Tank Cycle w/ Dr. Tim's

[lapin]

So here are my tests on the 55gal observation tank thats been up for a week or so. Some marco dry rock cycled for 30 days with Dr Tims and ammonia in a tub. Placed in the tank with dry sand, rinsed a butt load to get rid of the fines.
Temp 79F
Ammonia=0
Nitrites=0
Nitrates=1
Can not test for Po4 since I ran out of hanna stuff.
Pods have been in the tank for 2 days with 2x daily feedings of Phyto -Feast. The big ones I can see swimming.

 

[User1]

@lapin that is pretty cool. I started everything yesterday. I did an Ammonia test before adding the recommended amount via Dr. Tim's solution. It tested .2 - .4 so added the difference to get it to 2.0. That was on Thursday. Yesterday the ammonia test registered 2.0 so I figured I was good to add the Dr. Tim's product. I did then performed another test although it isn't required. I wanted to be sure that I didn't add too much ammonia. Ammonia is holding steading at 2 and I then tested for nitrates which is 2 and nitrite 0. I'm sure the numbers will change tomorrow since the bacteria hasn't had time to do its thing.

Will be interesting to see what it reads tomorrow.

 

[lapin]

@lapin that is pretty cool. I started everything yesterday. I did an Ammonia test before adding the recommended amount via Dr. Tim's solution. It tested .2 - .4 so added the difference to get it to 2.0. That was on Thursday. Yesterday the ammonia test registered 2.0 so I figured I was good to add the Dr. Tim's product. I did then performed another test although it isn't required. I wanted to be sure that I didn't add too much ammonia. Ammonia is holding steading at 2 and I then tested for nitrates which is 2 and nitrite 0. I'm sure the numbers will change tomorrow since the bacteria hasn't had time to do its thing.

Will be interesting to see what it reads tomorrow.

Keep us informed. Days 3 to 7 is when you might see some increase in nitrite and a decrease in ammonia. No need to test for nitrites until ammonia starts dropping.

 

[User1]

Keep us informed. Days 3 to 7 is when you might see some increase in nitrite and a decrease in ammonia. No need to test for nitrites until ammonia starts dropping.

Will do. I'm working on the lighting now. Only light it sees is from the window in my office. I also need to add in a heater. My tank is 72 degrees at the moment compared to yours running at 79 I think you had it. I usually run my tanks without heaters and this larger volume caught me a bit by surprise. I thought it was run similar to my 40.

 

[User1]

@lapin - did you notice a slight smell at all? I could have sworn I noticed something yesterday but it was slight. Nothing like when I did the traditional 30 - 60 day cycle with shrimp back in 2000.

 

[lapin]

@lapin - did you notice a slight smell at all? I could have sworn I noticed something yesterday but it was slight. Nothing like when I did the traditional 30 - 60 day cycle with shrimp back in 2000.

There was no smell in my garage. Just the salt water stink. What does smell is the phyto feast I'm feeding the pods and the RG complete for the rotifers.

 

[User1]

@lapin - how is yours going? I'm on day three with ammonia still reading 2.0. You noted 4 - 7 is when I think you said it may start to drop. Should be interesting to see if mine follows suite.

 

[lapin]

@lapin - how is yours going? I'm on day three with ammonia still reading 2.0. You noted 4 - 7 is when I think you said it may start to drop. Should be interesting to see if mine follows suite.

My observation tank is cycled. I added rock that I had cycled for 21 days in the 100 gallon tubs. It was in a 3o gallon brute for 1 week, with full dose of Tims and 2.0 ammonia. Observation tank, 5 days of feeding phyto and no ammonia. The rock in 100 gallon tubs took about 2 weeks to show any cycle. I split one bottle of Tims between 2ea 100 gallon tubs. Dosed to 2 on the ammonia and threw in 1 table shrimp. Its has been cold. The little heaters I had were not making the water very warm. Maybe the reason for a slow start. . That took a full 30 days. Im going to try and put all the rock in the main tank today.

 

[cccharliecc]

Quick question....after the diatom bloom....should I not see that algae anymore? It seems to have slowly disappeared from most of the rock and sand now.

 

[User1]

This is my first cycle in a long while but I thought that the diatom bloom happened after that initial cycle then that is it. I wouldn't expect it back unless you have a high silicate count. Clean up crew and water / cycle should clear it. But no, shouldn't see that particular algae or whatever diatoms are again.

 

[User1]

My update - still in progress probably due to a cold weather spell and my lack of proper heater. I'll be taking care of that tomorrow which should bring the tank to a more normal range of 78 or more. Right now it bounces between 69 and 71...

I added ammonia on 2/8, tested on 2/9 to verify it was 2.0 then added Dr. Tim's One and Only. I've tested every other day just because but today on 2/14 it is still probably closer to 2.0 although I said 1.2 - 2.0. I'll check it tomorrow night just out of curiosity.

Did anyone feed any small bits of food during the cycle if only using ammonia and Dr. Tim's? I wouldn't think we should due to the ammonia and bacteria and that is what it eats.

2/14/2018 Testing
Ammonia 1.2 - 2.0
Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0.2 - 0.5

 

[cccharliecc]

I did not put any raw shrimp or food in my tank during its cycle.

 

[User1]

@cccharliecc @lapin How are both of your tanks doing now? Mine is still trudging along with the cycle and/or process. I added Dr. Tim's on 2/9 with an ammonia reading of 2.0. Tested again today on 2/16 - so 7 days later and I'm still reading about 2.0. It could be 1.2 - 2.0 range but I'm noting down 2.0 since it is close. Not seeing much but the slowness could be due to my lower overall water temp which hovered around 70. I've since added a more powerful heater and it is up to 76 now.

I guess the good news is ammonia is holding steady or there about with what I added. Sort of cool I guess.

 

[Wrasse-cal]

@cccharliecc @lapin How are both of your tanks doing now? Mine is still trudging along with the cycle and/or process. I added Dr. Tim's on 2/9 with an ammonia reading of 2.0. Tested again today on 2/16 - so 7 days later and I'm still reading about 2.0. It could be 1.2 - 2.0 range but I'm noting down 2.0 since it is close. Not seeing much but the slowness could be due to my lower overall water temp which hovered around 70. I've since added a more powerful heater and it is up to 76 now.

I guess the good news is ammonia is holding steady or there about with what I added. Sort of cool I guess.

FYI: It took about three weeks for my ammonia to be metabolized down to a 0 PPM reading using Dr. Tim's.

 

[cccharliecc]

I actually tested everything today and here were my numbers:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Calcium - 491
Alkalinity - 7.56
pH - 7.7 - usually around 7.7 -7.9
Temp always between 78.5 - 78.8

I only have 2 clown fish in there currently and they are doing great....eating great too. I will probably wait another week then add a couple more fish and maybe a couple corals.....then start to work on getting pH up and stable, and work on Ca + Alk stability dosing with BRS Dosers.

 

[lapin]

My observation tank is now starting to turn green on some of the rocks. Feeding pods Phyto Feast. "0"ammonia. Got 4 small snails. The main tank is filling now. Got the rock out of the tubs and into the tank. Takes a long time to make water with the ro/di. Coke can for depth reference. Adding 60 gallons at a time makes the water cloudy.

 

[User1]

@lapin Nice tank - is that acrylic? Also what rock did you end up going with? If there is a build thread sorry, I didn't look. I actually ran into a similar issue with using ri/ro. Your tank looks larger than my 210 but what I ended up doing is just making two 44 gallon brutes full, use one only for salt, pump that in, then pump ri/ro straight water into the salt one, make another batch, run into tank, and while that is going fill up another two containers... There is no way I could pump directly in since my ri/ro is outside - thus the brutes on wheels.

I don't have lights over my tank otherwise I'd show it. I hope to have a skeleton canopy built this weekend then I can put the lights over to see how they look.

 

[lapin]

@lapin Nice tank - is that acrylic? Also what rock did you end up going with? If there is a build thread sorry, I didn't look. I actually ran into a similar issue with using ri/ro. Your tank looks larger than my 210 but what I ended up doing is just making two 44 gallon brutes full, use one only for salt, pump that in, then pump ri/ro straight water into the salt one, make another batch, run into tank, and while that is going fill up another two containers... There is no way I could pump directly in since my ri/ro is outside - thus the brutes on wheels.

I don't have lights over my tank otherwise I'd show it. I hope to have a skeleton canopy built this weekend then I can put the lights over to see how they look.

Yes the tank is acrylic. I could not make it out of glass. Lifting 1" thick 3x5 acrylic pieces is hard enough. The 5x5 bottom piece almost killed me. Glass I would have had to have people help me every time I did something. The rock is dry marco rock. I got a pallet and asked for pieces about 14" to 16". They weigh about 30 lbs a piece. My hands are trashed from the stuff being so sharp and having to gently place each piece thru 16" cut outs in the top. Plus it was wet from being cycled. I used 2 brutes plus my 65 gallon mixing tank to get started on the filling. Now I just fill the mixing tank, drop in the salt, then pump that into the tank. Be nice to see your tank, even if its not done. Lot of fun in the build part.

 

[User1]

Yes the tank is acrylic. I could not make it out of glass. Lifting 1" thick 3x5 acrylic pieces is hard enough. The 5x5 bottom piece almost killed me. Glass I would have had to have people help me every time I did something. The rock is dry marco rock. I got a pallet and asked for pieces about 14" to 16". They weigh about 30 lbs a piece. My hands are trashed from the stuff being so sharp and having to gently place each piece thru 16" cut outs in the top. Plus it was wet from being cycled. I used 2 brutes plus my 65 gallon mixing tank to get started on the filling. Now I just fill the mixing tank, drop in the salt, then pump that into the tank. Be nice to see your tank, even if its not done. Lot of fun in the build part.

Thanks. I just did a epic fail by adding a check valve anyway so need to take a break. I know they are not the single fail safe but I was adding one has part of the whole system. I just cemented the fitting on when a few minutes later I noticed I left off the coupler No way I can cut the PVC plumbing and slide it on since I didn't have a lot of room and it is snug to a T. What a dork.

The tank can continue to cycle above with flow from a gyre but my heater is in the sump I got the valve from BRS and so not sure how to get the same slip fitting. Serves me right I guess. Anyway sorry about the questions in this thread but wanted to say that is a nice looking tank.

 

[User1]

Well, looks like the cycle has officially started with my ammonia test result showing a noticeable and clear decline from 2.0 it is now reporting 1.2. My guess is tomorrow evening it will be lower. Going to retest Nitrate tomorrow - probably in the afternoon and maybe the other two as well.