Cycling Issues

[djm]

Hi all,

so I’m cycling my first saltwater tank which has been going for about 4 weeks now.

I dosed with Dr Tim’s ammonia to 2.0ppm and added Microbe-Lift Special Blend which my LFS said would help cycle the tank.

One week on ammonia was 0ppm, Nitrites rose to 0.5ppm and Nitrates to 5.0ppm. These readings stayed the same for about 3-4 days.
I decided to dose Dr Tim’s ammonia to 2.0ppm and this has stayed at 2.0ppm for approx. 2 weeks but nitrites and nitrates are reading 0ppm.

in the interim I also added Dr Tim’s One and Only but that has had no effect 1 week on.

I found it strange that ammonia went down to 0ppm after only one week with nitrites showing up. I’ve been using an API Saltwater master test kit but heard these can give false readings so I got a Salifert Ammonia test kit which is also reading 2.0ppm and a Seachem badge which is reading Alert 0.05ppm.

Salinity has been a constant 1.024 and temp held at 25C.

Any advice you could give would be most welcome as I’m concerned I may have messed up the cycle and it’s stuck somehow.

 

[Ludders]

Change your water out, adding the additional ammonia wouldn't help, becuase your tank is cycled. I will say the current results are odd, hence advising a water change.

 

[djm]

Change your water out, adding the additional ammonia wouldn't help, becuase your tank is cycled. I will say the current results are odd, hence advising a water change.

Hi Ludders

I thought it would be odd that the tank would have cycled in a week and added more ammonia to see if it would reduce to zero in 24 hours.
Also I was expecting to see nitrates raise and remain which made me think it couldn’t have possibly cycled if these are zero.
It’s got me puzzled

 

[Ludders]

Yeah that is odd, I certainly can't explain your test results there.

 

[brandon429]

The doubling of ammonia and prior oxidizing bac has made an unreadable soup of metabolites but its not harmed anything. One full water change the whole thing is ready no matter the test kits mentioned above

waiting a month gets you just about cycled even without bottle bac, cycle charts show.

your ammonia going down in a week is proof the bottle bac were active, and then we have some nitrate too but even if not it meets criteria like L said

as long as you have rocks and sand for attachment, L is right for sure I’m confident what you add will live.

 

[Sam816]

what test kit/s are you using?

 

[djm]

what test kit/s are you using?

API Saltwater Master Test Kit
Salifert Ammonia Test Kit
Seachem ammonia badge

 

[djm]

The doubling of ammonia and prior oxidizing bac has made an unreadable soup of metabolites but its not harmed anything. One full water change the whole thing is ready no matter the test kits mentioned above

waiting a month gets you just about cycled even without bottle bac, cycle charts show.

your ammonia going down in a week is proof the bottle bac were active, and then we have some nitrate too but even if not it meets criteria like L said

as long as you have rocks and sand for attachment, L is right for sure I’m confident what you add will live.

Hi Brandon

thanks for your reply.
Just to add I used EcoReef rock so no live rock in my tank or live sand.
I’m in no rush to cycle but don’t want to be sat here waiting for something that’s not going to happen because I’ve made a mistake somewhere along the line.
It’s reassuring to know that anything I add will live after a water change.

much appreciated.

 

[brandon429]

After your water change would you post a pic of those three ammonia readings, in the known-clean condition water

in another thread we track the tiny variations test to test on tanks and seeing the tests on a new water sample helps blank them for accuracy but only with the clean water, the old we expect to look all api

 

[Sam816]

API's nitrate test results vary greatly if you don't follow the instructions properly. also, were you adding bacteria(bottled) daily or just one or two times?

 

[djm]

API's nitrate test results vary greatly if you don't follow the instructions properly. also, were you adding bacteria(bottled) daily or just one or two times?

Hi Sam816

I added the Microbe-Lift Special Blend as per the instructions which was a lager does day one and then smaller does on day 8, 15 and 22.

with the Dr Tim’s I added the whole 2oz bottle in one go as the instructions say “Best to use the entire contents at one time”

 

[JoaoMP]

hey @djm,
Any updates?

 

[Dan_P]

API's nitrate test results vary greatly if you don't follow the instructions properly. also, were you adding bacteria(bottled) daily or just one or two times?

Nitrate results mean nothing as long as nitrite is present.

 

[djm]

hey @djm,
Any updates?

Hi JoaoMP,

ive actually let it run for another week. I took some more readings at it looked like there was some activity starting so as I’m in no rush I thought I’d just see how things progressed over the week. Ammonia has now come right down, Nitrites and Nitrates are high. I’ve attached my recent results.

I’m going to change out all of the water this weekend.

 

[JoaoMP]

Thank you for the detailed update !

I am cycling my tank with the same brand of bacteria and I got similar results after one week, so I am curious to see if I will see the same results you had on week 2.

Keep us posted please
Cheers

 

[djm]

Thank you for the detailed update !

I am cycling my tank with the same brand of bacteria and I got similar results after one week, so I am curious to see if I will see the same results you had on week 2.

Keep us posted please
Cheers

Good luck with your setup, the guys on this forum have been a great help for me. Will keep you posted.

 

[Sam816]

Hi JoaoMP,

ive actually let it run for another week. I took some more readings at it looked like there was some activity starting so as I’m in no rush I thought I’d just see how things progressed over the week. Ammonia has now come right down, Nitrites and Nitrates are high. I’ve attached my recent results.

I’m going to change out all of the water this weekend.

congratulations on the cycle.
let the real stress begin
do a partial water change. let nitrites & nitrates come down but not close to zero. if you change out all the water bacteria strains responsible for converting nitrites to nitrates won't have food to grow.

 

[djm]

congratulations on the cycle.
let the real stress begin
do a partial water change. let nitrites & nitrates come down but not close to zero. if you change out all the water bacteria strains responsible for converting nitrites to nitrates won't have food to grow.

Thanks for the advice Sam816. What % of a water change would you suggest, 50%.

also will I be Ok still add livestock with a partial water change?

 

[Sam816]

50% should be ok. wait another week for nitrites to go down to zero. in the mean time buy the fish and put it in an observation tank. what fish are you getting?

 

[djm]

50% should be ok. wait another week for nitrites to go down to zero. in the mean time buy the fish and put it in an observation tank. what fish are you getting?

I’m looking to get a couple of clowns, and a small clean up crew (2 or 3 hermits, and a few snails)