In addition to 0 ammonia, you need to have nitrates for the cycle to be complete. How high was your ammonia before it dropped to where it is in the photo?
It’s a 30 gallon tank with live sand and 5lb of Caribsea life rock, the other 25lbs is dead rock with RO water and 1.025 SG. I use a canister filter and waited a couple of days before adding the fish with the Nitrifying bacteria, my clown seems fine, wasn’t eating the first two days but became really active on the third day and still is, I did a small water change today which probably was not the best idea but it was because my salinity was a bit high as the evaporation kicked in. Thanks for the reply!
The weird thing it didn’t drop, it’s been like that since Monday, I follow the API directions to the dot but it seems like the parameters are just staying the same, I honestly convinced myself it was 0ppm until I separately measured distilled water. But I will check on my nitrate levels tomorrow and see if anything has changed. I did add a little bit of Imagitarium Biological Boost, recommended by someone, whilst doing a small water change because my salinity was running a bit high because of evaporation. And if you don’t mind me asking, from what I’ve read especially with Dr Tim, Fritz Turbo start, I thought cycling a tank with prepped bacteria was the status quo, is it not? Other than adding some kind of source of ammonia.
I’ve heard bad things about the API test kit so you’re the nail in the coffin, I’m definitely investing in a better kit, thanks! And I’ll take the patience advice to heart.
I was more referring to how I already had a borderline high salinity, 1.027, and after the evaporation made the concentration even higher since salt doesn’t evaporate I realized that it wouldn’t be feasible to keep keeping track of minor evaporation and instead just lower the salinity just a bit.
"Life rock" is not live rock. And live sand doesn't do much unfortunately.
