I just made my first tank and I thought it was cycled.

[ahunter26]

I just made my first fish tank and I thought it was cycled because yesterday I tested ammonia (0 ppm), nitrite (0 ppm), and nitrate (60 ppm). The problem is that doing some research people was saying to add ammonia and if the next day is zero again then the tank is cycled, but today I tested my levels and my my ammonia is at 2 ppm, nitrite 0.3, and nitrate 5 ppm. I’m not sure if I messed up the cycle or it just isn’t cycled yet. I’m using fritz turbo start 900 and ammonium solution. This is my 11th day in the cycle. Is there something wrong or am I just overthinking? Also please let me know what you think of my tank!

 

[CasperOe]

There's nothing wrong The only thing missing from the equation just now is a bit of patience

Are you using any bacteria to cycle the tank?

WWC has a great, short article on how to cycle your reef tank.

 

[brandon429]

do a 50 % water change it's cycled. that's longer than fritz takes to cycle a tank, 1-2 days. what you read was incorrect ahunter26

your test kits aren't hq digital I'm assuming, for ammonia, so they're subject to the same misreadings you can search out on the web for your test kit brand. water change, ready, read the disease forum on disease prevention and acclimation for first animals added

just because your cycle is ready doesn't mean disease preps are

 

[CasperOe]

I am very sorry, I did not see the reference to Fritz in your original post! Do what @brandon429 says!

 

[brandon429]

I too read for years about the second verification step advice

what changed me was all these digital measurement articles and posts on ammonia that show it under control by day ten in just about every scenario, and the fritz studies from that group are 1-2 days/fastest along with biospira brand bacteria

nobody is sure what makes api go off accurate on the second dose/lag times etc/ it just doesn't happen on seneye posts that's for sure. all cycling charts have a consistent # of days to ammonia control for this inherent reason, even natural bacteria not added from a bottle set up shop rather fast when well-fed in the ways people typically cycle reef tanks.

 

[ahunter26]

do a 50 % water change it's cycled. that's longer than fritz takes to cycle a tank, 1-2 days. what you read was incorrect ahunter26

your test kits aren't hq digital I'm assuming, for ammonia, so they're subject to the same misreadings you can search out on the web for your test kit brand. water change, ready, read the disease forum on disease prevention and acclimation for first animals added

just because your cycle is ready doesn't mean disease preps are

i had a suspicion that the reading was wrong. I’ll do the water change thanks @brandon429! My test kits are the api brand. And what do you mean about “just because your cycle is ready doesn't mean disease preps are”. Is there something else I should do before adding fish after my water change? And do you think I should get the hanna readers for my tests?

 

[brandon429]

for sure there is

see the disease forum out on the forums list

read it's stickies

most of those posting for help have newer tanks that either skipped disease preps or implemented them with leaks and disease still got in, gotta start reading there to avoid fish loss.

 

[brandon429]

carrying the new life you add won't be a problem for the tank based on timing and cycle input details. preventing disease expression is the big challenge.