First Week Cycle - 0ppm Amonia / 10ppm Nitrates

[fazendas]

Hi,


I started cycling my tank on 2nd December, and up until now I haven’t seen any ammonia in my daily tests (Salifert).
On the other hand, I have 10 ppm of nitrates (also using Salifert tests).
Does this make any sense?

I didn’t use live rock or sand, nor bottled bacteria, so I know the tank can’t be cycled yet.
I’m using a supermarket shrimp in the filter sock, and since I didn’t see any ammonia in the first few days, I’ve been ghost feeding for the last two days.
Any thoughts on these results?

Thank you.

 

[lapin]

Add some ammonia. Sometimes supermarket shrimp have preservatives.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

You can always use Dr. Tims one and only as well!

 

[fazendas]

Add some ammonia. Sometimes supermarket shrimp have preservatives.

I didn’t think of that, that might explain it.
But what’s bothering me is, how can there be nitrates without ammonia?

 

[EnterName]

I didn’t think of that, that might explain it.
But what’s bothering me is, how can there be nitrates without ammonia?

If the first part of the nitrogen cycle is already working you may currently have nitrite (NO₂) in your system, which can cause false nitrate (NO₃) readings (depending on the testing method, but I think most test kits for the hobby have this issue).

In theory you only need somewhere between 2.75ppm - 2.91ppm total ammonia (NH₃ + NH₄) to get 10ppm NO₃ if there is nothing to consume/assimilate/reduce the nitrate again. This means even if you never had an enormous ammonia peak, you can get to 10ppm nitrate quite easily.

I still wouldn't expect your cycle to be very reliable right now, so I would keep adding small amounts of ammonia (and phosphate) for a while.

 

[XavierD]

! Be prudent

The Salifert Ammonia test, which the manufacturer claims detects total NH3 and NH4+, actually seems to be very insensitive, if not completely insensitive, to detecting NH4+ at the pH of the solution!

Proof:
- Despite adding a large quantity of ammonium chloride to the sample, the test didn't react. I thought it was either the test reagent that was faulty, or the NH4Cl (purchased online) was defective.

- So I tested the Salifert test with 12% household ammonia (i.e., free NH3 in a basic solution), and the test reacted immediately!

Therefore, if you want to monitor NH4Cl levels, don't use the Salifert test; it could seriously mislead you and tempt you to add even more NH4Cl to your aquarium! The Colombo Ammonia test works well for testing total ammonium chloride (NH3 and NH4).

Xavier, from belgium

 

[EnterName]

! Be prudent

The Salifert Ammonia test, which the manufacturer claims detects total NH3 and NH4+, actually seems to be very insensitive, if not completely insensitive, to detecting NH4+ at the pH of the solution!

Proof:
- Despite adding a large quantity of ammonium chloride to the sample, the test didn't react. I thought it was either the test reagent that was faulty, or the NH4Cl (purchased online) was defective.

- So I tested the Salifert test with 12% household ammonia (i.e., free NH3 in a basic solution), and the test reacted immediately!

Therefore, if you want to monitor NH4Cl levels, don't use the Salifert test; it could seriously mislead you and tempt you to add even more NH4Cl to your aquarium! The Colombo Ammonia test works well for testing total ammonium chloride (NH3 and NH4).

Xavier, from belgium

Household ammonia should contain ammonium hydroxide which reacts alkaline. It's not unlikely that you changed the pH of the test sample and therefore got a different reading.

 

[XavierD]

L'ammoniaque ménagère contient de l'hydroxyde d'ammonium, qui a une réaction alcaline. Il est fort probable que vous ayez modifié le pH de l'échantillon et obtenu ainsi un résultat différent.

Probably, but the important thing to note is that at the pH of 8.0 in my tank, the Salifert test is unable to detect NH4+

 

[fazendas]

Thank for your input.

I’ve just entered the 4th week of the cycle and I don’t see any ammonia spike at all.
The tests seem inconclusive to me, since the color of the solution doesn’t really show any clear coloration that would allow me to identify the ammonia level. Honestly, I don’t think I can rely on the tests.

As for nitrates, they have reached 25 ppm.

I will stick to the initial plan, which was to wait 6 weeks, that is two more weeks, and then I will add my first animals (a pair of clownfish).

 

[BeanAnimal]

They system is processing ammonia. You can safely add fish now. If you are still not convinced, then add ammonia and watch it come down. One way or the other a pair of clowns is not going to add more than a rotting shrimp.

 

[fazendas]

This weekend or next weekend I will bring the fish.
Would it be too early to add snails? And copepods? I don’t have any visible algae yet.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I would wait on the snails and there is no real reason to buy copepods. They will come as you import other livestock.