How you know when your tank is done with the cycle?
- Thread starter dragonboy
- Start date
jgonier
Member
How long does it take before things should start to spike? My tank has beem running a week now and aside from my ammonia reading at .50, nothing is happening. I have been adding Amquil to detoxify the ammonia and stress zyme to add bacteria to the tank. I also have two mollies which just had little ones (took all out but three and aclimated them back to freshwater).
By using these products, could this be "snap" cycling the tank and I will never really see any sort of spike, or is it yet to come?
By using these products, could this be "snap" cycling the tank and I will never really see any sort of spike, or is it yet to come?
kmsrn
Member
Hi and welcome to the sw world! I'm new to the hobby as well (90 gallon sw for 3 months now!)
It is my understanding the you need to establish a nitrogen cycle; not prevent one. With that said, my recommendation would be to just watch the "maturation" process of your tank. In a few weeks (depending on how big your tank is) you will start to see your levels of ammonia rise. As the ammonia builds (don't prevent), and your bacteria colony increase, the ammonia is converted to nitrite. As this happens you will see your level of ammonia drop. Lastly, as your bacteria population increases, ammonia will fall and nitrite decreases. The nitrogen cycle will continue and you will finally see nitrate levels build and finally stabilize. Whew!
The nitrogen cycle may happen more than once as you add fish to your tank. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is my understanding the you need to establish a nitrogen cycle; not prevent one. With that said, my recommendation would be to just watch the "maturation" process of your tank. In a few weeks (depending on how big your tank is) you will start to see your levels of ammonia rise. As the ammonia builds (don't prevent), and your bacteria colony increase, the ammonia is converted to nitrite. As this happens you will see your level of ammonia drop. Lastly, as your bacteria population increases, ammonia will fall and nitrite decreases. The nitrogen cycle will continue and you will finally see nitrate levels build and finally stabilize. Whew!
The nitrogen cycle may happen more than once as you add fish to your tank. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jgonier
Member
So your saying I should stop using the Amquil for the ammonia?
Should I continue adding the stress zyme (bacteria) as directed?
Keep in mind, I did not use live rock or live sand. The sand I bought was just a bag of babypowder like white saltwater sand from my LFS. So in a nut shell, I started with no bacteria to work with from the start.
Should I continue adding the stress zyme (bacteria) as directed?
Keep in mind, I did not use live rock or live sand. The sand I bought was just a bag of babypowder like white saltwater sand from my LFS. So in a nut shell, I started with no bacteria to work with from the start.
kmsrn
Member
I'm not quite sure what Amquil does. I was told to let the tank "mature" by itself. Test your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate on a daily basis and graph your results. When you see the results decreasing toward zero, then your nitrogen cycle is complete"ing". As for the bacteria, you definitely need to seed your tank, especially since you did not use lr or ls. Bacteria is what stimulates the nitrogen cycle. I personnally do not know anything about bottled bacteria, (I used ls), maybe some other hobbyists have experience with this. Best bet is to use the SEARCH
jgonier
Member
Originally posted by kmsrn
I'm not quite sure what Amquil does.
Eliminates Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, Chloramines and Chlorine
Removes Toxic Organics in older water, for fewer water changes
Does not interfere with biological filtration or nitrifying bacteria
Functions equally well in fresh or saltwater
Does not in general affect the water's PH
Is safe to use in Live Rock or Reef aquariums
I personnally do not know anything about bottled bacteria, (I used ls), maybe some other hobbyists have experience with this.
Add to your new or existing tank to improve the development of your biological filter and help keep a naturally balanced aquarium.
For fresh and saltwater aquariums
100 million live bacteria per tsp.
Use to set up and maintain a fresh or saltwater aquarium
Prevents exposure to toxic ammonia and nitrite
and
helps clean a dirty tank
Hope that helps in understanding what these products do.
Amquel is made by Kordon (www.novalek.com) and the Stress Zyme is by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc. (www.aquariumpharm.com)
H
hlp
Guest
Keep using the Stress Zyme as directed. Amquil, I wouldn't. I would try to stay away from products that advocate fewer water changes. I used 10 mollies to cycle my 75 and it took about 12 days.:yes: