Another Fishless Cycle question

[Drewposi]

Hey guys getting back into reefing and started an 20 gallon nano this week. Used dr Tim’s, added 20 pounds of Carib sea sand and roughly 16 pounds of Carib sea dry rock. Dosed appropriately and had a good first reading of 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0-.25 Nitrate.

Dosed again as it says and now day 4 my ammonia spiked to 6-8 ppm (api kit) and Nitrite jumped to 1.

For day 4 that seems like a pretty big ammonia spike. Is this normal? Never used this product before.

Lights are off. Filter sock is gone. I just left my two black sponges in the sump. Water temp is cranked up to 83 and salinity is sitting at 1.25.

PH tested a little low today but I only have crappy PH test stripes so that’s probably the culprit.

Are Hanna tests worth it? Currently using API for ammonia and nitrite. Planned on picking up a Hanna for nitrates tomorrow. Been out of the hobby for about 7 years and just making sure that I didn’t do something wrong for the ammonia to spike that high for two days now.

Thanks!

 

[littlefoxx]

Hey guys getting back into reefing and started an 20 gallon nano this week. Used dr Tim’s, added 20 pounds of Carib sea sand and roughly 16 pounds of Carib sea dry rock. Dosed appropriately and had a good first reading of 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0-.25 Nitrate.

Dosed again as it says and now day 4 my ammonia spiked to 6-8 ppm (api kit) and Nitrite jumped to 1.

For day 4 that seems like a pretty big ammonia spike. Is this normal? Never used this product before.

Lights are off. Filter sock is gone. I just left my two black sponges in the sump. Water temp is cranked up to 83 and salinity is sitting at 1.25.

PH tested a little low today but I only have crappy PH test stripes so that’s probably the culprit.

Are Hanna tests worth it? Currently using API for ammonia and nitrite. Planned on picking up a Hanna for nitrates tomorrow. Been out of the hobby for about 7 years and just making sure that I didn’t do something wrong for the ammonia to spike that high for two days now.

Thanks!

Normal for ammonia to be high for 2 days. And i wouldnt use API, they have a horrible rep. I dont have hannah ones, super expensive, I use fluval

 

[Uncle99]

Hey guys getting back into reefing and started an 20 gallon nano this week. Used dr Tim’s, added 20 pounds of Carib sea sand and roughly 16 pounds of Carib sea dry rock. Dosed appropriately and had a good first reading of 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0-.25 Nitrate.

Dosed again as it says and now day 4 my ammonia spiked to 6-8 ppm (api kit) and Nitrite jumped to 1.

For day 4 that seems like a pretty big ammonia spike. Is this normal? Never used this product before.

Lights are off. Filter sock is gone. I just left my two black sponges in the sump. Water temp is cranked up to 83 and salinity is sitting at 1.25.

PH tested a little low today but I only have crappy PH test stripes so that’s probably the culprit.

Are Hanna tests worth it? Currently using API for ammonia and nitrite. Planned on picking up a Hanna for nitrates tomorrow. Been out of the hobby for about 7 years and just making sure that I didn’t do something wrong for the ammonia to spike that high for two days now.

Thanks!

IMM Hanna makes some great testers, and otherd not so great.

Worth the price.
ALK
HR nitrate
UL Phosphorus
I’ve used these for years and very happy.
Only have to buy regent when finished.

Maybe Not
CA…good kit but takes a lot of steps….was all over the place in results…..Salifert is not expensive and gives fast results.

MG…..again….was not consistent at all……Salifert and Aquaforest have been great.

Never used any ammonia or nitrite tests on new tanks.
Rock, sand, saltwater, flow, low light, Dr. Tim’s and say 2-4 days, and in go my first fish. It’s the bacteria add that makes it possible.

Don’t waste money on these.

 

[Drewposi]

I’m going to let it ride till day 6 and probably grab a different ammonia test maybe a salifert. Guess it’s good that there nitrites present (presumably) be interested to see in a couple days if the Nitrates are also starting. So nothing I should be worried about with that high of an ammonia level? Thanks guys

 

[DIFish]

Did you get a Hannah Nitrate test? If so you can probably skip picking up a better Ammonia test as you wont use it once you are done cycling. Just wait until a decent amount of Nitrate starts appearing and you are good to go.
As others have said using the bacteria makes cycling a breeze and chasing down "0" ammonia for months is not worth the trouble.

 

[Drewposi]

I did not yet but going to tomorrow. True as long as the ammonia goes back down in the next few days and is close to 0 I should be good to go around day 7-9ish for a pair of clowns right?

 

[blecki]

If ammonia is 0 you're fine. But honestly with a bottled bacteria or a few pieces of actual live rock you could have added fish on day 1.

 

[taricha]

nitrite jump says that things are working well, and ammonia will be clearing soon.
What caribsea sand did you use?

 

[Drewposi]

nitrite jump says that things are working well, and ammonia will be clearing soon.
What caribsea sand did you use?

Special grade. All 20 pounds.

 

[Colton Yuchnewicz]

ammonia spikes are normal. I used dr.tims on all my tank startups and all of them were fishless cycles. I believe the Api tests for tank startups are more than good. as its decent for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite. i only use phosphate and nitrate for Hannah checkers. red sea for everything else.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey guys getting back into reefing and started an 20 gallon nano this week. Used dr Tim’s, added 20 pounds of Carib sea sand and roughly 16 pounds of Carib sea dry rock. Dosed appropriately and had a good first reading of 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0-.25 Nitrate.

Dosed again as it says and now day 4 my ammonia spiked to 6-8 ppm (api kit) and Nitrite jumped to 1.

For day 4 that seems like a pretty big ammonia spike. Is this normal? Never used this product before.

Lights are off. Filter sock is gone. I just left my two black sponges in the sump. Water temp is cranked up to 83 and salinity is sitting at 1.25.

PH tested a little low today but I only have crappy PH test stripes so that’s probably the culprit.

Are Hanna tests worth it? Currently using API for ammonia and nitrite. Planned on picking up a Hanna for nitrates tomorrow. Been out of the hobby for about 7 years and just making sure that I didn’t do something wrong for the ammonia to spike that high for two days now.

Thanks!

Im a Hanna person/user/lover and dont trust especially test strips

Generally after adding Ammonia chloride as youve seen, there will be a rise in ammonia. Then ammonia and nitrate will rise and fall. When ammonia is steady at zero and nitrate at 20 or below for 5 days, you are cycled. With live rock, can be quicker. When you feed, ammonia and nitrate will be up and down which is normal but at lower levels. Until you get a better test kit, you can take a water sample to an LFS that does not use Api kits and wsee what readings they come up with and to compare with your readings.

 

[Drewposi]

Next question when should I add my filter sock back in?

 

[Drewposi]

And when can I turn the lights on? Was planning on after like day 7 at a 20% ramp up.

 

[Drewposi]

Well I tested this morning at 7am and ammonia was high nitrites climbing. 430 test has ammonia back down around 2-3ppm and Nitrites up around 4-5ppm. Complete flip flop. That’s what I want right?!?

 

[taricha]

Special grade. All 20 pounds.

Sorry to be dense. Caribsea Special Grade can come as dry aragonite sand, or as their Live Sand. You used a bag of the moist live stuff?

 

[Drewposi]

Sorry to be dense. Caribsea Special Grade can come as dry aragonite sand, or as their Live Sand. You used a bag of the moist live stuff?

Ya the live stuff. Sorry I didn’t realize they made it dry.

 

[taricha]

Ya the live stuff. Sorry I didn’t realize they made it dry.

Thanks. For my own curiosity I was trying to figure out what the bacteria source was that was producing obvious nitrite by day 4.
In my experience One and Only is usually slower than that, but the live sand could totally show activity by day 4.

 

[Drewposi]

Thanks. For my own curiosity I was trying to figure out what the bacteria source was that was producing obvious nitrite by day 4.
In my experience One and Only is usually slower than that, but the live sand could totally show activity by day 4.

Well that’s good because I was worried that 4 days is WAY too fast. I guess tomorrow will tell. If they both drop I’m on the right road. Lol

 

[Colton Yuchnewicz]

Next question when should I add my filter sock back in?

id just wait till you put fish in. as it's not catching anything right now. and the way i did my lights was after i had zero nitrite and ammonia i did a water change and then turned my lights on for 8 hours a day until I got a bacteria bloom and then turned my lights off till it was gone.

 

[blecki]

And when can I turn the lights on? Was planning on after like day 7 at a 20% ramp up.

Lighting doesn't affect the cycle.