First saltwater tank - cycle is a mess

[becky46]

Hi all!

I’m starting my first saltwater tank (25G) and am not sure what is happening with my cycle. There is white stuff all over the tank and ammonia is not dropping. Any input or tips would be greatly appreciated. Here’s how the cycle has progressed:

Day:

1. Dose 2-3ppm ammonium chloride + 1 bottle of Dr. Tim’s One and Only + A little bit of Topic Marin Nitribiotic (https://www.tropic-marin.com/bacteria/nitribiotic/?lang=en)
2. Test parameters: Ammonia: 2-3. Nitrate 5, Nitrite: .5
3. Ammonia: .2-.5, nitrate: 10-15, Nitrite: 1. Added an additional 2ppm worth of ammonium chloride to water, bringing it up to ~3ppm. Increased tank temp from 78 to 84 (I was watching a Dr. Tim’s lecture where he recommended this temp for cycling).
4. Ammonia: 3, nitrate 10, nitrite 1.
5. Parameters same as 4
6. Parameters same as 4. OUTBREAK of stringy substance all over, white patches floating, etc. (see pics).
7. Parameters same as 4. Brought water temp back down to 78. Did a minor water change (only 3G because that is all I had on hand). Added a capful of Dr. Tim’s eco-balance. Nitrates might be dropping ever so slightly (hard to tell). I got some live rock from my LFS that I added.
8. Parameters same as 4.
9. Parameters same as 4.
10. Parameters same as 4. 

It seems my cycle has stagnated, and I am not sure what this white stringy substances is or what to do about it. Can anyone offer any insight or tips on what to do?

This white stuff is on the surface of the water, attached to surfaces, and on the sand (there seems to be a film over the stand - I tried to vacuum it up but it just clumped together like kitty litter).

Part of me is ready to strip the tank and start all over!

[Clown79]

You only want to dose ammonia to 2ppm and let it process to 0 before re dosing again.

 

Cycles generally stall when ammonia and nitrite are 5ppm or higher.

 

It takes time for the nitrogen cycle to process. Generally 4 weeks is average but can be longer.

 

I'm not certain what the white stuff is, possibly bacteria. Were the sand or rocks washed before? What is your water source? 

 

I wouldn't use eco balance at this stage.

 

Nitrates won't drop naturally. They aren't even that high. Often with dry rock cycling, at the end of the cycle, they are 50ppm or higher.

 

Waterchange should be done at the end of the cycle.

 

 

 

 

[becky46]

Thanks! Sand was not washed beforehand. Water is RODI water from LFS. Do you think it's okay to wait this out? All this white stuff (literally everywhere) makes me want to just start from the beginning, but that might just be my impatience speaking.

[seabass]

The stringy bits are likely calcium carbonate (the cloudiness caused from your new sand bed) trapped in a film of bacteria.  I doubt they pose any threat.  You could wipe them off the glass with an algae scrub pad, and remove it from your rocks and sand with a turkey baster.

 

I wouldn't have added live rock until after you were done establishing the biofilter (as ammonia is toxic to the non-bacterial life forms on live rock).  I also agree with Clown79 in that the addition of Nitribiotic wasn't necessary (and might even be confounding things) at this point.

 

I'd probably do a large water change (like 50%) and see if that doesn't get things back on track.