New tank setup and doubts regarding cycling

[dart]

Hey everyone,

I’m from Berlin and glad to be part of the this amazing reef2reef community. I am new here and this is my first ever reef tank and super excited about the reefing journey ahead !

I picked up a used tank and equipments from someone upgrading to a bigger tank a couple of weeks ago.

Tank : Aquamedic Armatus 250 (approx 65 gallons)
Skimmer : Nyos 160
Lights : 2 x AI prime 16HD
Wavemaker: AI Nero 5
Fleece roller: MARINE CLEAN fleece roller
Heater : Aquamedic titanium 200watts
Return : Aquamedic DC runner 3.3
Temp controller : Aquamedic T controller twin.
Rocks - Aquaforest AF rock
Sand : Caribsea special grade
Salt : Nyos pure

Tank has been setup for 10 days now and no equipments other than return pump and wavemaker and running. For starter bacteria I am using Microbe-Lift Nite-Out II and Aquaforest Bio S. I also used a locally available pure ammonia recommended for aquarium. I was unable to source Dr Tims ammonium chloride here. I was able to get the ammonia to .5ppm as per Salifert test kit. On day 5 the ammonia dropped to zero and nitrates were between 50 and 70.

I am on day 10 now with nitrates showing around 100 and I have not tested nitrites yet. Am i doing this wrong by not testing nitrites? I understand that nitrites can give false reading for nitrates.

Should i do a water change to bring down nitrates and then dose ammonia again to see if it drops back to zero?

Please let me know if there is anything that I should be doing different.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

I'd try ammonia once more and if it drops to 0 then the cycle would seem complete. But it sounds like you may already be there with the nitrates increasing.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Welcome to R2R, btw

 

[dart]

Thanks for your response. So do i skip a water change now and just add ammonia to see if it drops? Should i be worried about nitrites?

 

[dart]

Here are a couple of images of the tank. Il post more when i have the sump equipments setup.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Thanks for your response. So do i skip a water change now and just add ammonia to see if it drops? Should i be worried about nitrites?

I'd skip the water change and see if it drops. You can test for nitrites but ammonia is dropping and nitrates are rising then the process is working. Your beneficial bacteria are on the tank/rock/substrate surfaces so a large water change at the end to lower nitrates would be what I would do.

 

[dart]

I'd skip the water change and see if it drops. You can test for nitrites but ammonia is dropping and nitrates are rising then the process is working. Your beneficial bacteria are on the tank/rock/substrate surfaces so a large water change at the end to lower nitrates would be what I would do.

Awesome. I will give it a try and see how it goes.