Newbie here need help

[chiro]

Im currently cycling my tank and I checked my parameters after 3 days since I did my first.
My nitrate got reduced but my nitrite remained the same. Is it good or bad?

(First image is before and second image is after)

 

[Gumbies R Us]

How are you cycling the tank?

 

[chiro]

How are you cycling the tank?

First 2 days I left small shrimp flesh for 48 hours and put nitrifying bacteria (api quickstart) used test kit after a week
(I use hang on filter for water flow without filtration). Thats all the info I can give

 

[Uncle99]

Ammonia shows zero and you have nitrates, thus, the cycle is completed.
You can do a water change to lower nitrates if you wish.

 

[chiro]

Ammonia shows zero and you have nitrates, thus, the cycle is completed.
You can do a water change to lower nitrates if you wish.

Isn't like nitrite supposed to be 0 with ammonia before its considerd cycled? As most people told me. Also my tank is only more than a week since I started cycling it.

 

[Uncle99]

Isn't like nitrite supposed to be 0 with ammonia before its considerd cycled? As most people told me. Also my tank is only more than a week since I started cycling it.

I would say if you can detect nitrates, then some ammonia had to be converted to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate, thus the “cycle” completed.

In an established system, your right, nitrite should be zero, but yours is newly established. Nitrite should be kept lower than .5ppm and this can be accomplished by simple large water changes, the effect of dilution lowers toxicity.

I’m not a big fan of those tests, sometimes they never zero out. But I see your concern. Things like ammonia, nitrite and phosphate can be a bit tricky to detect as they are in small small amounts.

If you have rock, sand, and added a bacteria, in a week I would expect your cycle to have completed and ready for your first fish or two.

If you are unsure, play it safe and give a few more days and retest again, or do a 50% water change and retest, if the tests are working, nitrite should be about half and same with nitrate.

Provided ammonia is zero and there are nitrates, me, I’d move ahead.

 

[chiro]

Isn't like nitrite supposed to be 0 with ammonia before its considerd cycled? As most people told me. Also my tank is only more than a week since I started cycling it.

I would say if you can detect nitrates, then some ammonia had to be converted to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate, thus the “cycle” completed.

In an established system, your right, nitrite should be zero, but yours is newly established. Nitrite should be kept lower than .5ppm and this can be accomplished by simple water changes, the effect of dilution.

I’m not a big fan of those tests, sometimes they never zero out. But I see your concern. Things like ammonia, nitrite and phosphate can be a bit tricky to detect as they are in small small amounts.

If you have rock, sand, and added a bacteria, in a week I would expect your cycle to have completed and ready for your first fish or two.

If you are unsure, play it safe and give a few more days and retest again, or do a 50% water change and retest, if the tests are working, nitrite should be about half and same with nitrate.

Yes I did used a nitrifying bacteria (api quickstart) its going to be 2nd week of cycling this Saturday.

Does media also help with reducing nitrite?

 

[Uncle99]

Yes I did used a nitrifying bacteria (api quickstart) its going to be 2nd week of cycling this Saturday.

Does media also help with reducing nitrite?

From the initial cycle, as you add fish, you add ammonia and the population of processors increases feeding on that, that’s why you add slowly to give the processors time to keep in pace.

 

[chiro]

Yes I did used a nitrifying bacteria (api quickstart) its going to be 2nd week of cycling this Saturday.

Does media also help with reducing nitrite?

From the initial cycle, as you add fish, you add ammonia and the population of processors increases feeding on that, that’s why you add slowly to give the processors time to keep in pace.

May I know when's the right time or indicators to look for to add my first fish?

 

[Uncle99]

Ok, sure, when you add ammonia and it lowers and you have some nitrates, you’re ready. I’ve never tested nitrites ever. As long as I have zero ammonia and nitrates, I add fish.

That’s provided I’ve added rock, sand, saltwater, and bacteria and waited 7 days.

What does ammonia and nitrate read now?