Cycling help please

[dwdoworkdw]

I once used years dead white Coral skeletons as a substrate for coralline algae. I assumed they would be pretty much blank, but in reality they had left over organic material that decayed and pushed my ammonia much higher than I was targeting in my small containers, maxing out my ammonia test.
So yes, I totally would believe that years dead rock from the garage could have plenty of organic material to generate those ammonia levels.

I freshwater cleaned them for about a day pretty good, but I guess I probably didn’t do a long enough. To be honest, I’m not sure if I rinse the substrate much because it was super super super fine. They were in containers close sealed containers but that might be it. What do you think I should do? Lol.

 

[dwdoworkdw]

What's the details on the used sand - potentially full of detritus or cleaned?

Not sure he had it stored in white Styrofoam containers for about eight years and his garage. I freshwater rinsed everything for quite a while before I started the cycle

 

[dwdoworkdw]

I have learned from my cycle that I would not jump on a chance to use dead rock again and if I must, I’ll bleach it or cook it in a can for months prior to use. I know a lot of people do it successfully but it’s been a headache for me.

I just figured sitting so long everything would’ve died off and calcified or whatever terminology they call it and all I need to do is rent it pretty good actually did that once before don’t judge me I had a piece of dry rock out in my mom‘s garden for about three years and I use that rock to cycle a 10 gallon nano not too long ago and it didn’t have any problems and I just threw that in the tank I didn’t even clean that one

 

[dwdoworkdw]

No. If you don’t add ammonia, it is unlikely that you would detect so much. The detection of nitrite as already observed is a sign that the ammonia, where ever it is coming from, is being consumed.

By the way, what is the pile of white stuff in the sump?

Good luck!

Filter floss to muffle the horrific design of the sump till I get everything added

 

[NanoNana]

I just figured sitting so long everything would’ve died off and calcified or whatever terminology they call it and all I need to do is rent it pretty good actually did that once before don’t judge me I had a piece of dry rock out in my mom‘s garden for about three years and I use that rock to cycle a 10 gallon nano not too long ago and it didn’t have any problems and I just threw that in the tank I didn’t even clean that one

I think mine just kept leaching ammonia and I may have been okay if I had just let the rock be the seed and not also done the Dr. Tim’s protocol. Probably sticking it in and just leaving it alone for a couple months would have worked just fine.

 

[taricha]

What do you think I should do? Lol.

It looks to me like the system is catching up and processing the nutrients so I would say all good and let it ride.
If nitrate climbs super high, then I would do water changes to export that excess waste nitrogen.

 

[lmfbs]

I freshwater cleaned them for about a day pretty good, but I guess I probably didn’t do a long enough. To be honest, I’m not sure if I rinse the substrate much because it was super super super fine. They were in containers close sealed containers but that might be it. What do you think I should do? Lol.

It looks to me like the system is catching up and processing the nutrients so I would say all good and let it ride.
If nitrate climbs super high, then I would do water changes to export that excess waste nitrogen.

I agree with taricha - just ride it out. It'll be fine. Like many people who start with dry rock, you're likely to have a tougher time with new tank uglies, but there's nothing inherently broken here.

 

[Freenow54]

Started a 40g breeder with 25g sump. The main display houses all my dry rock and substrate. The sump has a 3-4 pound rock and bio media from an established tank. My lfs suggested using seachem seed. I added as labeled and added a few fish pellets as well. I started testing amonia on day 3 and was reading about 5ppm (api test kit) days 5-6 ammonia was reading about the same but I also tested nitrites and they were at 0. I tested nitrate as well and they’re about 20ppm. So long story short I am 8 days into cycle and my readings are 6-8ppm ammonia, 0 nitrate, 10-20ppm nitrate. I’ve never cycled like this before and curious to where people think I am on my cycle. Should I do a water change to see if it drops the ammonia some? Did my nitrites convert to nitrates without me noticing and amonia doesn’t seem to be coming down at all. Also, I mixed my own salt and make my own rodi water testing at 0tds P.S I also have seachem stability because I don’t know much about seachem seed

I did not water change my readings did get confusing but you said nitrate twice assuming you meant0 nitrites? I followed the article I used and ammonia should change to nitrates in 24 hours. Are your lights on?!

 

[dwdoworkdw]

I did not water change my readings did get confusing but you said nitrate twice assuming you meant0 nitrites? I followed the article I used and ammonia should change to nitrates in 24 hours. Are your lights

It looks to me like the system is catching up and processing the nutrients so I would say all good and let it ride.
If nitrate climbs super high, then I would do water changes to export that excess waste nitrogen.

So levels of all showing at the same time ammonia, nitrite and nitrate is okay? I just tested ammonia a bit ago and it seems it has dropped a tad since yesterday so that makes me happy lol