Cycling an Aquarium

[Brew12]

I haven't added anything for an ammonia source, in my previous tanks I simply added live rock and let the cycle do its thing.

If you haven't added an ammonia source you have something unintentionally decaying in your tank to be creating the nitrate. I could be dried biological material on the dry rock that is rehydrating and rotting.

 

[Lewism11]

Could be right, I'm just wanting to make sure it is normal to not see nitrites even though I see ammonia and nitrates.

 

[Brew12]

Could be right, I'm just wanting to make sure it is normal to not see nitrites even though I see ammonia and nitrates.

Yup. No problem at all. Just like you never see much ammonia in a healthy reef tank. It's still produced, its just that it is consumed and converted before building up to measurable levels.

 

[Lewism11]

Thanks for the confirmation, I just tested again and ammonia is up to 1 ppm and nitrates up to about 8. Still no nitrites. The cycle continues...

 

[Brew12]

Thanks for the confirmation, I just tested again and ammonia is up to 1 ppm and nitrates up to about 8. Still no nitrites. The cycle continues...

Sounds like you have a lot of decaying matter that is breaking down in your tank. You may want to keep on eye on phosphates, too. Don't be too surprised if you are fighting algae early in your systems life.

 

[canadianeh]

I'm not aware of a way to test it, but it's normally a very minor way to reduce nitrates anyway. I don't know of anyone that uses it as a major way to export nitrate.

Day 12
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 50

Day 13
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 50

Day 14
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 2
Nitrates 100
Dosed 1.5 ppm of ammonia

Day 15
Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite 1
Nitrates 50

Today day 15 my ammonia still showing 1.5 ppm. I dosed 1.5 ppm on day 14. Nitrates seems to went down by 50% and so Nitrite. I am puzzled ?!>?

 

[Brew12]

Day 12
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 50

Day 13
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 50

Day 14
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 2
Nitrates 100
Dosed 1.5 ppm of ammonia

Day 15
Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite 1
Nitrates 50

Today day 15 my ammonia still showing 1.5 ppm. I dosed 1.5 ppm on day 14. Nitrates seems to went down by 50% and so Nitrite. I am puzzled ?!>?

Why are you puzzled? Your nitrates actually went up, but the reading went down because your nitrites went down.

 

[canadianeh]

Why are you puzzled? Your nitrates actually went up, but the reading went down because your nitrites went down.

Isn't it when Nitirite goes down then Nitrate goes up? Mine moved at the same time (both went down). Also, It is day 15 and 24 hours later my ammonia still reads the same 1.5 ppm. So my tank never cycled in the past two weeks?

 

[Brew12]

Isn't it when Nitirite goes down then Nitrate goes up? Mine moved at the same time (both went down). Also, It is day 15 and 24 hours later my ammonia still reads the same 1.5 ppm. So my tank never cycled in the past two weeks?

Give the ammonia another day to see what happens.

I thought we had already discussed this, but I could be wrong. A nitrate test works by breaking nitrate down into nitrite and then measuring nitrite. If you have any nitrite in your system the nitrate test will read high.

 

[canadianeh]

Give the ammonia another day to see what happens.

I thought we had already discussed this, but I could be wrong. A nitrate test works by breaking nitrate down into nitrite and then measuring nitrite. If you have any nitrite in your system the nitrate test will read high.

Sorry. I think you did explain that. Ok I will give it another day.

 

[canadianeh]

Give the ammonia another day to see what happens.

I thought we had already discussed this, but I could be wrong. A nitrate test works by breaking nitrate down into nitrite and then measuring nitrite. If you have any nitrite in your system the nitrate test will read high.

So another day another test, ammonia still shows 1.5 and Ni and Na went back up? Something is off with my ammonia test kit or what else?

Day 16
Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite 2
Nitrates 100

 

[Brew12]

So another day another test, ammonia still shows 1.5 and Ni and Na went back up? Something is off with my ammonia test kit or what else?

Day 16
Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite 2
Nitrates 100

It's a hobby level test kit, they aren't going to be very accurate. There is also human error, we may not always fill the sample with the exact same amount of water. Droplet sizes of reagents can change. Lots of variables. I think you are still on the right path.

 

[brandon429]

non seneye testing has caused a massive, decades-long setback on being able to observe what ammonia does in a reef tank. Thankfully, we can scan logs from working seneye owners now and tell just fine how it works, and, it doesnt range in aquariums meeting certain submersion proofs (like your benthic growths) when in the presence of rocks and sand (powerful surface area)

your tank is fine, and the cycle is fine, and any new fish you add will live.

the # issue with non seneye test kits is they're not calibrated to the consistent low level free ammonia that all reef tanks convert, they're calibrated to zero and there isn't a zero ammonia measure. in my opinion that allows for just tons of variation, on a param that we have found not to vary much at all when digitally-metered. you added boosters that people use to get marine convention tanks to all start on time, without variation. yours can do that now, that a non seneye test kit doesnt agree means nothing. what it comes down to is some test kits work, some dont show low level can-start dates reliably, but all brands will show a dead fish spiking in the water/its low level measures we must use seneye to truly observe.

*reefs dont vary in ammonia control after this many days

search out anyones seneye cycling logs you'll see.

 

[Lewism11]

So I'm back again. Today I had readings of 2.0ppm for ammonia 0ppm for nitrites and 8ish ppm for nitrates. With ammonia rising faster and nitrates haven't budged. It's driving me crazy not reading any nitrites but having both ammonia and nitrates. Ugh!

 

[Brew12]

So I'm back again. Today I had readings of 2.0ppm for ammonia 0ppm for nitrites and 8ish ppm for nitrates. With ammonia rising faster and nitrates haven't budged. It's driving me crazy not reading any nitrites but having both ammonia and nitrates. Ugh!

What you are seeing isn't an issue, your system just isn't in balance yet. All this means is that you have a bacteria population that is better at converting nitrite to nitrate than is converting ammonia to nitrite.

I would be more concerned that your ammonia is still rising despite not intentionally adding an ammonia source.

 

[canadianeh]

It's a hobby level test kit, they aren't going to be very accurate. There is also human error, we may not always fill the sample with the exact same amount of water. Droplet sizes of reagents can change. Lots of variables. I think you are still on the right path.

Okay. Now I am starting to doubt myself on the use of syringe that came with the Salifert test kit. On the smaller syringe with black rubber in it, do I use the back of the rubber or the front of the rubber to measure? Assuming the front rubber is the one closer to the tip of the syringe and the back is the one closer to the puller.

 

[Brew12]

Okay. Now I am starting to doubt myself on the use of syringe that came with the Salifert test kit. On the smaller syringe with black rubber in it, do I use the back of the rubber or the front of the rubber to measure? Assuming the front rubber is the one closer to the tip of the syringe and the back is the one closer to the puller.

You would use the front one, closer to the tip. It doesn't really matter though as long as you are consistent. Whatever you use as the "full" needs to be the same spot you stop at "empty".

 

[canadianeh]

You would use the front one, closer to the tip. It doesn't really matter though as long as you are consistent. Whatever you use as the "full" needs to be the same spot you stop at "empty".

ok. I have been using the front one. I followed it to the letter too. Either something wrong with the kit, or I don't have enough bacteria that eats ammonia yet even after 2 weeks. Brandon429 is confident that my tank is cycled and fish will be okay and insured my tank lol. How about your opinion? Should I wait longer until the ammonia is 0 and don't add anymore ammonia yet and no WC yet?

 

[Brew12]

ok. I have been using the front one. I followed it to the letter too. Either something wrong with the kit, or I don't have enough bacteria that eats ammonia yet even after 2 weeks. Brandon429 is confident that my tank is cycled and fish will be okay and insured my tank lol. How about your opinion? Should I wait longer until the ammonia is 0 and don't add anymore ammonia yet and no WC yet?

You dosed ammonia up to 1.5ppm and it has stayed there. Could fish potentially survive? Sure. Would I add fish? Absolutely not.
The fact you did a controlled addition to get to 1.5ppm confirms this is not a false positive reading.

 

[canadianeh]

You dosed ammonia up to 1.5ppm and it has stayed there. Could fish potentially survive? Sure. Would I add fish? Absolutely not.
The fact you did a controlled addition to get to 1.5ppm confirms this is not a false positive reading.

True. Otherwise the test kit will not read it at all or the result would be completely out of whacked. It is strange that I still don't have enough bacteria that eats ammonia. I dumped the whole bottle in. Maybe because of the defective 3 years old ammonia bottle? The bacteria was never "fed" with enough ammonia?

When do I do large WC? when the nitrite and ammonia reads 0?