacteria? I recently set my tank up with Marco Dry Rock and live sand and then added some nitrifying bacteria from Fritzeyme to get the cycle going. I also added some ammonium chloride as my ammonia source (I was told that raw shrimp as an ammonia source would not cut it). It took my tank a couple of weeks to cycle through the ammonia and nitrite and I then added some fish.

Reef_Hobbyist · Aug 31, 2015

Is it self contained or is your water shared with other systems? I setup dry rock in large bins with one small piece of live rock in each bin. The bins were new and the water was made fresh and put into each bin. Threw in a piece of raw shimp in each bin. The cycle happened so quickly that I never saw the ammonia but I did get the nitrate. I bought the ammonia drops just to be sure and proved that the cycle was happening. That could have happened to you as well and if your water is shared with other systems that may explain why your nitrate was low (mine had no place to go in a 50 gallon bin).

Reefing Madness · Aug 31, 2015

There won't be a cycle, you didn't add an ammonia source to get it started. You need to throw in a piece of jumbo shrimp from the grocery store to start your cycle.

g6gang · Aug 31, 2015

I used dry rock..no live rock
80 gallons, 40G sump. Threw a shrimp in there. It formed a gelatin like substance around it..took several weeks. After a week I dosed Microbacter7..but you can dose any bacteria. I saw a cycle, but I would not call it a huge spike. Be patient.

that Reef Guy · Aug 31, 2015

ReefBum said:
That seems really odd that you didn't see any evidence of a cycle......did you check the accuracy of the test kits to make sure you were getting accurate readings? Did you add anything else to the tank that might have some bacteria? I recently set my tank up with Marco Dry Rock and live sand and then added some nitrifying bacteria from Fritzeyme to get the cycle going. I also added some ammonium chloride as my ammonia source (I was told that raw shrimp as an ammonia source would not cut it). It took my tank a couple of weeks to cycle through the ammonia and nitrite and I then added some fish.

I will take a sample of the water to the LFS today to get a second opinion.

Tank is Barebottom (No Sand).

I did Not add any "Bacteria in a Bottle" type Products (I was told the Rotting Food and Fish Poop were all I need to get it to Cycle).

All I added were 4 Damsels and I Power Feed them 3 Times a Day.

There is Extra Uneaten Food after each of their 3 Meals that Rots Away as well.

that Reef Guy · Aug 31, 2015

Reef_Hobbyist said:
Is it self contained or is your water shared with other systems? I setup dry rock in large bins with one small piece of live rock in each bin. The bins were new and the water was made fresh and put into each bin. Threw in a piece of raw shimp in each bin. The cycle happened so quickly that I never saw the ammonia but I did get the nitrate. I bought the ammonia drops just to be sure and proved that the cycle was happening. That could have happened to you as well and if your water is shared with other systems that may explain why your nitrate was low (mine had no place to go in a 50 gallon bin).

It is a Tank Separate from all my other Tanks so it has its own water that is not shared.

Did you test every day (or how often did you test)?

How long did it take to get Ammonia?

that Reef Guy · Aug 31, 2015

Reefing Madness said:
There won't be a cycle, you didn't add an ammonia source to get it started. You need to throw in a piece of jumbo shrimp from the grocery store to start your cycle.

Why do I need to put in Jumbo Shrimp?

I Feed the Fish waaaay to much Pellets and Brine Shrimp as it is (Won't that Start a Cycle)?

that Reef Guy · Aug 31, 2015

I took the Water to the LFS today for a second opinion.

I got the Same Results.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Reefing Madness · Aug 31, 2015

I haven't got a clue as to why your tank won't cycle. Sounds like you threw the kitchen sink at it.

that Reef Guy · Sep 1, 2015

People have been telling me to get my Ammonia to 2 PPM?

What is the Significance of the Ammonia hitting 2 PPM?

Why wouldn't any amount of Ammonia Work?

If my Ammonia goes to 1 PPM then back to Zero would I have issues in the future since it didn't go up to 2 PPM?

Why not higher say 6 PPM?

that Reef Guy · Sep 2, 2015

I tested today and it looks like both Ammonia and Nitrite are Slightly Elevated.

Neither are enough to Register 0.25 PPM but I tested another Tank of Mine that has been up for Years and the Results of the New Dry Rock Tank are Slightly Darker.

Why would there be both Ammonia and Nitrite in the Tank?

The Last Time I had a Tank Cycle the Ammonia went over 6 PPM and until it Dropped to Zero the Nitrites Didn't Rise.

In Regards to Ammonia, Nitirite, and Nitrate I never had more than One Register at a Time.

With Two Registering is something Wrong?

that Reef Guy · Sep 3, 2015

Day 11

Ammonia is now 0.25

How much longer do you think I have before it is done cycling and I can start adding Coral?

that Reef Guy · Sep 6, 2015

Should I get this Product?

http://www.petco.com/product/116002/...-Additive.aspx

Instant Ocean BIO-Spira (Bacteria in a Bottle).

Would it help Cycle the Tank Faster?

Or is it Another "Snake-Oil" Liquid Product like Purple Up?

ttabbal · Sep 6, 2015

If you are going to try a bottle, that and Dr tim's one and only seem to be the highest regarded ones.

moulton1853 · Sep 6, 2015

I had problems with my tank cycling at the start. I had ammonia, nitrite and nitrate showing at the same time. I put in a bottle on the biospira and it didn't seem to work at all. The readings were all the same for 4 days. After that it was done showing ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Once you know your tank is cycled you should be able to start corals as you already have fish in there.