Stage 2 "Snack Dose" Clarification

[Coolysd]

Hey y'all!!
Started my fishless cycle in my 75gal on 10/14 using Dr Tim's and the forum's instructions. I have to say, this is probably the least stressed I've ever been setting up a new tank!
Here is the list of water parameters thus far.
10/14 - ADDED 15ml Dr Tim's. Ammonia 2-3
10/17 - Ammonia 2-3
Nitrite 0
10/19 - Ammonia 2.0
Nitrite .25
10/21 - Ammonia .25
Nitrite 1-2
ADDED 15ml DR TIM'S
10/22 - Ammonia 3.0
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 10
10/24 - Ammonia 1.0
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 40
10/25 - Ammonia .25
Nitrite 2-3
Nitrate 40-80
I know that I'm off a day here and there as far as testing goes. If I'm reading everything right, I should now be in Stage 2 - Testing For "Snack Dose". Which requires testing ammonia every 2 days until I get a zero reading twice (4 days in a row). At that point I add 1/3 of the original amount of ammonia and then move to Stage 3 - Daily Testing. Am I correct in this?
First time using Dr Tim's One And Only and I must say that I'm VERY IMPRESSED!! I hadn't used it before because I was being cheap and didn't want to spend the money. It's now going to be a requirement for me!!

Sorry for rambling and as always, thank you for y'alls expertise!!

 

[Essjay]

At this stage, test every second day. You are waiting until you have zero ammonia, then zero ammonia again 2 days later. Once you have those 2 zeros 2 days apart, add the 1/3 snack dose.

Then test every day until ammonia is under 0.25 and nitrite is under 1 ppm

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have a few questions and see a few "mistakes" in what you did.

When yo added the first ammonia dose (15ml) this was not enough. According to the instructions for Dr. Tim's ammonium Chloride, 4 drops/gal. He further simplifies things by giving mlL numbers also. If you have a 75 gal. tank and decor in it, the actual water volume should be between and about 63 and and 67 gals., so lets call it 65. Bear in mind that Dr. Tim uses the nitrogen scale and most hobby tesy kits use the total Ion scale. For this reason we suggest using the site ammonia calculator to know the right dosing.

Dr. Tim states that 4 drops/gallon will produce 2 ppm of ammonia-Nitrogen. On our test kits this would give a reading of 2.56 ppm. So you would need to add 4 drops x 65 gals or 260 drops to create 2.56 ppm. This is between 2 and 3 ppm as you tested initially. However, the method here suggests 3 ppm. So your correct dosage would have been 304 drops or 15 ml. and your first test result should have been 3 ppm. Understand there is a big difference between 2 and 3 ppm. 3 ppm is 50% more. So your test is not2-3 it is 3.

Next, the directions say "If at any time after the first ammonia addition (Dose #1) you test and ammonia is under .75 ppm and nitrite is clearly over 2 ppm, it is time to add more ammonia (Dose #2). Add the same full amount as you did the first time."

Then you report:
10/21 - Ammonia .25
Nitrite 1-2
ADDED 15ml DR TIM'S

Your nitrite was not "clearly over 2 ppm." So you added the ammonia Dose #2 too soon.

Next, when the 3 ppm of ammonia you added drops, your nitrite should rise not stay the same. So I do not think your results are accurate. This is even moreso the case with your nitrate readings.

I do not suggest a nitrate kit is needed for doing a fishless cycle. This kit is the least accurate of any of the kits we use and is most prone to being inaccurate in the 0 -20 ppm range.

The directions for the snack dose say: Give the bacteria a “snack” by adding 1/3 of the full dose when you get two consecutive every other day ammonia test readings of 0 ppm,. This “snack” (Dose #3) should be needed somewhere between days 21 and 27 of the cycle."
Foy started your cycle on 10/14. So your snack dose should be needed somewhere during the first week of November. As I write this the date is Oct. 26.

The cycling method here is designed to be impossible to mess up if it is followed to the letter. The days are less important than the readings. You act when your readings are in line with those in the directions. You seem not to be doing this.

Btw, I do not agree with Dr. Hovanec when he states it only takes 3 ammonia additions to complete the cycle. He has one adding several 1/4 doses. All told it is more than 3 doses. He had a different set of directions in the past. I prefer the directions here. They are easier and designed not to let things go off track.

Anyhow. Keep testing and wait until you see 0 ammonia on two consecutive every other day tests to add the snack dose, Then follow the ddirections to the letter after that. bear in mind that the speed of any cycle depend on several factors beyond our control. So some people take longer, some peole take about the avearage time and some folks have optimal conditions and they will get a tank cycled sooned than the average time, But cycling is not a race, you "win: when you can add 3 ppm of ammonia and withing 24 hours you have 0 for both ammonia and nitrite. If you want yo be super safe, you can repeat this and get the same 0/0 again and know you are ready for a big water change and adding a lot of fish. One benefit of doing a fishless cycle is you can stock fully all at once when the cycle is done.

 

[Coolysd]

I have a few questions and see a few "mistakes" in what you did.

When yo added the first ammonia dose (15ml) this was not enough. According to the instructions for Dr. Tim's ammonium Chloride, 4 drops/gal. He further simplifies things by giving mlL numbers also. If you have a 75 gal. tank and decor in it, the actual water volume should be between and about 63 and and 67 gals., so lets call it 65. Bear in mind that Dr. Tim uses the nitrogen scale and most hobby tesy kits use the total Ion scale. For this reason we suggest using the site ammonia calculator to know the right dosing.

Dr. Tim states that 4 drops/gallon will produce 2 ppm of ammonia-Nitrogen. On our test kits this would give a reading of 2.56 ppm. So you would need to add 4 drops x 65 gals or 260 drops to create 2.56 ppm. This is between 2 and 3 ppm as you tested initially. However, the method here suggests 3 ppm. So your correct dosage would have been 304 drops or 15 ml. and your first test result should have been 3 ppm. Understand there is a big difference between 2 and 3 ppm. 3 ppm is 50% more. So your test is not2-3 it is 3.

Next, the directions say "If at any time after the first ammonia addition (Dose #1) you test and ammonia is under .75 ppm and nitrite is clearly over 2 ppm, it is time to add more ammonia (Dose #2). Add the same full amount as you did the first time."

Then you report:
10/21 - Ammonia .25
Nitrite 1-2
ADDED 15ml DR TIM'S

Your nitrite was not "clearly over 2 ppm." So you added the ammonia Dose #2 too soon.

Next, when the 3 ppm of ammonia you added drops, your nitrite should rise not stay the same. So I do not think your results are accurate. This is even moreso the case with your nitrate readings.

I do not suggest a nitrate kit is needed for doing a fishless cycle. This kit is the least accurate of any of the kits we use and is most prone to being inaccurate in the 0 -20 ppm range.

The directions for the snack dose say: Give the bacteria a “snack” by adding 1/3 of the full dose when you get two consecutive every other day ammonia test readings of 0 ppm,. This “snack” (Dose #3) should be needed somewhere between days 21 and 27 of the cycle."
Foy started your cycle on 10/14. So your snack dose should be needed somewhere during the first week of November. As I write this the date is Oct. 26.

The cycling method here is designed to be impossible to mess up if it is followed to the letter. The days are less important than the readings. You act when your readings are in line with those in the directions. You seem not to be doing this.

Btw, I do not agree with Dr. Hovanec when he states it only takes 3 ammonia additions to complete the cycle. He has one adding several 1/4 doses. All told it is more than 3 doses. He had a different set of directions in the past. I prefer the directions here. They are easier and designed not to let things go off track.

Anyhow. Keep testing and wait until you see 0 ammonia on two consecutive every other day tests to add the snack dose, Then follow the ddirections to the letter after that. bear in mind that the speed of any cycle depend on several factors beyond our control. So some people take longer, some peole take about the avearage time and some folks have optimal conditions and they will get a tank cycled sooned than the average time, But cycling is not a race, you "win: when you can add 3 ppm of ammonia and withing 24 hours you have 0 for both ammonia and nitrite. If you want yo be super safe, you can repeat this and get the same 0/0 again and know you are ready for a big water change and adding a lot of fish. One benefit of doing a fishless cycle is you can stock fully all at once when the cycle is done.

Thanks so much for the info!! I'm using the API Master Test Kit and it's always been difficult for me to correctly decipher the results when trying to read and match the color chart. That's why when I say 1-2 or 2-3, it looked higher than 1 but lower than 2 (at least to me anyway). I try to use the same lighting but that's not always possible.
Thanks again for your expertise and feedback!
Can't wait to get some life back into the tank! And I gotta say, I am LOVING the black on black substrate and background!!

 

[Coolysd]

UPDATE:
Second day #1 results:
Ammonia - zero
What numbers would y'all give to the other results??

 

[Sir Guppy]

pH looks like an 8
Ammonia looks like an 0
Nitrite looks like an 1.5??
Nitrate looks like a 40

 

[Coolysd]

UPDATE:
Second day #2 results:
Ammonia 0
Added 1/3 snack dose (5ml) let it run for a couple of hours and Ammonia is now 1.
Do I need to add more?