Cycling Tank

[vetteguy53081]

Gotcha, I’m just worried that nitrites are sky high right now

Youre likely Ok. If they were, that would reflect on the nitrate levels

 

[Hetts]

Youre likely Ok. If they were, that would reflect on the nitrate levels

Next morning:

ammonia 0
Nitrite 5ppm+
nitrate 20-40ppm

looks like some nitrites got converted to nitrates but still lots of nitrites present

 

[Stephen8169301]

Next morning:

ammonia 0
Nitrite 5ppm+
nitrate 20-40ppm

looks like some nitrites got converted to nitrates but still lots of nitrites present

Is this after water change?

 

[Hetts]

Is this after water change?

No, I just let it be and ended up not doing one

 

[Bruttall]

5ppm Nitrite is kind of a good sign, if it was Nitrate I'd worry, but nitrite is getting converted to nitrate by the bacteria. You're good in the cycle process. Soon as your Nitrite gets below .50 you should see Nitrates. You could add a pair of ocellarus clown fish then. 2 reasons they are cheap, and they are hardy. Test your Ammonia and Nitrate levels daily or even 2x a day, when you see them rise with fish in, 30% water change. Picture of my 60day old Fish In cycled tank. I did 2x 30% water changes for the first 45 days. I am down to 30% once a week now and I do not need to change, parameters are good, but I get nutrients back into my water column with water changes and I enjoy the routine.

 

[Stephen8169301]

Do a 30% water change give it a week feed the tank and see where that puts you then take water to a lfs if you have one and get tested

 

[Bruttall]

Is this after water change?

only way to remove those nitrates is water change. Change out 50%. test again tomorrow, if parameters match what I advised above, your good to go.

 

[Hetts]

5ppm Nitrite is kind of a good sign, if it was Nitrate I'd worry, but nitrite is getting converted to nitrate by the bacteria. You're good in the cycle process. Soon as your Nitrite gets below .50 you should see Nitrates. You could add a pair of ocellarus clown fish then. 2 reasons they are cheap, and they are hardy. Test your Ammonia and Nitrate levels daily or even 2x a day, when you see them rise with fish in, 30% water change. Picture of my 60day old Fish In cycled tank. I did 2x 30% water changes for the first 45 days. I am down to 30% once a week now and I do not need to change, parameters are good, but I get nutrients back into my water column with water changes and I enjoy the routine.

I’m seeing nitrates with 5+ppm of nitrite though, I have had the tank setup for 2 weeks. No water change done yet

 

[Hetts]

only way to remove those nitrates is water change. Change out 50%. test again tomorrow, if parameters match what I advised above, your good to go.

Will do 30-50% water change and test again tomorrow

 

[Bruttall]

Will do 30-50% water change and test again tomorrow

Might want to test for 2 or 3 days before fish, that is a lot of nitrite still present with tons of nitrates. Since the nitrite will become nitrate, those levels need to drop as well. But you're real close.

 

[Stephen8169301]

@Hetts keep us posted!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Next morning:

ammonia 0
Nitrite 5ppm+
nitrate 20-40ppm

looks like some nitrites got converted to nitrates but still lots of nitrites present

All this recommendation to change water, unnecessary. Wait another day and test again. If you are cycling, this happens. . . the levels will go up and down and when ammonia is settled for 5 days and nitrate is 20 or below- you are good to go. Again- Do not worry about Nitrite.
If using Api kits- you likely have false readings.

 

[twentyleagues]

So I'm just starting to get back in after 12 years. Some thing have changed greatly. I've had fish tanks most of my life in one form or another. Last time I did a reef I used live rock. I did add another tank to that system of roughly the same volume using dry rock but I just plumbed it in and didn't look back it was basically a large water change.

This time around I'm starting with all dry rock and sand so I've been researching. I'm going to have to find all the desirable hitch hikers and add them at the right time. I also know that it's almost impossible to not add things like apstasia when bringing frags in. Unless you have a coral qt and even then it seems they find a way. Lucky for me my lfs qts most of their fish and I know which ones are not.

So to my point (sorry I'm long winded some times) during my research I recently came up on this thread.

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

Updated Cycling Science in Action This is a testless reef tank cycling thread, the only one from any board. If you ever had trouble with reef tank cycling in the past, you won't any longer after working some jobs with us. chances are you are using/about to use a method of reef tank cycling...

www.reef2reef.com

I don't know anyone here really and like all internet info you need to take this with a grain of salt. This blew my mind. Is this accurate? Can I trust it? Can you? I don't know. I know how off liquid tests can be. I've personally run multiple tests with api and salifert against each other and come up with different results. Case in point api nitrate test don't shake that bottle enough 1 time and the rest of your tests are not accurate. Might as well pitch it. What's enough.....?
I just thought you may be able to get something from that thread.

 

[Hetts]

All this recommendation to change water, unnecessary. Wait another day and test again. If you are cycling, this happens. . . the levels will go up and down and when ammonia is settled for 5 days and nitrate is 20 or below- you are good to go. Again- Do not worry about Nitrite.
If using Api kits- you likely have false readings.

Okay, I’m done adding ammonia as no longer need to dose it

 

[vetteguy53081]

Okay, I’m done adding ammonia as no longer need to dose it

Ammonia should have been a one time application

 

[Hetts]

Ammonia should have been a one time application

I followed Dr Tim’s cycle, I’m a newby clearly lol it had me do 4 drops. Wait 2 days then add 4 more drops per each gallon (so I did 40 drops) I’m using a 13.5 EVO. Then I waited another 2 days and did 40 more drops per the instructions and haven’t dosed since in 3-4 days

 

[twentyleagues]

I followed Dr Tim’s cycle, I’m a newby clearly lol it had me do 4 drops. Wait 2 days then add 4 more drops per each gallon (so I did 40 drops) I’m using a 13.5 EVO. Then I waited another 2 days and did 40 more drops per the instructions and haven’t dosed since in 3-4 days

According to the thread I posted above when using Dr Tim's if you follow the directions you are ready for fish when the calender says you are. Regardless of nitrite readings if you show nitrates it's cycled. That goes against everything I have ever done. I've always waited for everything to be 0 except nitrate, do a water change and add fish slowly. That thread states nitrite isnt applicable in salt water....???? I found a few other things on this but nothing concrete. So many stalled cycle threads. I'm worried I'm about to go through it too.

 

[GatorGreg]

Him having a chunk of live rock he shouldn’t have added any ammonia at all. If he bought live rock at a store that was already wet and brought it home and put it in his tank. His tank had a bio filter instantly. The bio filter needs to grow as his tank grows yes. But his tank was capable of processing ammonia from the moment he put the live sand and chunk of live rock.

I’m flabbergasted at people buying live rock and then spiking their ammonia to 2ppm with dr Tim’s. It absolutely blows my mind and I have no clue how we’ve gotten here in the hobby. *facepalm*

was his tank ready to put a bunch of fish and coral and start heavy feeding. No

but it absolutely had a capable bio filter that could’ve taken a clean up crew and a fish.

 

[Stephen8169301]

Ammonia should have been a one time application

Would changing water slow the process down?

 

[GatorGreg]

Future readers of this thread. If you buy LIVE WET rock FORGET about the dr Tim’s fishless cycle stuff. It’s not for you

it’s for people using dead, dry and white rock and dry dead sand. Put your wet live sand and wet live rock in your tank and you’re rolling. Wait a week if you’d like but you’re ready now. The rock you bought has an established bio filter already. Yes your tank needs to adjust to every addition so go slow.