Slow Cycle with cycled media odd ?

[4x4cubereefer]

Is it just me or is it odd to be 16 days in to a cycle still showing 2ppm of ammonia from day 1

Used ammonium chloride dr tims.
Seachem prime & prodibio biodigest plus 2 seeded maxspect blocks from an established reef.
Supposedly treats way more then my tank capacity 425L/90 gal .. if that's the case I should've been cycled by now or at least be seeing a 1ppm reduction of ammonia right ?
Thoughts ?

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[reefgeezer]

1. Prime affects ammonia/ammonium but I don't know exactly what it does. It could be somehow shielding it from the bacteria.

2. I've used ammonium chloride without any other additive and it was slow. Adding a small amount of organic material like maybe just a little Brine Shrimp seemed to speed up the process. I'm not sure, but maybe there is some carbon required for the process that is missing in a new system.

3. Are you sure your test kit is good?

 

[mcgyvr]

Was the prime because you don't have an RO/DI water source and are just using tap?
Have you been continuing to add ammonium chloride daily?... If not how many times have you added it and on what days?

IMO people have way over complicated cycling process in recent years.. and its a process most don't even understand from the start..
And most don't read the instructions for the Dr Tims stuff either from my experience..

 

[Shinte305]

Cycling rocks all depends how dirty the rocks where from the start. It's anyones guess how long yours can take and it doesn't matter what you put in it. A quick way to increase bacteria is just buying bacteria like doctor Tim's nitrifying bacteria. I've seen tanks speed up with those but again everyone's results is different just be patient =]

 

[4x4cubereefer]

Well that was my thoughts too what did the prime actually do to the water in relation to ammonia/ammonium .. I test free ammonia and I have zilch but total ammonia, ammonium/ammonia is still there .. plus I test with another test kit and it shows 1.8-2ppm.

1. Prime affects ammonia/ammonium but I don't know exactly what it does. It could be somehow shielding it from the bacteria.

2. I've used ammonium chloride without any other additive and it was slow. Adding a small amount of organic material like maybe just a little Brine Shrimp seemed to speed up the process. I'm not sure, but maybe there is some carbon required for the process that is missing in a new system.

3. Are you sure your test kit is good?

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[4x4cubereefer]

Also I bought a new test kit yesterday as I had a hunch it might be bad & same results for total ammonia .. free ammonia "toxic form says zero maybe 0.1 max"

But I'm conflicted as why is the other test saying it's high .. granted it could be bad.

From my understanding it's free ammonia that's toxic to inhabitants.

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[4x4cubereefer]

I used the prime because I have an 80GPD RODI unit and it would have taken like 20 hrs to fill my tank but top off is RODI & future water changes are RODI.

Tbh I've only added it once from the very first day I didn't want to keep adding and go over 5ppm stalling the cycle even further when I wasn't seeing any kind of reduction .. my ammonia hasn't fallen at all according to my test kits .. but I'm now also seeing 0 nitrites with low nitrates .. saw my nitrites raise a little a week ago but now I have only seen nitrates since but very low levels ..
Yeah it's good to be seeing nitrates but I'm not sure why my ammonia is still so high .. I added 2 maxspect blocks which should be able to filter the whole tank .. plus prodibio bacteria to help get the rock cycling & I'm yet to see any sort of diatoms or any sign of GHA .. I know this can take months in some cases to show algae etc but it's just odd how I've still got such a high reading of ammonia with all that media added

Was the prime because you don't have an RO/DI water source and are just using tap?
Have you been continuing to add ammonium chloride daily?... If not how many times have you added it and on what days?

IMO people have way over complicated cycling process in recent years.. and its a process most don't even understand from the start..
And most don't read the instructions for the Dr Tims stuff either from my experience..

Sent from my 5009A using Tapatalk

 

[mcgyvr]

Just give it time.. The best thing for any tank is patience..
It takes what it takes.. Some take longer.. Some cycle real quick..

 

[4x4cubereefer]

I've been using prodibio biodigest to speed things up but no bananas.

I think I'm going to throw a rock from the sump of my other tank in there to get things going a bit more .. I'm happy to be patient etc I just don't want to be waiting if it's a stalled cycle somehow which I'm not picking up on .. just wanted to get some other opinions.

Cycling rocks all depends how dirty the rocks where from the start. It's anyones guess how long yours can take and it doesn't matter what you put in it. A quick way to increase bacteria is just buying bacteria like doctor Tim's nitrifying bacteria. I've seen tanks speed up with those but again everyone's results is different just be patient =]

Sent from my 5009A using Tapatalk

 

[reefgeezer]

Also I bought a new test kit yesterday as I had a hunch it might be bad & same results for total ammonia .. free ammonia "toxic form says zero maybe 0.1 max"

But I'm conflicted as why is the other test saying it's high .. granted it could be bad.

From my understanding it's free ammonia that's toxic to inhabitants.

Sent from my 5009A using Tapatalk