Help? Cycled too fast?

[ZachariahBeanz]

If you got around 2 ppm of ammonia yesterday your tank is still cycling.

Oh Oop, not yesterday, I got 2ppm 2 days ago

 

[crazyfishmom]

Oh Oop, not yesterday, I got 2ppm 2 days ago

Is ammonia NOW 0.25 on API test? If not then please continue to cycle tank prior to adding fish.

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

Oh Oop, not yesterday, I got 2ppm 3 days ago

 

[ZachariahBeanz]

Is ammonia NOW 0.25 on API test? If not then please continue to cycle tank prior to adding fish.

Sorry, yeah, the ammonia was reading 0.25ppm yesterday, and was reading 2pmm 3 days ago

 

[crazyfishmom]

Sorry, yeah, the ammonia was reading 0.25ppm yesterday, and was reading 2pmm 3 days ago

Ok, good. Your tank is cycled.

 

[ScottJ]

Then again, whats the rush? You are just starting a very long journey with many many ups and downs. The best path to success is to have patience.

Why not go haunt your LFS's and learn what's available in your area? Look at fish that interest you and research them.

You could order a better nitrate kit and get a better handle on parameters. Don't know which kits to use? Plenty of info here and other places.

Corals....

Corals!

My point is, whats the rush?

 

[lil sumpin]

Maybe try dosing up to 2ppm ammonia again and see how fast it decreases to .25 or an even lower range? Turbo start is some quick acting stuff. I used it to start my cycle and saw nitrates within the next few days. From the sound of it, seems your tank is cycled but as others have said it’s probably good to proceed slowly. I agree with Scott, what’s the rush?

 

[reinert]

Then again, whats the rush? You are just starting a very long journey with many many ups and downs. The best path to success is to have patience.

Why not go haunt your LFS's and learn what's available in your area? Look at fish that interest you and research them.

You could order a better nitrate kit and get a better handle on parameters. Don't know which kits to use? Plenty of info here and other places.

Corals....

Corals!

My point is, whats the rush?

You mentioned better nitrate reading kits..do you have a recommendation? I'm on the hunt for more information before I add corals. Now that my 15g tank has cycled and everything seems happy. I'll do more research and get better tools before adding anything else. So please a recommendation for a better nitrate test kit. Thank you!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

You mentioned better nitrate reading kits..do you have a recommendation? I'm on the hunt for more information before I add corals. Now that my 15g tank has cycled and everything seems happy. I'll do more research and get better tools before adding anything else. So please a recommendation for a better nitrate test kit. Thank you!

Hanna first choice, Salifert second.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I agree with @WalkerLoves_TheOcean on kit choices and with previous posters saying that this shouldn’t be a rushed endeavor.

 

[JonnyBreefin]

Nitrates seem to be around 10ppm

Be sure to shake API Nitrate bottle #2 really good before adding.

 

[ScottJ]

You mentioned better nitrate reading kits..do you have a recommendation? I'm on the hunt for more information before I add corals. Now that my 15g tank has cycled and everything seems happy. I'll do more research and get better tools before adding anything else. So please a recommendation for a better nitrate test kit. Thank you!

I use Salifert for nitrate, phosphate, and calcium. Hanna for alk. I'm thinking of getting a Hanna for N&P because I really don't like color charts. I'm a little color blind to some reds, at least that's what those color tests with the dots and numbers tell me.

 

[ScottJ]

Be sure to shake API Nitrate bottle #2 really good before adding.

I read a while ago, in a fresh water forum, I think, that you had to shake the API Nitrate #2 bottle vigorously for at least 3 minutes to get an accurate result from the test. Also, you had to shake the test tube like crazy for a full minute. I did that a few times on my fresh water tank. Then I stopped testing Nitrate on it.

 

[AquaLogic]

Nitrates seem to be around 10ppm

If you add ammonia, and it turns into nitrate, you are cycled.

 

[Reef By Steele]

If you only dosed ammonia once I would be hesitant to say it is cycled. From most of the cycling threads on here it is my understanding that you should raise the ammonia back to 2.0 every day until it reduces it to approximately zero in 24 hours or less.

A pair of clowns would probably be fine to add, but as others have said a little wait wouldn’t hurt anything. Just get small clowns, about the same size unless they are already paired, then you will get to watch one become the dominant female. Kind of fun.

As for test kits, I can never determine a which color it really is, so I use Hanna digital on all my tests.

Have fun. Reefing is an awesome journey.

 

[Swbvegas]

Then again, whats the rush? You are just starting a very long journey with many many ups and downs. The best path to success is to have patience.

Why not go haunt your LFS's and learn what's available in your area? Look at fish that interest you and research them.

You could order a better nitrate kit and get a better handle on parameters. Don't know which kits to use? Plenty of info here and other places.

Corals....

Corals!

My point is, whats the rush?

This. 100% this.

Wait a month. Do weekly water changes, see if your numbers are balanced and then add.

 

[Cell]

Fritzyme turbostart works as advertised.

 

[Jekyl]

If you only dosed ammonia once I would be hesitant to say it is cycled. From most of the cycling threads on here it is my understanding that you should raise the ammonia back to 2.0 every day until it reduces it to approximately zero in 24 hours or less.

A pair of clowns would probably be fine to add, but as others have said a little wait wouldn’t hurt anything. Just get small clowns, about the same size unless they are already paired, then you will get to watch one become the dominant female. Kind of fun.

As for test kits, I can never determine a which color it really is, so I use Hanna digital on all my tests.

Have fun. Reefing is an awesome journey.

This method is to verify that the product used is functioning as it should. Once adding a product like fritz turbo, the tank should be able to handle a load. Adding ammonia, waiting, and testing is only to verify, not really further things along.

 

[Reef By Steele]

This method is to verify that the product used is functioning as it should. Once adding a product like fritz turbo, the tank should be able to handle a load. Adding ammonia, waiting, and testing is only to verify, not really further things along.

Thanks for the info. I have not
Used Fritz Turbo, but it is my understanding that adding ammonia until the tank
Cycles it in 24 hours, is not only to reinforce that the cycle is done, but that the cycle is also strong and the beneficial bacteria are taking hold and establishing attached colonies. I used Prodibio QuickStart to cycle our 210 gallon Red Sea, my build thread is under my original account @HankstankXXL750 and I believe it cycled in a matter of days adding pure ammonia, but I continued bumping to 2.0 for several days, then with super high nitrates I did an almost 100% water change as I was adding angels that came much larger than I expected, and to avoid territorial dispute I wanted to add all of them at one time. And wanted the tank to have enough bacteria to handle the load.

 

[Garf]

Thanks for the info. I have not
Used Fritz Turbo, but it is my understanding that adding ammonia until the tank
Cycles it in 24 hours, is not only to reinforce that the cycle is done, but that the cycle is also strong and the beneficial bacteria are taking hold and establishing attached colonies. I used Prodibio QuickStart to cycle our 210 gallon Red Sea, my build thread is under my original account @HankstankXXL750 and I believe it cycled in a matter of days adding pure ammonia, but I continued bumping to 2.0 for several days, then with super high nitrates I did an almost 100% water change as I was adding angels that came much larger than I expected, and to avoid territorial dispute I wanted to add all of them at one time. And wanted the tank to have enough bacteria to handle the load.

Nitrate would only really get to 100 ppm after adding 25 ish ppm ammonia. Unless you measure a zero nitrite reading, you never can be sure of the nitrate level, early on in a tanks life anyhow.