Cycling help question

[LesPoissons]

Hey all,
I’m cycling a 2g and it’s been years. I’m on day 7 of my fish less cycle with ammonia chloride and bottles bacteria. Ammonia started at 2ppm.
Ammonia is now maybe 0.5 and nitrites are 25 or more but it’s been like that for a couple
Days. Is this normal? The instructions say to do a water change if either ammonia or nitrite gets above 5ppm but I would have to change out almost all the water to get it that low. Is that what I do?
thanks!

 

[Quietman]

Well, you do have to manage nitrates at some point. A complete water change is fine, so is 50% and so would be 25%. Up to you on what level you want to maintain depending on type of tank, corals, etc. Keeping it below 5ppm during the cycle is to make sure ammonia/nitrites don't get too toxic and interfere with cycling - but 2 ppm NH3 and 25 ppm nitrate aren't going to hurt anything.

If you're using the API tests it never shows 0 ppm ammonia. Sounds like you're just about completely cycled and ready to go.

 

[LesPoissons]

It’s 25 ppm Nitrites

 

[Quietman]

It’s 25 ppm Nitrites

Apologies read that wrong. And no, you don't need to change the water unless you have fish in there (which you shouldn't). I've read where super high ammonia levels can be toxic to the bacteria, but nothing on nitrites. Plus if you change out all the water you'll remove the nitrites which will delay your cycle to produce nitrates. Bacteria gots to eat. . But if it's a concern, 50% won't impact much at all (if any - doubt you'd notice).

 

[Garf]

It’s 25 ppm Nitrites

What nitrite test kit you got? I didn’t know they went up that high. In fact I’m not sure it’s even possible chemically.

 

[LesPoissons]

What nitrite test kit you got? I didn’t know they went up that high. In fact I’m not sure it’s even possible chemically.

Its a sea chem one.

MultiTest - Nitrite & Nitrate

MultiTest Nitrite/Nitrate measures nitrite to less than 0.1 mg/L and nitrate to less than 0.2 mg/L. Nitrite is toxic and should be undetectable in any well established aquarium. During cycling, it may exceed 20 mg/L. On the other hand, nitrate is relatively non-toxic, but it is best to keep it...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

the only one i can find. The color chart is really open to interpretation

 

[LesPoissons]

so at this point its been 3 weeks. my NitRITES dropped to 0 (as far as I could tell) as did my ammonia. In order to test the cycle I added enough ammonium chloride to get the tank to 2ppm ammonia. 24 hours later, there is 0 ammonia but the nitRITES are still 25. According to the sheet I got, Im supposed to change out the water if the nitRITES go over 5 ppm.
So im confused. Is the tank cycled bc it already reached 0s? If so, shouldnt the NitRITES already be converted?

 

[dzeleski]

Do you have some flake/pellet food or even frozen food yet? Throw some in the tank. You may not have any carbon sources and its stalling the cycle. I would do a large water change and dose ammonia much lower, until its just detectable on the test, if it goes to zero over night and you see nitrates rise its safe to add a fish.

Nitrite in a marine environment is not nearly as dangerous as it is in freshwater to fish. I never even bothered to test for nitrite when I cycled my marine tanks because if you see nitrates rise you know the cycle is working. Make sure ammonia is 0 and nitrate increases when you add an ammonia source.

Its also possible you are not doing the nitrite test correctly, because 2ppm of ammonia should not produce 25 ppm of nitrite. 1 ppm ammonia -> 2.7 ppm nitrite -> 3.6 ppm nitrate.

 

[LesPoissons]

Ok. I will try water change and low dose ammonia... and also add food or no?
The test is extremely easy to use, it’s the color chart that it is outrageous to read.

 

[Ludders]

Just change out your water a bit to lower the nitrite, otherwise you'll have too much nitrate when the NOB catches up. How much nitrate have you got so far?
In terms of your cycle, you are almost there, if not already. By day 10 you will be guaranteed complete, regardless of what any test results suggest.

 

[dzeleski]

God that is a useless test color chart. I would recommend getting something else for nitrate specifically.

Water change, pinch of food, dose ammonia so it registers and wait to see nitrate increase and ammonia at 0.

 

[Ludders]

God that is a useless test color chart. I would recommend getting something else for nitrate specifically.

Water change, pinch of food, dose ammonia so it registers and wait to see nitrate increase and ammonia at 0.

Sorry I would have to disagree with dosing ammonia until it registers. The AOB will already be well established by now and you may risk over dosing ammonia to this level.
I do agree with water change and pinch of food though.
Any further advice here @brandon429

 

[LesPoissons]

Thank you all!!! OK I will do the water change for sure And check all levels. I have an Nyos kit for nitrates which I like a lot. Much easier to read. I’m registering about 8 for nitrates. I might just does enough ammonium chloride to make the tank 0.5ppm- Whether or not it registers the right level on my rest kit it- It will still need to get converted into nitrites and then nitrates So I should see the nitrates elevate. I might put in a tiny sprinkle of food too. No fish yet so I’m safe to mess around

 

[brandon429]

Agreed L it’s totally done, only time for a water change. The dates on the bottles have been met, and the test kits used here aren’t digital, so they’re about as accurate as posts we see across cycling threads (stuck for three times longer than bottle directions show)

digital testing for nh3 gives other worldly results compared to non digital ones. If the tank gets a full water change it’s ready two weeks or so ago

what the test kits show mean nothing as single point readings, the change was the proof. The motion not the final read. The motion happened when the bottle bac directions said it would

there is no harm in waiting an arbitrary time for the test kits to agree, weeks and weeks is ok the bac will not starve.

 

[Ludders]

I have been observing the results of cycling rock and affects of over dosing ammonia (purely by accident) myself these past 3 months.
I continued dosing ammonia when I should have stopped and it caused a nitrite spike.
None of this mattered to me because I am in no hurry to use the rock, which is still curing in a brute bin and nitrite isn't generally of concern in a marine setup anyway.
The main point I have observed is just how efficient the AOB is at converting ammonia.
As you are reading nitrates, this is a clear indication that your input (ammonia) has been converted through the nitrogen cycle.
Not sure how much water you can change in one go, but 20% would be okay. This will just help ensure you're not left with an outrageous amount of nitrates this time next week.
Excessive nitrates will lead to prolonged annoying ugly phases, which is why I am suggesting you don't need to add more ammonia.
As Brandon says, the AOB will not starve for several weeks if left without an ammonia source.