Day 15 of fishless cycle

[Freenow54]

Hello please help

I’m on day 15 of the fishless cycle. My ammonia is at 2.5 PPM while my nitrite is 1ppm. Narrates are at 40 ppm

Is my tank stalled? Or should I just continue to monitor and wait until ammonia is zero?

Mine did the same hang in there. According to my article you are not done until 2.5 ammonia gets converted in 24 hours

 

[Michael71]

Just wondering if I am doing it correctly or need to add anything. This is my first time

Gotcha, and that was a general statement GMA, i saw other posts about adding increased ammonia dosages and switching products mid stream. The reality of the cycle is your bacteria colonies will continue to develope based on the concentration level of the ammonia and nitrite in the tank (waste products). That is why even once your tank has cycled, it is best to add livestock slowly. As soon as you add fish, corals, food, you are increasing waste in your tank which will increase ammonia levels. again.... basically every time you increase bioload, you are starting another mini cycle.

There are a ton of products out there that are supposed to remove this, add that, speed this or the other process up......is there a time and place for it sure....IMO only in an emergency. If you manage your tank with them instead of allowing the ecosystem your are creating to manage itself....it only takes one missed dose or water change etc.... to cause a very disheartening and unfortunate system crash.

So just take your time, let the cycle continue watch for ammonia and nitrite levels to tail off....speifically ammonia. and then you will be ready to add critters slowly. I always started with my CUC. then gave it a couple weeks and add a single fish and a couple corals if you are doing a reef tank.

 

[gmavrom]

Thanks, I will be doing a reef tank and probably add 2 clowns first.

 

[Freenow54]

Gotcha, and that was a general statement GMA, i saw other posts about adding increased ammonia dosages and switching products mid stream. The reality of the cycle is your bacteria colonies will continue to develope based on the concentration level of the ammonia and nitrite in the tank (waste products). That is why even once your tank has cycled, it is best to add livestock slowly. As soon as you add fish, corals, food, you are increasing waste in your tank which will increase ammonia levels. again.... basically every time you increase bioload, you are starting another mini cycle.

There are a ton of products out there that are supposed to remove this, add that, speed this or the other process up......is there a time and place for it sure....IMO only in an emergency. If you manage your tank with them instead of allowing the ecosystem your are creating to manage itself....it only takes one missed dose or water change etc.... to cause a very disheartening and unfortunate system crash.

So just take your time, let the cycle continue watch for ammonia and nitrite levels to tail off....speifically ammonia. and then you will be ready to add critters slowly. I always started with my CUC. then gave it a couple weeks and add a single fish and a couple corals if you are doing a reef tank.

I agree I do not dose and don't like the idea of dealing with problems with chemicals. Some people wipe out their tank using algaecides. I do however have no truck with using media to remove things. That is why I like canister filters even though I have a sump. Amazing things happened when I added it, inverts and a filter recommended by Rich Ross, and I don't know but I wonder if coral effect things as well. My algae growth on the glass ect has slowed down huge. On my other tank I have coralline like crazy. Things looking up

 

[gmavrom]

Today is my 11th day of cycling. My Nitrate is 100, nitrite 5, and ammonia .75. What should I do? Should I add more Dr Tim Ammonia?

 

[jabberwock]

Today is my 11th day of cycling. My Nitrate is 100, nitrite 5, and ammonia .75. What should I do? Should I add more Dr Tim Ammonia?

Don't get clownfish... Ever. Stop adding garbage products to the tank. The answer you seek is "Real Ocean Live Rock".

 

[Michael71]

What did you use for a substrate? Is it bare bottom or did you use live sand? If sand how deep? Also is the aquascape dry rock or did you put in any actual live rock

 

[Michael71]

I personally would not add any more to the tank. Wait for your ammonia to bottom out, wait for nitrite to drop to around .05. Then do a water change to get your nitrates to around 5ppm. Add your cleanup crew and wait a couple weeks to add first fish or corals. How are you filtering your water? Fuge? Fleece roller? Canister? Have a protein skimmer?

 

[Poseidon03]

Hello please help

I’m on day 15 of the fishless cycle. My ammonia is at 2.5 PPM while my nitrite is 1ppm. Narrates are at 40 ppm

Is my tank stalled? Or should I just continue to monitor and wait until ammonia is zero?

Just a heads up, your ammonia may never hit 0 on an API test kit. They notoriously give false readings. Personally, I'd try to keep nitrates under 30 ppm while cycling and under 15 ppm post cycle to help limit the ugly stage coming up. You will hit it and will need to just power through it.

If you plan on getting corals, one thing to invest in early is a good test kit for nitrate and phosphate. Nios is a good manual one, but I personally prefer Hanna checkers for the accuracy.

 

[gmavrom]

I personally would not add any more to the tank. Wait for your ammonia to bottom out, wait for nitrite to drop to around .05. Then do a water change to get your nitrates to around 5ppm. Add your cleanup crew and wait a couple weeks to add first fish or corals. How are you filtering your water? Fuge? Fleece roller? Canister? Have a protein skimmer?

Right now, I have no filter used while cycling. I do have 2 filter socks, and I have a magtool N130 I will eventually install. I used live sand about 1.5 inches deep and dry rocks I made from my sea wall.

 

[gmavrom]

I personally would not add any more to the tank. Wait for your ammonia to bottom out, wait for nitrite to drop to around .05. Then do a water change to get your nitrates to around 5ppm. Add your cleanup crew and wait a couple weeks to add first fish or corals. How are you filtering your water? Fuge? Fleece roller? Canister? Have a protein skimmer?

What would the clean-up crew eat? I have 2 clowns in quarantine, and one has part of his tail damaged by the other

 

[Michael71]

Start with snails that eat algae and detritus. Astrea, trochus, cerith and nerites...they will clean the eventual diatom bloom and other nusaince algae. I think its nassarius that will turn your sand bed for you.

 

[Michael71]

I also second the motion to bag the API test kits. If the Hanna checkers are a little pricey for you I always used salifert

 

[gmavrom]

I will get Salifert. Should snails be quarantined?

 

[Michael71]

I never quarantined mine. I had 2 very good LFS stores That actually quarantined my fish for me for 30 days.

 

[Freenow54]

Today is my 11th day of cycling. My Nitrate is 100, nitrite 5, and ammonia .75. What should I do? Should I add more Dr Tim Ammonia?

According to my resource yes but make sure not over 5 ppm. I stayed at 4. When Ammonia and Nitrites are zero in a 24 hour period you are done. Then a large water change should be done. My nitrates never got that high. I had a skimmer running. The source states everything should be set up. I did not have my lights on as it caused algae problems

 

[gmavrom]

On the 13th day of cycling, my Nitrate is around 50, Nitrite 5, and ammonia .25

 

[Freenow54]

On the 13th day of cycling, my Nitrate is around 50, Nitrite 5, and ammonia .25

You don't have to measure every day every after is fine. My Aquarium took about 40 days. The article says around 45 not unusual. I just kept adding ammonia keeping it around 4 and tested only for it, and Nitrites. Once the hit zero I gave a maximum dose to 5ppm. Next day both zero. DONE FINALLY

 

[gmavrom]

You don't have to measure every day every after is fine. My Aquarium took about 40 days. The article says around 45 not unusual. I just kept adding ammonia keeping it around 4 and tested only for it, and Nitrites. Once the hit zero I gave a maximum dose to 5ppm. Next day both zero. DONE FINALLY

It cycled about a week and a half ago. I added 2 clown fish, and a week later, 3 soft corals and a clean-up crew of 2 shrimp, 15 snails, and 5 hermits. It's getting some brown algae. The pH dropped to 7.6, and the alkalinity is at 120 zero nitrate and nitrite. Should I add a pH increase?

 

[unchainedcoot]

It cycled about a week and a half ago. I added 2 clown fish, and a week later, 3 soft corals and a clean-up crew of 2 shrimp, 15 snails, and 5 hermits. It's getting some brown algae. The pH dropped to 7.6, and the alkalinity is at 120 zero nitrate and nitrite. Should I add a pH increase?

Any pH increase product is going to increase alkalinity