HELP! My cycle is stuck!

[sstanley223]

Its cycling for a long time and I cant get nitrite to 0. Water changes does not help. Do what to do

In my experience keep feeding the tank like it has livestock, dont do any water changes, and don't use any more additives. Nature will work it out. I have a feeling every time you intervene it slows things down. Usually the cycle takes 6 weeks. You may see a spike in ammonia and nitrite again but I swear... let it run its course.

 

[Wheeljack]

Its cycling for a long time and I cant get nitrite to 0. Water changes does not help. Do what to do

Not only can you get to 0 nitrite, you can get there without doing anything at this point. I've cycled a LOT of FW tanks, and while it's hard waiting, the bacteria are doing their thing and you should let them. SW fish are a lot more expensive and depending on your stocking plans, the last thing you want is an ammonia spike killing everything.

You've gotten this far, a few more days, a week is worth it for a good foundation with strong bacteria. Hang in there, you're in the final stretch!

 

[lapin]

Yes or no. I'm confused with what your saying.

I am saying is: wait and in a few weeks your tank will be cycled. You can add more stuff or not add more stuff. Your tank will cycle on its own.

 

[sean rand]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the help. Just bummed that I spent so much money on red sea reef mature and it did not work. They said u can add fish in 14 days. Total BS

 

[CindyKz]

As others have said, just be patient. Taking your time now will pay off in the future. The more you add/change/monkey around, the more complicated it will be. Your tank has everything it needs except time.

 

[BeejReef]

So I added dr Tim's 2 days ago and my numbers are still crazy. I'm using the red sea test kit it said I have 1 ppm nitrite (that's the highest it tests untill) nitrate is 50ppm and ammonia is 0ppm.
With api test kit it said 5ppm nitrite 40 ppm nitrate and 0ppm ammonia . What should be my next step??? Large water change?

I've been using a combination of Salifert (ammonia and nitrite) and red sea (nitrate). You really have to read the instructions carefully. If you have, then my apologies, not trying to be insulting. In the RS kits, there is a separate process for high and low concentration tests that usually involves diluting your tank water with RODI. Then there is a small card, separate from the colorometer wheel, that tells you the values. On the salifert test, you gauge the high and low concentration tests based on looking at the vial from the side, or through the fluid from the top.

I just finished confusing the hell out of myself these past few days thinking my Nitrite was 4+, when if fact, it's only 1-2. Just doublecheck for your piece of mind.

 

[Biocube32]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the help. Just bummed that I spent so much money on red sea reef mature and it did not work. They said u can add fish in 14 days. Total crap

This is my opinion not based on fact but experience that products claiming to speed up a tank cycle have little effect. Bacteria is ubiquitous and doesnt require any special thing to wind up in your tank. Sure there may be special bacteria species i guess, whatever, i don’t care as long as they do the job. I would only ever consider purchasing a starter culture thing in a tank emergency like as in setting up an urgent quarantine tank, and even then I would expect the bacteria stuff not to work and i would need to do water changes to keep ammonia down until the tank completed the cycle several weeks later. Only thing i have ever seen truly speed up a tank cycle is a fully cured and mature piece of live rock that has essentially no die off because it was transported very wet. One time i had a piece of live rock so fresh, i kid you not, i got a little goby as a hitchhiker that lived until my psycho clownfish killed it

 

[BeejReef]

Its cycling for a long time and I cant get nitrite to 0. Water changes does not help. Do what to do

Others know much more than me, but I will repeat what I was told by a very experienced person in RL just yesterday. No water changes and no fish until Ammonia and Nitrite are both 0. There's two kids of bacteria you are trying to grow. Those that convert Ammonia to Nitrite, and those that convert Nitrite to Nitrate. Ammonia and Nitrite can kill fish, Nitrate generally can not. Point being, you've been dosing Ammonia, fish food, rotting shrimp... whatever, to feed those bacteria. Nitrite is part of the food some of your important bacteria need to grow. If you water change it out, you hurt your chances of building up their numbers sufficiently.

I share your frustration :) I'm going through my first tank cycle as well. The bottle of bacteria says this, youtube says that, and you can get different opinions from very experienced people. We're not even always talking about the same thing. Some people are referring to the Nitrogen cycle (you and I... WHEN CAN I ADD FISH), others are referring to a much longer process of tank maturation for SPS corals or anemonies. Then, there are people who talk about how their tank is nearly cycled and how their clean up crew is doing a great job keeping the algae at bay. "How can they have fish and snails eating algae if the cycle isn't done yet?" I ask myself.

In your instance, I've seen videos and articles saying no skimmer, no reactors during the cycle and I've seen other very reputable people say run your filtration and let the tank "cycle around it". I'm pretty sure I've seen the same organization say both, but like two or three years apart. Display tank lights on or off, there are different opinions. I'm not qualified to offer an opinion on your phosphate levels, but there have been some interesting observations. My limited understanding is that there is little risk in allowing phos during your cycle, as you can WC or dose it out once your cycle is done.

The one thing no one seems to disagree on though is time. I've been told 4-8 weeks, consistently, with an emphasis on 5-8. I've probably asked 5 people in RL and dozens on the forums. EVERYONE says time.

The only real alternative with demonstrable success is a fish cycle, not a fishless like we're doing. Aside from not being popular, I'd say that ship has sailed for you and I, as we've already fouled up our water to the point where there can be no debate that adding a fish would be cruel and likely fatal.

In summary, I'm not writing you this long post because I have any special knowledge. Prob everyone commenting in this thread has forgotten more than I know. Just sharing your pain. Best of luck.

 

[sean rand]

Others know much more than me, but I will repeat what I was told by a very experienced person in RL just yesterday. No water changes and no fish until Ammonia and Nitrite are both 0. There's two kids of bacteria you are trying to grow. Those that convert Ammonia to Nitrite, and those that convert Nitrite to Nitrate. Ammonia and Nitrite can kill fish, Nitrate generally can not. Point being, you've been dosing Ammonia, fish food, rotting shrimp... whatever, to feed those bacteria. Nitrite is part of the food some of your important bacteria need to grow. If you water change it out, you hurt your chances of building up their numbers sufficiently.

I share your frustration :) I'm going through my first tank cycle as well. The bottle of bacteria says this, youtube says that, and you can get different opinions from very experienced people. We're not even always talking about the same thing. Some people are referring to the Nitrogen cycle (you and I... WHEN CAN I ADD FISH), others are referring to a much longer process of tank maturation for SPS corals or anemonies. Then, there are people who talk about how their tank is nearly cycled and how their clean up crew is doing a great job keeping the algae at bay. "How can they have fish and snails eating algae if the cycle isn't done yet?" I ask myself.

In your instance, I've seen videos and articles saying no skimmer, no reactors during the cycle and I've seen other very reputable people say run your filtration and let the tank "cycle around it". I'm pretty sure I've seen the same organization say both, but like two or three years apart. Display tank lights on or off, there are different opinions. I'm not qualified to offer an opinion on your phosphate levels, but there have been some interesting observations. My limited understanding is that there is little risk in allowing phos during your cycle, as you can WC or dose it out once your cycle is done.

The one thing no one seems to disagree on though is time. I've been told 4-8 weeks, consistently, with an emphasis on 5-8. I've probably asked 5 people in RL and dozens on the forums. EVERYONE says time.

The only real alternative with demonstrable success is a fish cycle, not a fishless like we're doing. Aside from not being popular, I'd say that ship has sailed for you and I, as we've already fouled up our water to the point where there can be no debate that adding a fish would be cruel and likely fatal.

In summary, I'm not writing you this long post because I have any special knowledge. Prob everyone commenting in this thread has forgotten more than I know. Just sharing your pain. Best of luck.

Wow.thanks for taking the time out for the wrote up.

 

[sean rand]

This is my opinion not based on fact but experience that products claiming to speed up a tank cycle have little effect. Bacteria is ubiquitous and doesnt require any special thing to wind up in your tank. Sure there may be special bacteria species i guess, whatever, i don’t care as long as they do the job. I would only ever consider purchasing a starter culture thing in a tank emergency like as in setting up an urgent quarantine tank, and even then I would expect the bacteria stuff not to work and i would need to do water changes to keep ammonia down until the tank completed the cycle several weeks later. Only thing i have ever seen truly speed up a tank cycle is a fully cured and mature piece of live rock that has essentially no die off because it was transported very wet. One time i had a piece of live rock so fresh, i kid you not, i got a little goby as a hitchhiker that lived until my psycho clownfish killed it

Crazy hitchhiker!

 

[sean rand]

Ok, so I got impatient..........
I called bulk reef supply and and explained to them my situation, they said that I should add ammonia to the tank. Since there was never enough emmonka in the tank to begin with. I never had high ammonia readings. So I added dr Tim's ammonia and i added 2 much by accident there was 0 ammonia prior to added dr Tim's ammonia and now there is 8 PPM.
Do I do a water change or wait for it to go down on its own?

 

[BeejReef]

Hoping someone with real experience chimes in, but 8 is pretty high. Just what I've read, but levels over 5 really can stall your cycle.

My cycle is in a slow spot as well. Finally got ammonia to 1.5 before taking out the shrimp, but they sort of disintegrated, so I still have stuff rotting in the tank. lol.. ammonia holding steady, but Nitrites r down and Nitrates are up.. so, small steps.

 

[sean rand]

Finally!!!
I did a a 45 gallon water change and put 2 bottles of bio spora and Walla my nitrite dropped overnight to .25. I added a fish to see if it will survive, so far hes doing well.
So my levels are as follows
0 ppm ammonia
.25 ppm nitrite
30-40 ppm nitrate (ik it's high but it's a fish only system)
Salinity 0.0125
Temp 78
I will keep u guys updated. Thanks for all ur guys help and impute.