Cycle Help - Did I mess up?

[squarereefer]

Hey all, it's been years since I've cycled a tank and I am wondering if I have a problem. I started my new tank on 4/14/23, 75 gallon with all new dry rock, 40lbs dry + 20 lbs live sand. I have the tank running with no lights, no skimmer, no power heads (yet) but decent water movement from return pump, heater set to 78 degrees.

So far:

4/14 I added Microbacter QuikCycl to reach 1.5 ppm ammonia, nitrite/nitrate at 0 as expected. Added Microbacter Start XLM per label and began waiting.
4/19 First test - ammonia decreasing 1.00 ppm (API), 0 nitrite detected (API), hint of Nitrate (salifert). Dosed additional XLM per instructions.
4/24 Second test - Ammonia .5 ppm, Nitrite still 0, Nitrate ~5 ppm. Added additional XLM and left the country.
5/13 Back in country - Ammonia ~.25ppm, Nitrite 0, Nitrate between 5-10 ppm(between 5 / 10 on color card, closer to 5).

I really expected to find 0 ammonia and higher nitrates after a month. XLM claims a 7 day cycle, but I know that is overly optimistic. I am in no real hurry, other than have a friend scheduled to help me move contents of my existing tank to the new tank on 5/31.

Is it weird that I never saw Nitrite on my test kit? If i have Nitrate, I must have had Nitrite at some point? Would you expect Nitrate to be > than 5ish when starting with 1.5ppm ammonia? I wonder if the API kit is giving a false ammonia reading?

I can head out to the LFS today purchase a non API ammonia kit. I can also purchase an additional bottle of bacteria (different brand maybe?) if needed. I have additional QuickCycl (ammonia) left but I have not added any additional since day 1.

What should I do from here?

 

[brandon429]

its not broken its done. see this massive proof thread:

 

[brandon429]

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

non digital ammonia test kit readings (api, Red Sea, nyos, seachem badges) make you think you aren’t cycled when indeed you are if you owned a $200 expensive seneye meter, you’d never be doubting your cycle status. since .01% of the reefing population owns these, we need a way to help the...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[exnisstech]

Any time I see nitrates I consider it cycled. I don't even own an ammonia or nitrite test kit.
EDIT : just be sure and go slow when you start stocking.

 

[Propane]

I would turn the pumps on. But nothing you described seems off.

 

[Blopple]

I think @brandon429 nailed it there. I actually never said anything, but reading all your cycling stuff saved me a lot of grief over nothing, so thank you!

@squarereefer I went through a similar situation worrying about ammonia:nitrate after conversion. I think I saw there was a calculator out there you could use to check the conversion, but I'm not sure where.

 

[brandon429]

old cycling science was making it look like a broken cycle

this is how new cycling science differed: nitrite never factors in a reef tank cycle, don't own or run the kit for display cycling.

once you are past day ten of waiting after adding common cycling bac and feed, you're in the zone of no charted broken cycles on file using digital testing at any time. you're in the zone of all cycling charts that show ammonia in control after day ten, and never rising back up partially

all that you were reading was non digital test kit error. now you're into fish disease choice actually, how to prevent it, to skip it and take risks or to apply fallow and quarantine to win

want to see the ideal method to prevent fish disease in your new tank, now that it's ready to carry fish>

Has anyone done coral/inverts only and no fish at first?

Fish seem to be the main cause of disruption in a display tank, given the current circumstances in the hobby with pests (ich, velvet, parasites, etc.). I have been in this hobby for 18 years, and the amount of pests that are showing up lately is much more (could also be the fact that we have...

www.reef2reef.com

notice when he added fish: last not first

 

[squarereefer]

Thanks everyone, this is solid info! I also found a link thread that says 1 ppm ammonia = 3.6 ppm nitrate, so given my start at 1.5 ppm ammonia seeing 5 ish seems right.

How is this for a plan - I'll do a water change today to get the nitrates down a little, even though 5 is not terrible. I'll add some snails, and a couple frags of coral from my other tank and get the Noo-Psyche lights up and running at very low power and keep an eye on things. I'd love to move all the contents of my old tank (5 fish + corals) while I have help available on 5/31 but can wait if needed. Good plan?

 

[jabberwock]

I would move stuff over slowly. Do you have to do it all at once?

 

[squarereefer]

I would move stuff over slowly. Do you have to do it all at once?

Not really, other than wanting to get the old tank out of the house asap. It's a bit cramped in our living room with old + new tank. I also have a friend in town memorial day weekend thats knows more about tanks than I do and willing to put in the labor to finish the livestock move and get the old tank moved out of the house.