DT cycling question

[NanCrab]

I’ve employed a couple of different methods to start up the DT and have a question about the cycle.
We used 110# of Arag-Alive sand, last Wednesday added 2 bottles of Nitrifying bacteria, and for good measure put in a well seeded filter from my fish QT.

(Just a side note, the fish had already been QT’d for weeks and have been deemed healthy. I never used copper on them and switched them to a new tank with a large water change and brand new filter at least 3 weeks ago so the filter from that tank that I put in the sump should be completely disease free.)

I have yet to see an ammonia spike but did have a trace amount of both nitrites and nitrates in the system yesterday.
Today still no ammonia but nitrites and nitrates also down to zero today.
I haven’t found locally any pure ammonia (should have taken @Steve Burton up on his offer of some) to test the cycle.

So now that you have the background info, should I find some ammonia to add to test out the cycle or go ahead and add my clowns? I definitely don’t want to stress my little guys out by adding them too soon. I also have that one last chromis in the frag qt.
Thoughts?

 

[CJD18]

through in a raw shrimp

 

[kullas]

If everything is reading 0 I would add them if they are ready from qt main thing is 0 ammonia

 

[NanCrab]

Did that yesterday but just read that can take weeks? Or is that wrong? It’s down in my sump (the shrimp)

 

[CJD18]

throw

 

[CJD18]

Don't rush it, give it a month,,,good things don't come fast in saltwater!!

 

[NanCrab]

Don't rush it, give it a month,,,good things don't come fast in saltwater!!

Lol...clearly since it has taken us 3 months just to get to this point!

 

[CJD18]

?? r u using as filter media??

 

[NanCrab]

So far I only have filter socks. Haven’t added matrix or anything else to the sump yet.

 

[CJD18]

any live rock?

 

[NanCrab]

Live sand, dry rock

 

[hiimsean]

Don't rush it, give it a month,,,good things don't come fast in saltwater!!

This. Even with using bacteria and seeded filter material just wait it out. Patients is key. I usually don’t even test anything until after my DT is setup for a month.

 

[sharis100]

Not sure, but I think you said your media is not in your sump yet? Our philosophy has been to have the media to sump before adding livestock. You want the bacteria inside your matrix or marine pure etc. to take hold and you also want those places for copepods etc to be stable. You might have a mini cycle with the filtration material - matrix etc- once you add it. You want to have your media in there to improve the stability of your system long term as you add in livestock. The dry rock turning to live rock is a slower process compared to activating media like pond matrix and/or marine pure etc.

 

[NanCrab]

Not sure, but I think you said your media is not in your sump yet? Our philosophy has been to have the media to sump before adding livestock. You want the bacteria inside your matrix or marine pure etc. to take hold and you also want those places for copepods etc to be stable. You might have a mini cycle with the filtration material - matrix etc- once you add it. You want to have your media in there to improve the stability of your system long term as you add in livestock. The dry rock turning to live rock is a slower process compared to activating media like pond matrix and/or marine pure etc.

Not sure, but I think you said your media is not in your sump yet? Our philosophy has been to have the media to sump before adding livestock. You want the bacteria inside your matrix or marine pure etc. to take hold and you also want those places for copepods etc to be stable. You might have a mini cycle with the filtration material - matrix etc- once you add it. You want to have your media in there to improve the stability of your system long term as you add in livestock. The dry rock turning to live rock is a slower process compared to activating media like pond matrix and/or marine pure etc.

Thank you Shari, somehow I missed out on that step. I’ve added an entire bag of the matrix cubes you gave me to the skinny section of the sump between the refugium section and the return pump section. Is that ok?

 

[sharis100]

You can place the media in refugium section too. Not sure how your sump is set up, so don’t know best placement, so maybe someone with that sump can chime in. I personally like to keep the media a couple sections from the return pump for safety - just in case something escapes, which is why I pick the refugium to place the media.

 

[ichthyoid]

Fwiw,
I would not advocate using dead animal tissue to cycle an aquarium, under any circumstance. See article link below.

This encourages pathogens common to what is known as the necrobiome to flourish.

A cycle can be done, using inorganic ammonia added without the potentially serious downside of introducing decaying animal flesh.

In the past some members have been treated for serious systemic bacterial infections contracted from their reefs.

Ammonia (ammonium hydroxide) is available at Ace Hardware, or Dr. Tim’s sells ammonium chloride. I have both if you need them.

‘https://invisiverse.wonderhowto.com...ecay-wastewater-damages-aquatic-life-0178548/

 

[NanCrab]

Fwiw,
I would not advocate using dead animal tissue to cycle an aquarium, under any circumstance. See article link below.

This encourages pathogens common to what is known as the necrobiome to flourish.

A cycle can be done, using inorganic ammonia added without the potentially serious downside of introducing decaying animal flesh.

In the past some members have been treated for serious systemic bacterial infections contracted from their reefs.

Ammonia (ammonium hydroxide) is available at Ace Hardware, or Dr. Tim’s sells ammonium chloride. I have both if you need them.

‘https://invisiverse.wonderhowto.com...ecay-wastewater-damages-aquatic-life-0178548/

Good. I hated the shrimp idea. I’ll get it out. Only been in there since late yesterday afternoon anyway. Thanks for the link

 

[NanCrab]

You can place the media in refugium section too. Not sure how your sump is set up, so don’t know best placement, so maybe someone with that sump can chime in. I personally like to keep the media a couple sections from the return pump for safety - just in case something escapes, which is why I pick the refugium to place the media.

Ok Shri thanks. I will move it over to the refugium section. I’m going to add sand to that section too.