Do these numbers sound right?

[lennyd4]

I am in the process of cycling a 65 gallon tank. I am recording all of my tests about every 2 days. Tomorrow will mark the 2 week mark for the cycle. I have 50 lbs dry rock, 7 lbs live rock. I have been dosing tank with ammonia for a few days, also I added Dr Tims One and Only Nitrifying bacteria. So today, a day before the 2 week mark, these are my numbers.

Ammonia - 3 ppm
Nitrite - 1 ppm
Nitrate - 20 ppm

For some reason looking at those numbers doesn't seem right, I am using Mardel 5 in 1 test strips for the nitrite and nitrate, I dont really like them because its hard to tell but I ask 2 others opinions as well and saw the same colors.

 

[pumarjr]

ditch the 5 and 1's and grab some better test's.

 

[pumarjr]

if those numbers are accurate then something is a mist. granted your tank is still cycling, you should have first seen your ammonia spike, then start to decline, then your nitrites should have begun to rise, once they leveled out and started to fall, your nitrates would have began to rise telling you that your tank is cycled and ready for a partial water change, when I cycle tanks, i do not do water changes, it's my personal opinion that doing water changes during the cycling process slows it down due to you removing the beneficial bacteria that has been forming, now folks can say that it does not matter, but it must, if I can cycle a tank in 2 weeks where someone that is performing partial water changes takes 2-4 weeks, then something is going on. stop adding dead stuff, let your tank stabilize and it should be good to go.

 

[lennyd4]

you think I sholud stop adding ammonia to the tank .. i'm just adding pure ammonia. what other test kits can I get ? I can pick up an API liquid kit for Nitrates but I haven't seen one for nitrites

 

[pumarjr]

yes, STOP adding anything to your tank, your cycle is underway, you are now creating a toxic environment, while your levels are not extreme in any since, the process has started and now just needs time to complete. i'd recommend Salifert tests, if not available locally, i've used API before and their test are ok, just make sure that they are in date. But definitely, test strips are not that great at all.

 

[pumarjr]

what type of tank are you setting up? fish only, reef?

 

[lennyd4]

Yes I have realized that test strips are definitely not something for me . It will be a FO(WLR) , I put that in parenthesis because i have only 7 lbs of live rock and 50 dead or dry that will eventually turn into live rock

 

[pumarjr]

that live rock alone would have cycled your tank.

 

[lennyd4]

Test again today with better test kits

Ammonia - 2 ppm
Nitrite- 1.5 ppm
Nitrate 15 ppm

 

[pumarjr]

which kit did you go with? Also, remember since you are cycling with live rock, keep your tank fish free, bring your temp to about 80 degrees, perform 10% water changes with premixed saltwater every 3 days, in a week or two, your levels should have started to 0 out. once they do, do not go and buy all your fish at once, only put as much bio load in your tank that the tank can handle, one fish a week.

 

[pumarjr]

your ammonia is still high because of you adding straight ammonia. i'd perform a one time 20% w/c now to bring that down.

 

[lennyd4]

I will definitely keep my tank fish free during the cycling proccess, but why would I have to do water changes? I thought it was best off not doing them during the cycling period and do maybe a 10% after .