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- Sep 8, 2019
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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?
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?