Week 13: Ammonia, Not as Simple as You Think: The Ideal Tank Cycle.| 52 Weeks of Reefing

It's Week 13 of 52 Weeks of Reefing, and we're talking ammonia, bacteria, and the nitrogen cycle. We will explore the methods of using bacteria to convert this highly toxic ammonia into safer nitrite and nitrate as well as the final stage of nitrogen gas where it can leave the tank for good.
#BRS160

We will also share all of the most common ways to get bacteria to populate a new tank and start the nitrogen cycle to make it safe for your fish as well as some different testing methods and share how we are going to cycle this tank.

Ammonia is the result of fish and other organisms in the tank consuming large volumes of nitrogen that they really don't need for biological function and excreting it in the form of ammonia. Most organisms in the tank are going to excrete ammonia into the water but the largest source is what’s released by the fish’s gills.

The gills act like a membrane which allow the high levels of free ammonia within the gills to pass through into the tank water via osmosis which has very little ammonia. This is also precisely the reason why ammonia in the tank is so toxic to the fish; with high levels of ammonia in the tank it can pass through the gills back into the fish and reach toxic levels.

Luckily nature has devised a way for ammonia to be reduced down to less harmful levels: bacteria on the surfaces in your tank. The bacteria that live on these surfaces produce energy for their biological function by oxidizing the ammonia in the much safer form of nitrogen for the reef tank being nitrite. Bacteria then also convert the nitrite into nitrate which is even safer and at low to average levels not really considered toxic at all. However over time the nitrate will accumulate in the tank and will either serve as a nutrient that feeds algae growth or at higher levels will irritate fish and corals. Removing nitrate and other undesirable nutrients is the primary reason why most reefers do water changes.

[sibm]

I have never anxiously waited in earnest expectation for the next episode in any series ever on Youtube before this one. BRS team you are doing a great job. Outstanding video footage, excellent presentation Ryan. Two thumbs up to the team at BRS. Thank you again for this awesome series. Can't wait for next week's episode!

[nicholascockrill]

so glad BRS TV is out there. I was loosing my reef and completely forgot about ammonia. I have a deep fine crushed coral bed and i was not cleaning the sub straight because i did not know to pinch the tube, so i was using too much water for cleaning. Now the cleaning only take one to two gallons max for a good clean, my ammonia is completely gone, the corals are back in color, open and loving life. TG for Ryan and BRS TV, thank you all.

[micksowl]

I don't even have a marine tank but love to watch this series. Ryan, you are a pro on the camera! You can take a boring topic and make it interesting. Looking forward to seeing what this tank looks like in a year.

[KennethCherisol]

This guy has so much knowledge. Thanks for these series.

[royalwolf]

Have been involved in the reef aquarium hobby for around twenty years mate and after watching several of your videos find myself still learning. You explain everything in a very simple but informative way. 10 out of 10 for your efforts

[KalebNJake]

I've been watching this channel since 2011. Its just keeps getting better! I'm a reef addict and I love watching aquarium videos. I know you guys are very busy year round, but it would be awesome if you guys could do 2 videos a week cause I die knowing that I have to wait another week for more. When are we going to get to see R.T. series? (:

[Forgetii]

Thank You Again!! A very informative video covering more information on cycling a tank than I knew. I've started up my share of tanks over the years, fresh and salt. There's one thing I've learned, without proper cycling you are just headed for disaster from day one and trying to rush the process just compounds and lengthens the time needed to achieve the right balance. I look forward to these videos each and every week. Great work guys, your hard work is greatly appreciated.

[ianjeanes]

Iam just starting a new marine tank I have had tropical 🌴 fish 🐟 in the past, so this is a new venture for me 👍

[DrewZaun]

I don't have any experience with NH3 monitor, but I would like to thank you all for this series. I've kept fish most of my adult life and am getting ready to set up my first reef tank over the winter. My only complaint about this series is that 1 a week is too long? I wish I had this idea next year so I could binge watch the BRS160. Although this information is largely available in many other places I find these videos informative and interesting without being too opinionated. While many of the topics discussed are somewhat controversial in that there are two or more camps in the community I feel like Ryan is presenting straight information and leaving bias out.Thanks guys, I guess I will wait for next week now...

[DanielFernandes-syif]

Great video Ryan can wait to see that tank finish

[simulatedfish]

Glad to see you guys jumped on ammonia, its to often ignored in tanks - especially after the cycle. ammonia spikes are the no 1 problem when you start to see negitive health in corals and fish

[BodyworkASMR]

waiting all week for this video. woo hoo

[jeffbraden]

Im preparing to take my first attempt at salt water. Ive had large fresh water tank my entire life. I got the bug from my dad. I'll never forget him telling me to stay away from gold fish because they put off higher amounts of ammonia and can cause problems in tank for other fish. Therefore I've always checked it especially after a feeding of 20 feeders for the Oscars.

[shawnriv]

Each time I've cycled a tank I use Bio Spira and Dr. Tim's bottle of ammonia. Dr. Tim provides really good information and how-to videos about the ammonia and how exactly much to add in order for your tank to cycle quickly.

[kinglyzard]

I added Arag-Alive to my substrate in my 55g brackish tank and ended up with a complete nitrogen cycle.
"Look Ma, no nitrates!"

[ragvaldusovidi]

I've using the Seneye Reef monitor for a little over two years. There are pros and cons. The main issue with it, as I see it, is calibration. I do not know how accurate it is, it seem to be reading low on temperature. Also, it seem like when replaceable slide ages it reads lower and lower in ph and when I replace the slide at the end of the month the ph jumps up again. It would be interesting to see if you at BRS have the same experience.

I find it very useful in my quarantine tank reading ammonia, this is where the Seneye really shines, at least for me. In my reef tank nothing much happens when it comes to ammonia, but in the quarantine tank much more happens when it comes to this. I can see how the ammonia level rises when I feed (around 0.003 increase) and how it decreases overnight. It really saved me when I was medicating with chloroquine phosphate, I got a big ammonia spike, but since the Seneye started blinking red, I was just in time to save the fish as the ammonia rose to deadly levels.

[jaredtandle]

I say just throw in a fish or two, depending on size. Like a 10 gallon don't throw in a couple clownfish that's not gonna work. Use something appropriate for the size of tank and check water daily until you can get water changes down to a weekly or every other week thing. With a larger tank use maybe 2 fish and you should be fine for a bit. It'll introduce ammonia and allow you to get more interested. Adding new fish will spike your levels anyway until the bacteria in the tank can grow enough to keep up. That's why you don't add too much too fast. Maybe that's an old way of thinking but I don't see much of a difference between using fish to start is much different than adding fish down the road. If it's a concern, we have insta tank bottles you can pick up when you get your fish.

[GENISISTWENTYONE]

I started my 140 with 160 lbs of CaribSea Ocean Direct Oolite, 125 lbs of dry rock and 25 lbs of live rock. I used Ace Hardware pure ammonia and a bacterial additive to cycle the tank.

[joepettit]

i used bio-spira, and phantom feeding. took a few weeks before i was comfortable but slow and steady wins the race

[ElementL]

I've been using the Seneye and webserver since they were released and glad I have as they recently saved me when a power surge took out my Profilux controller for the better part of Christmas day. I was able to monitor temp remotely from 45 minutes away while visiting family... not having a controller meant that I was leaving my tank to the mercy of the halides and no trigger to switch on fans should the tank get too hot. Without the Seneye, I would have been likely driving home to check on the tank when I'd rather be spending the holiday with family.