Ammonia spike during tank cycling

[KG0986]

Hello everyone. I need a little help with a new tank. I am on day 25 of cycling my tank. I am using the Red Sea Reef Mature Starter Kit which is supposed to be a 21 day cycle. I’m using CaribSea life rock and CaribSea Fiji pink Arag alive live sand. My Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates all began to go up on day 6. Ammonia went up to 2.29ppm, nitrites were up around 5ppm on the API test kit and Nitrates were at 50.3 the Ammonia started to drop on day 18 of the cycle to 2.07 and day 21 they dropped a little more to 1.75, Nitrites were up around 5ppm still and Nitrates were up to 53.2 ppm. Yesterday day 24 I noticed the water turning a little white cloudy and tested the water again and the Ammonia was back up to 2.20 ppm, Nitrites still around 5 ppm and Nitrates were still around 53ppm. I did a 20% water change on day 17. What would cause the Ammonia to spike back up and the water to start getting a white cloudiness to it. And what can I do about it and to get the levels down to where they need to be. Thank you

 

[Dan_P]

Hello everyone. I need a little help with a new tank. I am on day 25 of cycling my tank. I am using the Red Sea Reef Mature Starter Kit which is supposed to be a 21 day cycle. I’m using CaribSea life rock and CaribSea Fiji pink Arag alive live sand. My Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates all began to go up on day 6. Ammonia went up to 2.29ppm, nitrites were up around 5ppm on the API test kit and Nitrates were at 50.3 the Ammonia started to drop on day 18 of the cycle to 2.07 and day 21 they dropped a little more to 1.75, Nitrites were up around 5ppm still and Nitrates were up to 53.2 ppm. Yesterday day 24 I noticed the water turning a little white cloudy and tested the water again and the Ammonia was back up to 2.20 ppm, Nitrites still around 5 ppm and Nitrates were still around 53ppm. I did a 20% water change on day 17. What would cause the Ammonia to spike back up and the water to start getting a white cloudiness to it. And what can I do about it and to get the levels down to where they need to be. Thank you

Where did the ammonia come from, the kit? What was the staring value?

The ammonia seems to be staying the same but since the nitrites are up, we might assume ammonia is being processed, though I am doubtful that the nitrite hasn’t change. The nitrate reading is meaningless as long as there is nitrite present.

 

[KG0986]

Where did the ammonia come from, the kit? What was the staring value?

The ammonia seems to be staying the same but since the nitrites are up, we might assume ammonia is being processed, though I am doubtful that the nitrite hasn’t change. The nitrate reading is meaningless as long as there is nitrite present.

I’m assuming from the starter kit.

 

[KG0986]

I’m assuming from the starter kit.

Starting value was zero until about day six then the ammonia started to climb

 

[Dan_P]

Starting value was zero until about day six then the ammonia started to climb

Starting value was zero until about day six then the ammonia started to climb

I read the instructions and it says ammonia will be around 1 ppm. Any chance that you added too much?

Also, it seems like the bacteria that came with the kit are slow to start.

Opinion. The Red Sea method seems overly complicated. The standard procedure is to dose ammonium chloride to 1-2 ppm, dose nitrifying bacteria and in 1-2 weeks (BioSpira, Fritz Turbo Start) or 2-4 weeks (Dr. Tim’s) you are ready for fish. You aren ‘t the first to report odd results with Red Sea

 

[KG0986]

I don’t believe I added too much if anything wouldn’t have added enough. Day 2 is 20ml nitro bac per 100L 25gal. my tank is 33 gal. I added .5ml to 1ml more and on the nopox I left it right at the 3 ml it says

 

[KG0986]

I read the instructions and it says ammonia will be around 1 ppm. Any chance that you added too much?

Also, it seems like the bacteria that came with the kit are slow to start.

Opinion. The Red Sea method seems overly complicated. The standard procedure is to dose ammonium chloride to 1-2 ppm, dose nitrifying bacteria and in 1-2 weeks (BioSpira, Fritz Turbo Start) or 2-4 weeks (Dr. Tim’s) you are ready for fish. You aren ‘t the first to report odd results with Red Sea

My LFS said to try a 20% water change and add some Fritz 9 and have the lights on about 3-4 hours a day to see if that helps but if what’s going on is normal I don’t really want to mess with it and mess it up and make the cycle longer

 

[Dan_P]

My LFS said to try a 20% water change and add some Fritz 9 and have the lights on about 3-4 hours a day to see if that helps but if what’s going on is normal I don’t really want to mess with it and mess it up and make the cycle longer

Yeah, LFS realizes the same thing that I pointed out. The Red Sea kit might be a dud. Stop all additions, get rid of the kit and add Fritz Turbo Start. Funny that your live sand seems dead too.

Oh well, this won’t be the last time in this hobby that you find a manufacturer’s claims are a stretch.

 

[KG0986]

Yeah, LFS realizes the same thing that I pointed out. The Red Sea kit might be a dud. Stop all additions, get rid of the kit and add Fritz Turbo Start. Funny that your live sand seems dead too.

Oh well, this won’t be the last time in this hobby that you find a manufacturer’s claims are a stretch.

Thank you for your help

 

[Dan_P]

Thank you for your help

Good luck with the new aquarium!

 

[KG0986]

Good luck with the new aquarium!

tank finally cycled and got some fish and coral in it. Thank you again for the help

 

[Kven]

What did you end up doing? I am around day 15, out of my second box that has the khCoralline Gro, tank cloudy with a thin skim on water surface. I am curious how you proceeded.

 

[KG0986]

What did you end up doing? I am around day 15, out of my second box that has the khCoralline Gro, tank cloudy with a thin skim on water surface. I am curious how you proceeded.

I stopped using it did a 25% water change and used Fritz turbo start