Nitrogen cycle with zero everything?

[AnotherGrey]

Hello everyone.
I set up a quarantine tank with a 2-week-old filter sponge from my smaller tank (3 months, low bioload with 5 sexy shrimps and 2 snails.) and a display tank 10 days ago. I've been using the same bottled bacteria and nitrogen starter source from my country for both my display tank and my quarantine tank. The thing is, the display one seemed to have been cycling properly, but my bare bottom QT has no valid readings. In other words, my Nh3/NH4 and NO2 (Salifert test) levels are 0, and so is the NO3 (Sera). I don't get it. I threw half a hikari waffle a day ago and came back to check, but the readings for all of the above remained 0. What should I do? Is there something wrong with my tank?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How big is the QT tank? A few sexy shrimp and snails aren't going to produce much waste. If you have a larger QT tank, it might not be enough waste to even show on the test

 

[AnotherGrey]

How big is the QT tank? A few sexy shrimp and snails aren't going to produce much waste. If you have a larger QT tank, it might not be enough waste to even show on the test

Hello. Thank you for the quick response. The small tank is 4 gallons, while the QT is 8 gallons. The starter kit that I'm currently using for both my DT and QT already includes an ammonia source, so I don't see why the cycle hasn't started yet. I can also see the presence of little copepods after 10 days of not seeing any of them. Is there a way for me to make the reading more obvious? I added a hiraki waffle too, in hope of seeing Nh3/Nh4, yet to no avail. On a side note, I can't get my hands on any ammoniac solutions in my country, either.

 

[twentyleagues]

Have you tried testing the ammonia source from the kit? Maybe add a few drops or whatever the directions say to a fresh amount of water and test that for ammonia content. See if maybe its faulty or the test is?

 

[AnotherGrey]

Have you tried testing the ammonia source from the kit? Maybe add a few drops or whatever the directions say to a fresh amount of water and test that for ammonia content. See if maybe its faulty or the test is?

Thank you for the suggestion. I added the solution to the water, and I've got a reading of 0.5 mg/l from Sera and 0 from Salifert. I think the Salifert one is faulty, so I'll have a chat with the seller. Having said that, I tested the water with both test kits 2 days ago, and both gave me a reading of 0 ammonia half a day after I added the bottled bacteria and the ammoniac solution. Now I'm quite confuzzled. XD

 

[twentyleagues]

Thank you for the suggestion. I added the solution to the water, and I've got a reading of 0.5 mg/l from Sera and 0 from Salifert. I think the Salifert one is faulty, so I'll have a chat with the seller. Having said that, I tested the water with both test kits 2 days ago, and both gave me a reading of 0 ammonia half a day after I added the bottled bacteria and the ammoniac solution. Now I'm quite confuzzled. XD

Well you used seeded media (sponge filter) and are adding a bottled bacteria. So it is possible that at a relatively low ammonia level it has converted it. You should see some trace of nitrite or nitrate though. Can you cross check your test? Maybe if there is an lfs that will test the water?

 

[AnotherGrey]

Well you used seeded media (sponge filter) and are adding a bottled bacteria. So it is possible that at a relatively low ammonia level it has converted it. You should see some trace of nitrite or nitrate though. Can you cross check your test? Maybe if there is an lfs that will test the water?

Unfortunately, that kind of service isn't available where I live. Do you think the Seachem Alert badge would be more accurate (free ammonia) than the presumably fake Salifert test and the inaccurate-according-to-some-people Sera test? I can't afford the Hanna ones as they're super expensive here ($63/per). For a local Vietnamese, it's a luxury to own those.

 

[twentyleagues]

Unfortunately, that kind of service isn't available where I live. Do you think the Seachem Alert badge would be more accurate (free ammonia) than the presumably fake Salifert test and the inaccurate-according-to-some-people Sera test? I can't afford the Hanna ones as they're super expensive here ($63/per). For a local Vietnamese, it's a luxury to own those.

Might be. The Hannah are about the same here. I am guessing due to the difference in economics that $63 is more there. Salifert is usually a pretty good one although like you said if someone was to sell you a fake salifert then all bets are off.