Cycling confusion - 47 days in

sideshowglazz · Mar 4, 2026

Hello! I'm new to reef keeping but have been having a lot of fun with it so far. I've read/watched just about everything on cycling but still have some confusion.

Info/Parameters:
Waterbox 35.2 AIO
Dry rock
Caribsea Fiji Pink Live Sand
6 seeded bio balls from LFS
Temp: 80 (thought it would speed the cycle)
PH: 8.2 (Salifert)
Salinity: 1.0256 (TM hydrometer)
Ammonia: 0 (API/Ammonia alert = safe)
Nitrite: 0.5 - 1 (Salifert)
Nitrate: 50 - last time NO2 was zero (Salifert)
Alk: 6.4 (Salifert)

I've had rock/sand underwater for almost 7 weeks. Dosed bottle of Dr. Tim's initially and Waterbox bacteria on occasion. I'm struggling with the 2ppm ammonia dose in 24 hours thing I see all over. I can get to 0 ammonia at like ~36 hours, but Nitrite is still reading around .75. I've done no water changes, no algae, no diatoms but rarely have lights on.

Do I keep pushing through until the 24 hour rule happens? Do I do a water change to reduce Nitrates/ boost alk and test the 24 hour rule again? Since I have Nitrates, am I close?

I appreciate any guidance!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 4, 2026

You are cycled and its time to move on and get a fish!

Nothing magic about 24 h ammonia drop. if you see 2 ppm to none in 36 h, definitely adequate. Stop dosing ammonia.

Nitrite is not important and not worth testing except to note that the nitrate is a false high reading from nitrite interference. There is no reason to wait to get to zero nitrite. It is not toxic at any level you could reach (taking hundreds of ppm to kill fish in marine systems).

sideshowglazz · Mar 4, 2026

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
You are cycled and its time to move on and get a fish!

Nothing magic about 24 h ammonia drop. if you see 2 ppm to none in 36 h, definitely adequate. Stop dosing ammonia.

Nitrite is not important and not worth testing except to note that the nitrate is a false high reading from nitrite interference. There is no reason to wait to get to zero nitrite. It is not toxic at any level you could reach (taking hundreds of ppm to kill fish in marine systems).

Thank you @Randy Holmes-Farley! I thought that might be the case, but didn't want to mess anything up. I really appreciate your response, as I'm finding out quickly you are a great source of knowledge here on R2R!!!