Cycling Tank: Ammonia

rbraunberger · 08/12/2015, 03:20 PM

Hello Everyone,

I have my tank set up and I have been running it for 2 weeks. I have been measuring the normal cycling items daily since setup, and have a quick question. All my values are zero except my ammonia (as expected). I have been steady at 0.20 ppm on ammonia (testing with RedSea kit) for the past week. I started my tank by curing my dry rock for 2 months, and added 80 lbs of sand to my Reefer 170. I have been using a cycling aid recommended by a local show, and by another shop online.

Should I be noticing a larger ammonia spike before the cycle moves forward?

Thanks for the advice!

Quiet_Ivy · 08/12/2015, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbraunberger

Hello Everyone,

I have my tank set up and I have been running it for 2 weeks. I have been measuring the normal cycling items daily since setup, and have a quick question. All my values are zero except my ammonia (as expected). I have been steady at 0.20 ppm on ammonia (testing with RedSea kit) for the past week. I started my tank by curing my dry rock for 2 months, and added 80 lbs of sand to my Reefer 170. I have been using a cycling aid recommended by a local show, and by another shop online.

Should I be noticing a larger ammonia spike before the cycle moves forward?

Thanks for the advice!

What are you using as an ammonia source? With that much cured rock I would expect your tank to be well cycled. I'd double check that ammonia reading, and whatever your cycling aid is.

hth
Ivy

gone fishin · 08/12/2015, 05:55 PM

I agree as well, since you cured your rock previously you may not see much of an ammonia spike. I too am curious what is the cycling aid and what did you use for an ammonia source?

rbraunberger · 08/12/2015, 06:58 PM

Hello everyone,

Thank you both for the reply!

Here is the cycling aid I am using -

"Seachem Stability 500 ml

Stability™ will rapidly and safely establish the aquarium biofilter in freshwater and marine systems, thereby preventing the #1 cause of fish death: "new tank syndrome". Stability™ is formulated specifically for the aquarium and contains a synergistic blend of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative bacteria which facilitate the breakdown of waste organics, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Unlike competing products, the bacteria employed by Stability™ are non-sulfur fixing and will not produce toxic hydrogen sulfide. Stability™ is completely harmless to all aquatic organisms as well as aquatic plants, thus there is no danger of over use. Stability™ is the culmination of nearly a decade of research and development and represents the current state of the art in natural biological management.

The bacteria used in competing products are inherently unstable. The conditions necessary for their growth and development fall into a very narrow range of temperatures, pH, organic loads, etc. When any of these parameters are not strictly within the proper range, the bacterial culture quickly crashes and dies. Stability™ does not contain any of the aforementioned bacteria.

The bacteria strains in Stability™ have been in development for over a decade. The necessary conditions for growth of our bacterial strains encompass a very broad range. When other bacteria begin to die off (usually from high organic loads caused by the undetected death of an organism), Stability™ simply works harder and grows faster! The strains function in fresh or saltwater. Stability™ contains both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, a blend found in no other product. Additionally, Stability™ contains facultative bacterial strains which are able to adapt to either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The bacteria in Stability™ are non-sulfur fixing, another innovation in the industry. Most other bacterial supplements will form toxic hydrogen sulfide under the proper conditions. Stability™ will not, ever."

With all the cured rock, and live sand I went to a local saltwater only store. They said my tank should be cycled, so my new ammonia source is a single 0.5" fish. I am just worried that my tank is not cycled. I am really against cycling with a fish, since it is not very good for their health. Just want to make sure I am doing fine, and the spike is just from the addition of new fish (first fish).

rbraunberger · 08/12/2015, 07:02 PM

I think I need to add that the fish looks great! Swimming around, not scraping on the sand or rocks, and fins fully extended.

rbraunberger · 08/12/2015, 07:26 PM

and I did forget to mention the original ammonia source was feeding the tank with a VERY small amount of flake food daily

08/12/2015, 05:55 PM	#3
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I agree as well, since you cured your rock previously you may not see much of an ammonia spike. I too am curious what is the cycling aid and what did you use for an ammonia source? __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

08/12/2015, 06:58 PM	#4
rbraunberger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 52	Hello everyone, Thank you both for the reply! Here is the cycling aid I am using - "Seachem Stability 500 ml Stability™ will rapidly and safely establish the aquarium biofilter in freshwater and marine systems, thereby preventing the #1 cause of fish death: "new tank syndrome". Stability™ is formulated specifically for the aquarium and contains a synergistic blend of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative bacteria which facilitate the breakdown of waste organics, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Unlike competing products, the bacteria employed by Stability™ are non-sulfur fixing and will not produce toxic hydrogen sulfide. Stability™ is completely harmless to all aquatic organisms as well as aquatic plants, thus there is no danger of over use. Stability™ is the culmination of nearly a decade of research and development and represents the current state of the art in natural biological management. The bacteria used in competing products are inherently unstable. The conditions necessary for their growth and development fall into a very narrow range of temperatures, pH, organic loads, etc. When any of these parameters are not strictly within the proper range, the bacterial culture quickly crashes and dies. Stability™ does not contain any of the aforementioned bacteria. The bacteria strains in Stability™ have been in development for over a decade. The necessary conditions for growth of our bacterial strains encompass a very broad range. When other bacteria begin to die off (usually from high organic loads caused by the undetected death of an organism), Stability™ simply works harder and grows faster! The strains function in fresh or saltwater. Stability™ contains both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, a blend found in no other product. Additionally, Stability™ contains facultative bacterial strains which are able to adapt to either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The bacteria in Stability™ are non-sulfur fixing, another innovation in the industry. Most other bacterial supplements will form toxic hydrogen sulfide under the proper conditions. Stability™ will not, ever." With all the cured rock, and live sand I went to a local saltwater only store. They said my tank should be cycled, so my new ammonia source is a single 0.5" fish. I am just worried that my tank is not cycled. I am really against cycling with a fish, since it is not very good for their health. Just want to make sure I am doing fine, and the spike is just from the addition of new fish (first fish). __________________ RedSea REEFER 170: Apex Gold, DOS dosing Pump, Vertex 130 Omega Skimmer, Radion XR30W Gen 3 Pro, Vortex MP10QD x 2, Vectra M1 return pump, Reeflink, and Innovative Marine MiniMax Media Reactor.

08/12/2015, 07:02 PM	#5
rbraunberger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 52	I think I need to add that the fish looks great! Swimming around, not scraping on the sand or rocks, and fins fully extended. __________________ RedSea REEFER 170: Apex Gold, DOS dosing Pump, Vertex 130 Omega Skimmer, Radion XR30W Gen 3 Pro, Vortex MP10QD x 2, Vectra M1 return pump, Reeflink, and Innovative Marine MiniMax Media Reactor.

08/12/2015, 07:26 PM	#6
rbraunberger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 52	and I did forget to mention the original ammonia source was feeding the tank with a VERY small amount of flake food daily __________________ RedSea REEFER 170: Apex Gold, DOS dosing Pump, Vertex 130 Omega Skimmer, Radion XR30W Gen 3 Pro, Vortex MP10QD x 2, Vectra M1 return pump, Reeflink, and Innovative Marine MiniMax Media Reactor.

08/12/2015, 03:20 PM	#1
rbraunberger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 52	Cycling Tank: Ammonia Hello Everyone, I have my tank set up and I have been running it for 2 weeks. I have been measuring the normal cycling items daily since setup, and have a quick question. All my values are zero except my ammonia (as expected). I have been steady at 0.20 ppm on ammonia (testing with RedSea kit) for the past week. I started my tank by curing my dry rock for 2 months, and added 80 lbs of sand to my Reefer 170. I have been using a cycling aid recommended by a local show, and by another shop online. Should I be noticing a larger ammonia spike before the cycle moves forward? Thanks for the advice! __________________ RedSea REEFER 170: Apex Gold, DOS dosing Pump, Vertex 130 Omega Skimmer, Radion XR30W Gen 3 Pro, Vortex MP10QD x 2, Vectra M1 return pump, Reeflink, and Innovative Marine MiniMax Media Reactor.