Brackish Cycle Log

Making this thread to document my cycle!

Today I added Dr. Tims One and Only Bacteria.
I then added ammonia to the tank. I used an onljne calculator that said 11 ml would get 75 gallons to 4 ppm ( I put in 10 ml)

My readings are:

Ammonia - between 4-8 ppm hard to tell
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
High Range Ph - 8.4 (??)

Ammonia on left, low range ph in middle, high range ph on right.



I know its early but did I over do the ammonia? Is the ph suppose to be that high? Will the high ph hurt the cycle? Also the temp is set to 82 degrees far.

This is going to be a brackish tank but I'm going to cycle it with fresh water, add the fish when its ready and then slowly make it brackish. Any tips or advice are greatly appreciated!

 

I think that high an ammonia reading can stop/slow a cycle I think 2.0-4.0 is a good target to aI'm for, as for the ph I would test your tap water and see what it reads, the closer you can get to that the easier water changes become unless the tap ph is unsuitable for the stock you have planned

 

1 to 2ppm is good to cycle with. At 4ppm, the multiplication of the bacteria is slowed, at 8 it is normally stalled. I would recommend a large water change to get it back down to about 2ppm, and re-add your seed. Do not add any more ammonia until it's almost cycled out, then add enough to take it back to 1 or 2ppm.

 

1 to 2ppm is good to cycle with. At 4ppm, the multiplication of the bacteria is slowed, at 8 it is normally stalled. I would recommend a large water change to get it back down to about 2ppm, and re-add your seed. Do not add any more ammonia until it's almost cycled out, then add enough to take it back to 1 or 2ppm.

So then I would have to do the water change, add my prime, wait 24 hours and go buy some more dr. Tims? Ugghh ill test it tonight again because I did it very shortly after adding the ammonia, just to make sure its spread out through the water evenly.

Pic of my tank for those who haven't seen it in my other thread

 

Nice back drop I would keep an eye on the ph with those inserts but otherwise looks good, any plants going in?

 

Nice back drop I would keep an eye on the ph with those inserts but otherwise looks good, any plants going in?

Yes I would like to plant it pretty heavy but I'm hearing mixed thoughts about plants in brackish water. I think I will start off with some Java fern and anubias and see how they do once I start adding salt to the water.

If worse comes to worse I'll try to find some good looking fake plants lol

 

My favorite fake plant (sorry for the quality) but I do like the benifit of all the real plants in my tank. As you say though brackish may cause some issues, good luck

 

View attachment 203235
My favorite fake plant (sorry for the quality) but I do like the benifit of all the real plants in my tank. As you say though brackish may cause some issues, good luck

That one doesn't look bad!

 

Day 2: Ammonia still at 4.0-8.0 (looks lighter than 8 so I'm thinking 4)
Nitrite- 0
Nitrates- 0




Low Ph - 7.6
High Ph- 7.4
My water is the top of the low ph chart and bottom of the high ph chart so I'm guessing its around 7.5 ? Ph dropped significantly from last nights 8.4

Low on left, high on right :

I dosed the tank late last night (10 pm) so it hasnt been a full 24 hours. I will test again tonight to see if any changes occur.

 

Ph sounds better keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't keep dropping, I would change 20-30% of the water ASAP to try and stay under 4.0ppm to keep it cycling and avoid killing any benificial bacteria

 

Ph sounds better keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't keep dropping, I would change 20-30% of the water ASAP to try and stay under 4.0ppm to keep it cycling and avoid killing any benificial bacteria

Do you think if I do that and add prime that it will effect the dr tims I put in?

 

Possibly, I don't know much about Dr tims other than his was the first successful bb in a bottle, do you know if it's specifically prime that's an issue and if so do you have a standard dechlorinator?
Edit; just been on their website it looks like if you use a standard dechlorinator (without the protection for fish against ammonia ect) in a bucket dosed to the bucket quantity and left for a few minutes it should be ok, they make their own dechlorinator that is supposed to be able to be used at the same time, it just states not to add the bacteria to chlorinated water

 

Yea I think its prime that's the issue I don't have any other decholrinator but if I got JUST dechlorinator would that be ok and not harm the BB?

 

See edit

 

See edit

Thanks! Any suggestion on a good decholr?

 

Picked up some apI dechlorinator. Took some water out and its bubbling a lot is this normal??

 

I use the apI with aleo vera and the other I use is interpet bioactive tap safe, not sure if it helps with bacteria or not but not lost any fish using it on water changes, as for the bubbles your water is splashing from the pump outlet at the moment, when you refill it should calm down, as long as you didn't use soap to clean anything it should settle soon

 

Ok bubbles went away lol. I have a bottle of stability can I use that too just in case the dr tims was killed or partially killed? I know it says use with fish but what if I just use it with ammonia?

 

I would be tempted to dose half the recommended for the first day then normal dose for the following week (daily), I belive they use a very similar if not the same bb as Dr tims so can't see it being an issue. Keep us posted on progress did the ammonia come down ok?

 

Yea it came down I believe its under 4 ppm now

 

Great! Glad to see it's dropping. I'm a little concerned over the ph drop too. Keep monitoring the ph as well. If it keeps falling we will need to fix that.

 

Its fine to use stability. I usually tell people to add in 1/3rd of the bottle every other day for a week when fishless cycling. You could dump the whole bottle in if you want. According to Seachem they tell people to dose it the way they do mostly to avoid cloudy water from the bacteria.

 

Day 3: Did a water change yesterday because I dosed too much ammonia it was 8.0 +

Also dosed tank with Stability

Ammonia - 3-4 ppm
Nitrite - .25-.50 ppm
Nitrates - 0
Ph - 7.5

 

Day 4:

Ammonia - 2 ppm
Nitrite - .50 ppm
Nitrates - 0

 

Day 5: Nothing Changed from day 4.... Nitrite appears to be a little lighter but still no nitrates.

 

Day 6:

Ammonia - .50 - 1.0
Nitrite - .25
Nitrate - 0

 

I'd let ammonia fall down to 0-.25. And then let's see where the nitrites and nitrates are.

 

I'd let ammonia fall down to 0-.25. And then let's see where the nitrites and nitrates are.

Ok will do, thanks! I haven't dosed any ammonia since the initial dose. Added a ton of plants today will that help it speed up or no?

 

It won't speed it up per se but they will consume some ammonia and help reduce nitrates when you have fish. Did you get plants that can survive brackish water?

 

It won't speed it up per se but they will consume some ammonia and help reduce nitrates when you have fish. Did you get plants that can survive brackish water?

Yes I looked up plants that do good in brackish and went with hornwort, water sprite and anubias. I also got some seachems brackish salt that supposedly makes it a brackish enviornment with out harming plants. Havent heard much about it so I will be testing it out.

 

Day 7: Not much seems to be changing.

Ammonia - .50
nitrite - .50 - 1.0
nitrate - 0

 

Could all the plants I put in be absorbing any little nitrate production?

 

Is the hornwort floating or planted? It is a known nitrate absorber so yeah, its possible.

I'd say you're close to re-dosing ammonia. Once its at .25 then I'd re-dose. Don't worry too much about the nitrates, just the ammonia and nitrites.

 

Is the hornwort floating or planted? It is a known nitrate absorber so yeah, its possible.

I'd say you're close to re-dosing ammonia. Once its at .25 then I'd re-dose. Don't worry too much about the nitrates, just the ammonia and nitrites.

No I have it all planted along the back wall because it gets blown around floating. Ok I will wait it out its getting close thanks!

 

Day 8:

Ammonia - .25-.50 ppm
Nitrite - 1-2 ppm
Nitrates - 0

Still not seeing nitrates! Redosed ammonia to 2 ppm

 

The way things are going, you will see them soon. Some people see them the same time as nitrates, others do not. Have you added a small pinch of fish food/pellets to your tank? I would if you haven't. Nitrites need some phosphate to convert over and if your source water doesn't have enough then adding the food should help.

 

The way things are going, you will see them soon. Some people see them the same time as nitrates, others do not. Have you added a small pinch of fish food/pellets to your tank? I would if you haven't. Nitrites need some phosphate to convert over and if your source water doesn't have enough then adding the food should help.

No I haven't ive been just using the pure ammonia. I will add some in right now to see how it goes!

 

Day 9: WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

Ammonia - 1.0 ppm (dosed to 2 last night)

Nitrite - 2-5 ppm

Nitrates - 5-10 finally!!
CindiL I added some food in last night like you suggested and wallah!!! Not sure if it was that or me adding ammonia but either way, thank you!!!!

 

Awesome!

 

CindiL I'm in a bit of a situation. I have a green spotted puffer that I took in because someone on facebook was gonna flush it. I threw it in my 5 gallon since its cycled until this 75 is ready. Now he has ick. I can't raise the temp on the 5 gallon because its a preset heater. Should I take the puffer out and put him in the 75 that's not fully cycled and crank up the heat? Or should I take the heater out of my 47 gallon and hope it fits into the 5 and keep an eye on the 47s temp? Or just buy an adjustable heater for the 5?