(another) new tank startup cycling

backintothereef · Jan 8, 2023

Started up a Fluval evo (stock) a little over a week ago.

Going fishless cycling with Dr. Tims. Added one and only last week. Following instructions, ammonia was reading 1 since I was using live sand didn't add any other ammonium chloride. The one and only took care of the ammonia fast, but nitrites didn't go up. Nitrates stayed around 5. Thursday I dosed the to 2ppm ammonia to see how it handled in 24 hours. Sure enough the ammonia was taken care of, but nitrites went to 2, nitrates pegged the 160 on the API kit (realize may be false high with the nitrites). Since then ammonia has stayed at 0, nitrites slowly came down to 0.25, Nitrates are staying at 10. Today, nitrites rose to 1, everything else stayed the same.

I'm going to let it go and do it's own thing, but should I add a little more ammonia to the tank? Do a water change at this point? Get and add another dose of one and only?

Thanks!

Jekyl · Jan 8, 2023

backintothereef said:
Started up a Fluval evo (stock) a little over a week ago.

Going fishless cycling with Dr. Tims. Added one and only last week. Following instructions, ammonia was reading 1 since I was using live sand didn't add any other ammonium chloride. The one and only took care of the ammonia fast, but nitrites didn't go up. Nitrates stayed around 5. Thursday I dosed the to 2ppm ammonia to see how it handled in 24 hours. Sure enough the ammonia was taken care of, but nitrites went to 2, nitrates pegged the 160 on the API kit (realize may be false high with the nitrites). Since then ammonia has stayed at 0, nitrites slowly came down to 0.25, Nitrates are staying at 10. Today, nitrites rose to 1, everything else stayed the same.

I'm going to let it go and do it's own thing, but should I add a little more ammonia to the tank? Do a water change at this point? Get and add another dose of one and only?

Thanks!

Water change and a fish imo.

Mr. Mojo Rising · Jan 8, 2023

Looks very nice. Maybe consider to point the powerhead upwards instead of downwards, to get some surface agitation. Or add another powerhead to be aimed upward.