First Cycle Issues : Nitrites Stuck

[Gerard Viola]

Hi Everyone,

I started a fishless cycle with Mircobacter Start XLM and added there ammonia chloride to the tank. At first I thought I added way to much ammonia so I drained the tank to almost empty a week later and refilled the tank and added the ammonia and measure 1.2ppm. (I realized later that I did not add to much had a brain fart but oh well.) 8 Days later after testing every day ammonia was down to zero and nitrites were at 1.0ppm. Its been another 16 days and nitrites are still at 1.0ppm. I've added some other bacteria a few days ago to see if that would help but seems like we are still stuck. Is this normal? should I try anything else or just wait. I have been also keeping the temp at 80 to see if that helps anything.

Thanks!

 

[brandon429]

its fine

I just re read to see its sixteen days, and ammonia verifiable went down. if you have rocks and sand in the tank, this thread says you are cycled

see below

what you'd do is change out all your water for new and begin, the nitrite doesn't matter any more in reef cycling. you have waited as long as a cycling chart shows for ammonia control that's what matters.

you are doing the water change to have less algae fuel, not because the water is harmful. if its a huge tank and cant change water, then just proceed you can see by the other reefs linked below how your system is going to turn out given this much time, attachment points, and ammonia movement.

the reason nitrite no longer matters is because in reefing its chemically inert, and because we're paying to start faster than a month and that's ok to do. Nobody starts reef conventions by showing up a month early, and you don't have to wait a month to begin reefing in 2021.

the challenge is fish disease, not basic filtration. dinos too, that's expected in dry rock starts. all challenges unrelated to filtration. waiting two months to start wont help with dinos or fish disease either, another reason you're ready. deal with those two by having a direct plan ahead of time for them, its unrelated to basic filtration, that's set.

the number of days on your bottle also agrees you are ready, the instruction for number of days ramp up/

 

[brandon429]

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

non digital ammonia test kit readings (api, Red Sea, nyos, seachem badges) make you think you aren’t cycled when indeed you are if you owned a $200 expensive seneye meter, you’d never be doubting your cycle status. since .01% of the reefing population owns these, we need a way to help the...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[landlubber]

every reefer can relate to your excitement.
spend the time learning the hobby back to front. start making a plan for the corals and fish you want and learn their care requirements.
this little break is a good indication of what reefing really is, small inputs on your part followed by long waits for results. the more methodical you are during those inputs are going to result in the success (or failure) of your system.
my fishless, ghost feeding cycle took close to 6 weeks before i added my first fish.

 

[Gerard Viola]

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

non digital ammonia test kit readings (api, Red Sea, nyos, seachem badges) make you think you aren’t cycled when indeed you are if you owned a $200 expensive seneye meter, you’d never be doubting your cycle status. since .01% of the reefing population owns these, we need a way to help the...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks Brandon, I saw this forums right after I posted this thread, this was helpful, I was a bit confused becuase I feel like you see the whole nitrogen cycle and you just assume you need to run through until you have all zeros, plus I feel like there should be more out there saying nitrites in saltwater are a lot different.

Appreciate all the help!