Nitrogen Cycle Query

[zaitmi]

I have started by 10 gallon saltwater tank, i am dosing ammonia 25% bottle from last 7 days, i dont have nitrite test kit, but i have nitrate test kit.

My question is that

1. When the ammonia will go down?
2. How long should i dose ammonia?
3. Test result showing : 1 pmm Ammonia (Yesterday)

I am dosing daily Seachem Stability 5ml.
I have Seachem Safe Powder.

Tank : 10 Gallon Curved Glass Kessil (Sticker) Tank.
Light : Kessil A80 LED.
Salt : Red Sea Coral Pro
Water Movement : 2 Power heads
Net on Top.
Sand Substrate 1 inch.

 

[kfisc]

Very nice tank! I would stop all additives and dosing, and simply wait while the tank naturally cycles. I'd buy a complete set of tests, including nitrite, and let nature take its course. I think it's the best way to get to know your tank's unique properties without the crutches of additives. Best of luck.

 

[zaitmi]

Very nice tank! I would stop all additives and dosing, and simply wait while the tank naturally cycles. I'd buy a complete set of tests, including nitrite, and let nature take its course. I think it's the best way to get to know your tank's unique properties without the crutches of additives. Best of luck.

Ok thanks, its day 9 and Ammonia is 2 to 3ppm approx.

 

[zaitmi]

My question is that

Plz help :

1. When the ammonia will go down?
2. How long should i dose ammonia?

 

[jjmg]

I would stop dosing ammonia and test daily, when ammonia reaches 0 and nitrate has increased your tank is cycled. Add creatures slowly and keep testing for ammonia. I would have a couple of gallons of premixed water on hand in case of an ammonia spike but if you go slowly you shouldn't need it. For that sized tank you should keep the bio load very light, what do you plan to stock?

 

[griss]

Yes, nothing good happens fast in this hobby. Take your time, stop dosing ammonia...you're only adding more each time you dose. As @jjmg mentioned, get a full set of test kits, Salifert are reasonably priced and pretty accurate for hobby grade kits.

Did you use any of the bottled bacteria products on the market? Fritz, Microbacter, etc?

 

[zaitmi]

I would stop dosing ammonia and test daily, when ammonia reaches 0 and nitrate has increased your tank is cycled. Add creatures slowly and keep testing for ammonia. I would have a couple of gallons of premixed water on hand in case of an ammonia spike but if you go slowly you shouldn't need it. For that sized tank you should keep the bio load very light, what do you plan to stock?

2 chromis, 1 pink skunk clownfish and few hermit crabs.

 

[zaitmi]

Yes, nothing good happens fast in this hobby. Take your time, stop dosing ammonia...you're only adding more each time you dose. As @jjmg mentioned, get a full set of test kits, Salifert are reasonably priced and pretty accurate for hobby grade kits.

Did you use any of the bottled bacteria products on the market? Fritz, Microbacter, etc?

i am using Seachem Stability. but after 10 days of dosing 1/2 cap of bottle, it is finishing now. Hopefully bacteria will be established.

 

[griss]

2 chromis, 1 pink skunk clownfish and few hermit crabs.

Pink Skunks are my favorite clowns.

 

[griss]

i am using Seachem Stability. but after 10 days of dosing 1/2 cap of bottle, it is finishing now. Hopefully bacteria will be established.

I'm not familiar with that product. Here's study @Dr. Reef did on bottled bacteria products. Looks like Stability was not included in that.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

2 chromis, 1 pink skunk clownfish and few hermit crabs.

That's too many fish for a 10 gallon tank. While you may buy them small, they will mature if you can keep your tank stable and they will require a much larger tank. Minimum tank size for clownfish is 30 gallons.

 

[Timfish]

If possible I would add some wild or maricultured live rock (maricultured is limestone that has been left in the ocean to grow various organisms that can't be stuck in a bottle). If that's not possible network with some local reefers and see if you can get a few pieces of rock from an established tan that hasn't had any obvious problems in a long while. For the most part bottled stuff is fine but there's alot more going on than just basic nitrifying bacteria. The cryptic sponges, for example, have been found to be crucial for the health of reef ecosystems.

FWIW, I haven't had a mitrate test kit since the 2000s. Alklinity is the one I test for most and I like API. I also use API for pH and Calcium. I use both Nyos and Red Sea for PO4 and Nitrate.

I would swap out a pair of grammas for the chromis, they're prettier, have more interesting behavuor "yelling" at each other and swimming sideways or even upside down and will likely live a lot longer than 3 chromis would.

This is a huge data bomb but these links by researchers might help you understand a little better what's going on in reefs. But as compicated as reefs are my "secret" to success is patience, water changes and manual removal of nuisance algae and urchins. Did I mention patience?




"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas " This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title. Used copies are available on line and it may be free to read on Internet Archive. both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC (carbon dosing) in reef ecosystems and how it can alter coral microbiomes. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems and are an excellent starting point to understand the conflicting roles of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC, aka "carbon dosing") in reef ecosystems.

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Microbial view of Coral Decline

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)
- YouTube

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching
- YouTube

DNA Sequencing and the Reef Tank Microbiome
- YouTube

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"
- YouTube

To Save Corals in an Oahu Bay, First Vacuum up Invasive Algae, Then Apply Sea Urchins | response.restoration.noaa.gov

response.restoration.noaa.gov

 

[zaitmi]

Thanks a lot for all your advices. Its day 13 and i will check ammonia tonight. Last ammonia dosing was done day before yesterday, but i will not dose anymore.

 

[zaitmi]

That's too many fish for a 10 gallon tank. While you may buy them small, they will mature if you can keep your tank stable and they will require a much larger tank. Minimum tank size for clownfish is 30 gallons.

My wife doesnt allow bigger tank than this, so i have to maintain this size.

 

[zaitmi]

Its Day 24...Ammonia has gone down..

i have 1 nitrifying bacteria bottle but when i put in microscope it shows nothing. Do you need special microscope to view it. Does anyone has idea on this matter?

 

[griss]

I've never tried to look at bottled bacteria under a microscope so, I'm not sure of the answer to that. Maybe @Timfish will know.

 

[Timfish]

I've got no idea what magnification is needed. But microbial counts in aquaria can be sky high without altering turbidity which argues for very, very small sizes.

 

[monkeysee1]

I would stop all additives and dosing, and simply wait while the tank naturally cycles.
^^^
This.
I'd give the bacteria that you added a chance to multiply and take over to straighten your ammonia and nitrates out.
You need to Gram Stain or Wright Stain the bacteria on a slide to see it.
Adding those Chromis and clownish with those inverts so soon is NOT what I would have done. I would have added bottle bacteria first, let it seed the rock and sand bed in there, and let the tank cycle on its own.