Is my fishless cycle going to stall?

[amoeba2006]

Hi, so I was setting up my new 60-litre saltwater tank. It has dry white sand, and 1 dry sansibar rock. I had begun fishless cycling two weeks back ( with lab grade 25% ammonia solution). Since the water volume is 45 litres, I calculated I needed a little less than 0.5 ml of the ammonia solution to get a 2 ppm concentration.

The issue was that I was using a Salifert kit, and apparently it gives the free ammonia concentration ( though it claims to measure TAN) [ as a lfs, some internet forums said]. ( I got to know this much later) Since the salifert kit did not show a proper 2 ppm reading, I redosed the tank with another 0.3 ml of the ammonia solution.



On top of that, I had added 2 algae wafers + 5-10 pellets in order to ensure other nutrients are available for the growth of the bacteria. I had added a local brand of bacteria in a bottle ( containing Nitrobacter, Nitrosomonas)



My readings:

Days	Salifert Ammonia	Salifert No2-	Salifert No3-	API Ammonia
1 ( after dosing)	0.25	0.025	2.5	-
3	0-0.15	0.05	5	-
5	0-0.15	0.1	5	-
7	-	0.5	10	More than 4 ppm , less than 8 ppm
10	-	2	25	4
13	-	1	50	0
14	-	1	50	0

Since I was expecting the rate of nitrite drop to speed up..but nitrite remained unchanged after a day, although Ammonia has dropped to 0, I am worried. It appears as if the NOBs have not established themselves as well as the AOBs.

Now, I am worried that my AOBs will starve and my tank will get “uncycled”….. Also, I am worried if I redose more ammonia, my nitrates will be sky high, and I have to throw away a huge amount of saltwater ( which might hurt my bacteria population + budget). I was hoping the nitrite would drop to 0 soon, and I will do a stress test and then add livestock right away ( after doing a 50% water change)

I have a huge ton of diatoms in the top filter floss ( I let them be..so that they can absorb some of the nitrates..I plan to add chaeto in the top filter box ( as it has good flow + light)). The salinity is approximately 32 ppt, I can’t tell the current pH ( my meter broke)..but it was initially 8.3 approx



Could anyone suggest the next course of action that I should take? Is anything interfering with my cycle? I read on ChatGPT that high nitrate can stall the cycle ( but I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the statement, as I found no other backing)

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Lets simplify it.... the tank is cycled with ammonia is zero, and I like to see 10-20 nitrate. So with your ammonia at 0 and nitrate of 50, the tank is cycled. I would do a large water change to bring it down closer to 10 and add the first fish. Don't worry about nitrite, it has no bearing on saltwater tanks.

 

[reeftankdude]

Hello There

I would add Quick Start and leave things alone for a while. I would not add anymore organics to feed the bacteria.

 

[Freenow54]

\\\you always say the same thing. I again suggest get ammonia to .5 check in 24 hours if zero then giddy up. only say that because it worked for me to follow my published regiment from a yet unidentified author. No real problem you have other great comments just this one I argue about

 

[KrisReef]

On top of that, I had added 2 algae wafers + 5-10 pellets in order to ensure other nutrients are available for the growth of the bacteria. I had added a local brand of bacteria in a bottle ( containing Nitrobacter, Nitrosomonas)

Stop feeding the tank. The bacteria will survive without additional inputs for as long as you have your tank. They have very small nutrient requirements and don't need a wearhouse full of supplies like you have provided them with.

My readings:

Days	Salifert Ammonia	Salifert No2-	Salifert No3-	API Ammonia
1 ( after dosing)	0.25	0.025	2.5	-
3	0-0.15	0.05	5	-
5	0-0.15	0.1	5	-
7	-	0.5	10	More than 4 ppm , less than 8 ppm
10	-	2	25	4
13	-	1	50	0
14	-	1	50	0

This is a very nice graph that shows that the cycle has completed nicely for ammonia being processed into nitrate. This "cycle" is secured.

Since I was expecting the rate of nitrite drop to speed up..but nitrite remained unchanged after a day, although Ammonia has dropped to 0, I am worried. It appears as if the NOBs have not established themselves as well as the AOBs.

These test kits are not able to sort out nitrite and nitrate very easily, without confusion. Still your graph shows motion towards a complete cycle. DONT sweat the hobby kit specific numbers, the trend is your friend here.

Now, I am worried that my AOBs will starve and my tank will get “uncycled”….. Also, I am worried if I redose more ammonia, my nitrates will be sky high, and I have to throw away a huge amount of saltwater ( which might hurt my bacteria population + budget). I was hoping the nitrite would drop to 0 soon, and I will do a stress test and then add livestock right away ( after doing a 50% water change)

Stop worrying, it will only give you wrinkles. If you add antibiotics to the tank then you should worry perhaps about bacteria death and health. They don't normally starve from not feeding every day, or even every week or month. I am worried about how much you will be feeding your fishes once you add them.

I have a huge ton of diatoms in the top filter floss ( I let them be..so that they can absorb some of the nitrates..I plan to add chaeto in the top filter box ( as it has good flow + light)). The salinity is approximately 32 ppt, I can’t tell the current pH ( my meter broke)..but it was initially 8.3 approx

I have never measured pH as part of a cycle, but get that chaeto asap!

Could anyone suggest the next course of action that I should take? Is anything interfering with my cycle? I read on ChatGPT that high nitrate can stall the cycle ( but I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the statement, as I found no other backing)

Consider a small water change to lower NO3 and add a fish that you feed sparingly.

 

[amoeba2006]

Stop feeding the tank. The bacteria will survive without additional inputs for as long as you have your tank. They have very small nutrient requirements and don't need a wearhouse full of supplies like you have provided them with.


This is a very nice graph that shows that the cycle has completed nicely for ammonia being processed into nitrate. This "cycle" is secured.

These test kits are not able to sort out nitrite and nitrate very easily, without confusion. Still your graph shows motion towards a complete cycle. DONT sweat the hobby kit specific numbers, the trend is your friend here.

Stop worrying, it will only give you wrinkles. If you add antibiotics to the tank then you should worry perhaps about bacteria death and health. They don't normally starve from not feeding every day, or even every week or month. I am worried about how much you will be feeding your fishes once you add them.

I have never measured pH as part of a cycle, but get that chaeto asap!

Consider a small water change to lower NO3 and add a fish that you feed sparingly.

Hey, I have another issue...it appears as if the nitrite never actually dropped. It was 2 ppm only...I had been misreading the color ( might have to schedule a visit to the ophthalmologist's).
I think the high nitrates might be a false reading, due to the presence of nitrites in the tank..

As you said, I did NOT redose ammonia, and changed 1/3 of the water. However, the Salifert kit remains stuck at the 2 ppm reading.

Is it possible that the NOBs have not properly established themselves in the tank?

More than 4 ppm ammonia got oxidized in about 3 days...but the nitrite levels don't seem to budge at all. Could you tell me if this is normal or if something is causing the cycle to stall?

I read on this forum that cycles typically don't stall unless the nitrite goes more than 5 ppm/

( I even removed a bunch of diatoms from my filter media..to make sure there is no competition or anything else)

I know I am being a little nervous and impatient..but last time my tank was not cycled properly..4 fish died..( I felt extremely guilty afterwards..I don't want any more innocent fish blood on my hands.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Hello There

I would add Quick Star

Why? The tank is processing ammonia and nitrate and nitrite are present, but their levels are 100% irrelevant

Hey, I have another issue..

Ignoring coral or other macrofauna – ammonia is processed by two basic mechanisms:

1 - Nitrifying bacteria
2 - Heterotrophs

The former convert ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate through a two-step process involving different species of nitrifiers. The latter generally do not produce nitrate as an end product.

In a new system, it’s entirely possible that heterotrophs outcompete the nitrifiers, effectively “stalling” the traditional cycle. The nitrifying bacteria simply run out of ammonia before they can establish or never get established at all and the heterotrophs run out of food and die -- leaving a temporarily “stalled” cycle waiting for carbon. People dump in more bacteria that is typically heterotrophs and end up in a cycle of stalled cycles.

STOP DUMPING BACTERIA INTO THE TANK!!!!

All of that said, if your system is processing ammonia, that’s what matters. If you’re seeing nitrate or nitrite, that’s also fine. Neither of those, at any reasonable concentration, even up to 1000 ppm, will harm fish.

As you add fish and the system matures, the nitrogen cycle will balance itself out. Stop adding more “stuff” to force a cycle. You’re probably just introducing more heterotrophs and muddying the process.