Cycling issue

[stixs5758]

Hey everyone,

Newbie going about this for the first time. Growing up I had alot of freshwater tanks but wanted to finally give saltwater a try. I have a 40 gal tank that I had been setting up since august 16th water went in and I actually wanted to cycle this with live rock from kp aquatics. Have had that sitting and testing since. Saw the spike did the water changes and was reading 0 ammonia 0 nitrites for about 3 weeks. Decided to add fish I am now getting high ammonia .26. nitrites are .089 and nitrates are 10 which seem in range. phospate is also high at .5. I have a clean up crew of snails and water has seemed good. Any recommendations on trying anything besides another water change I did my last one on monday was planning another tomorrow.

 

[Fish Fan]

Hey everyone,

Newbie going about this for the first time. Growing up I had alot of freshwater tanks but wanted to finally give saltwater a try. I have a 40 gal tank that I had been setting up since august 16th water went in and I actually wanted to cycle this with live rock from kp aquatics. Have had that sitting and testing since. Saw the spike did the water changes and was reading 0 ammonia 0 nitrites for about 3 weeks. Decided to add fish I am now getting high ammonia .26. nitrites are .089 and nitrates are 10 which seem in range. phospate is also high at .5. I have a clean up crew of snails and water has seemed good. Any recommendations on trying anything besides another water change I did my last one on monday was planning another tomorrow.

Welcome to Reef2Reef! Your tank looks great!

There's nothing to worry about here If you started with real live rock from KP, you tank was more or less instantly cycled. You may have had a small mini cycle, but you're largely good to go. An ammonia concentration of about 0.25 ppm isn't dangerous at all, and is likely just your tank adjusting to the new bioload from adding fish. I believe it will catch up quickly.

Here's a post from RHF, one of R2R's most well respected members, on ammonia in our tanks:

Ammonia is Our Friend!

Ammonia is Our Friend By Randy Holmes-Farley Yes, I know the title is provocative, and likely goes against much of what you read and hear in the reef aquarium hobby. I believe, however, that the hobby may have been harmed by the continual...

www.reef2reef.com

From the above, RHF writes:
"4. Toxic levels of ammonia are just not reached in typical operating reef aquaria. Seeing a measured value of 0.2 ppm, whether real or test error, is not a concern. It may be a benefit."

And nitrite is non toxic in saltwater aquaria (though it is toxic in freshwater tasks!) so it's absolutely nothing to worry about. Here's another article from RHF discussing nitrite toxicity marine aquaria:

Nitrite Toxicity

Hey guys I have an aquarium system that has about 45gallons of water cycling so I Let it cycle for about week and I added seeded marine pure ceramic balls and the bacteria in a bottle. I had no choice but to add my 2 clownfish from my quarantine into the tank.. because I needed to put a sick...

www.reef2reef.com

I hope that helps and good luck!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone,

Newbie going about this for the first time. Growing up I had alot of freshwater tanks but wanted to finally give saltwater a try. I have a 40 gal tank that I had been setting up since august 16th water went in and I actually wanted to cycle this with live rock from kp aquatics. Have had that sitting and testing since. Saw the spike did the water changes and was reading 0 ammonia 0 nitrites for about 3 weeks. Decided to add fish I am now getting high ammonia .26. nitrites are .089 and nitrates are 10 which seem in range. phospate is also high at .5. I have a clean up crew of snails and water has seemed good. Any recommendations on trying anything besides another water change I did my last one on monday was planning another tomorrow.

How are you testing the water?
When ammonia rises then falls and holds a steady reading of Zero for at least 5 days and also nitrate rises and falls and holds at 20 or below- you are cycled.
Did you add ammonia chloride or something to increase ammonia initially ?

 

[stixs5758]

Hey everyone,

Newbie going about this for the first time. Growing up I had alot of freshwater tanks but wanted to finally give saltwater a try. I have a 40 gal tank that I had been setting up since august 16th water went in and I actually wanted to cycle this with live rock from kp aquatics. Have had that sitting and testing since. Saw the spike did the water changes and was reading 0 ammonia 0 nitrites for about 3 weeks. Decided to add fish I am now getting high ammonia .26. nitrites are .089 and nitrates are 10 which seem in range. phospate is also high at .5. I have a clean up crew of snails and water has seemed good. Any recommendations on trying anything besides another water change I did my last one on monday was planning another tomorrow.

How are you testing the water?
When ammonia rises then falls and holds a steady reading of Zero for at least 5 days and also nitrate rises and falls and holds at 20 or below- you are cycled.
Did you add ammonia chloride or something to increase ammonia initially ?

I have been using hanna checkers for the readings. I didnt add ammonia chloride because I read on here I should of been good with the live rock so its also why I waited so long to add anything in. I was waiting for any new spikes and haven’t really had them. I just was mostly worried about it not being cycled with the fish now in but at least feel a little better I should be ok from there.

 

[stixs5758]

Hey everyone,

Newbie going about this for the first time. Growing up I had alot of freshwater tanks but wanted to finally give saltwater a try. I have a 40 gal tank that I had been setting up since august 16th water went in and I actually wanted to cycle this with live rock from kp aquatics. Have had that sitting and testing since. Saw the spike did the water changes and was reading 0 ammonia 0 nitrites for about 3 weeks. Decided to add fish I am now getting high ammonia .26. nitrites are .089 and nitrates are 10 which seem in range. phospate is also high at .5. I have a clean up crew of snails and water has seemed good. Any recommendations on trying anything besides another water change I did my last one on monday was planning another tomorrow.

Welcome to Reef2Reef! Your tank looks great!

There's nothing to worry about here If you started with real live rock from KP, you tank was more or less instantly cycled. You may have had a small mini cycle, but you're largely good to go. An ammonia concentration of about 0.25 ppm isn't dangerous at all, and is likely just your tank adjusting to the new bioload from adding fish. I believe it will catch up quickly.

Here's a post from RHF, one of R2R's most well respected members, on ammonia in our tanks:

Ammonia is Our Friend!

Ammonia is Our Friend By Randy Holmes-Farley Yes, I know the title is provocative, and likely goes against much of what you read and hear in the reef aquarium hobby. I believe, however, that the hobby may have been harmed by the continual...

www.reef2reef.com

From the above, RHF writes:
"4. Toxic levels of ammonia are just not reached in typical operating reef aquaria. Seeing a measured value of 0.2 ppm, whether real or test error, is not a concern. It may be a benefit."

And nitrite is non toxic in saltwater aquaria (though it is toxic in freshwater tasks!) so it's absolutely nothing to worry about. Here's another article from RHF discussing nitrite toxicity marine aquaria:

Nitrite Toxicity

Hey guys I have an aquarium system that has about 45gallons of water cycling so I Let it cycle for about week and I added seeded marine pure ceramic balls and the bacteria in a bottle. I had no choice but to add my 2 clownfish from my quarantine into the tank.. because I needed to put a sick...

www.reef2reef.com

I hope that helps and good luck!

This is alot of help I really appreciate it. This forum has been amazing with all of the questions I have searched over the last couple of months I would be lost without the community so really truly grateful.

 

[BonnieB]

Welcome to our R2R family!

 

[Fish Fan]

This is alot of help I really appreciate it. This forum has been amazing with all of the questions I have searched over the last couple of months I would be lost without the community so really truly grateful.

I'm glad I was of some help

You were correct that you shouldn't add ammonium chloride to a tank with real, wet live rock.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have been using hanna checkers for the readings. I didnt add ammonia chloride because I read on here I should of been good with the live rock so its also why I waited so long to add anything in. I was waiting for any new spikes and haven’t really had them. I just was mostly worried about it not being cycled with the fish now in but at least feel a little better I should be ok from there.

Youre likely cycled