Nitrites stuck above 2ppm for 2 weeks - cycle stuck?

[bozo]

Sorry but not sorry for reviving this old thread..

The points I got from this thread:

1. stop giving a crap about nitrites.
2. Focus more on ammonia.
3. Focus on fish disease prevention while the tank is cycling. By the time your fish comes out of QT, the tank is forsure cycled and ready.

@brandon429 do I have this right?
I started a new tank on 2/7/2023

I added a shrimp, dr Tim’s and biosphira and 5 ml of vinegaJacked temps up to 84. took shrimp out 4 days later. Smelled like butt.

10 days later I started adding fritzzyme 9 generously whenever I felt like it.

i also started adding phyto to the DT on a daily basis. Trying to lay down a solid foundation for good biodiversity. Will be adding pods soon as well.

Now I’m just letting it sit and focusing on cycling my QT tanks. One for coral and one for Fish.

should I do a water change on the DT and just it sit until my QT process is complete? I won’t be done with QT for at least another month.

thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry but not sorry for reviving this old thread..

The points I got from this thread:

1. stop giving a crap about nitrites.
2. Focus more on ammonia.
3. Focus on fish disease prevention while the tank is cycling. By the time your fish comes out of QT, the tank is forsure cycled and ready.

@brandon429 do I have this right?
I started a new tank on 2/7/2023

I added a shrimp, dr Tim’s and biosphira and 5 ml of vinegaJacked temps up to 84. took shrimp out 4 days later. Smelled like butt.

10 days later I started adding fritzzyme 9 generously whenever I felt like it.

i also started adding phyto to the DT o man daily basis. Trying to lay down a solid foundation for good biodiversity. Will be adding pods soon as well.

Now I’m just letting it sit and focusing on cycling my QT tanks. One for coral and one for Fish.

should I do a water change on the DT and just it sit until my QT process is complete? I won’t be done with QT for at least another month.

thanks

It is correct that nitrite is not toxic at levels you might attain in cycling, and ammonia is the toxic concern.

If you want to measure nitrate during cycling, then you may need to measure nitrite to be sure the nitrate values are not just nitrite interference.

 

[brandon429]

I am 100% sure that display is cycled to the degree of surface area you've provided. that's 3x redundancy in bottle bac and carbon direct plus carbon from rotting meat plus longer wait time than a cycling chart shows to command ammonia. there's no telling what that display wastewater scheme looks like now so just change as much as you can, for algae control priming/less nitrogen fertilizer in solution and indeed just wait

you cannot stave such a cycle, one dosed with a little phyto backup as well. that's testless cycling, to know such an arrangement will indeed always be cycled whereas old cycling science would never believe it until you re verify the test again, and hopefully get API to agree. if you had a stack of rocks in that setup, it's uber cycled.

let it wait with clean water, nitrite has no bearing, there's no home reef display where that wouldn't be cycled. what a need solid plan you did with the qt as well, that's really updated reefing you're implementing around the things that matter.

 

[bozo]

I am 100% sure that display is cycled to the degree of surface area you've provided. that's 3x redundancy in bottle bac and carbon direct plus carbon from rotting meat plus longer wait time than a cycling chart shows to command ammonia. there's no telling what that display wastewater scheme looks like now so just change as much as you can, for algae control priming/less nitrogen fertilizer in solution and indeed just wait

you cannot stave such a cycle, one dosed with a little phyto backup as well. that's testless cycling, to know such an arrangement will indeed always be cycled whereas old cycling science would never believe it until you re verify the test again, and hopefully get API to agree. if you had a stack of rocks in that setup, it's uber cycled.

let it wait with clean water, nitrite has no bearing, there's no home reef display where that wouldn't be cycled. what a need solid plan you did with the qt as well, that's really updated reefing you're implementing around the things that matter.

Thank you for your response!

I cycled with dry rock.

I just did an 80% water change based on your recommendations. While the water was out, I stuck my head in the tank and took a big whiff of the air inside.

It DEFINITELY smelled like something great was stirring up. Smelled like a cycled tank, even though that means nothing haha.

I will continue to dose bacteria when I feel like it along with some vinegar while its stewing.

I'll also continue to add phyto daily and then pods as soon as I breed enough of them.

I think its pretty important to add phyto and pods in a new tank since the new tank is lacking a strong food web and a balanced ecosystem.

Thank you so much for your response!

Appreciate it!

 

[brandon429]

Any more bac added has no where to attach and is counter productive


you want a thin veneer of bacteria not a thick veneer which reduces surface area

this could advance your uglies stage, nothing is eating phyto

if you were adding bags of pods that would be different, phyto dies and sinks up

recommend no more additions only clean running, no bacteria, cycles can’t starve.

 

[bozo]

Any more bac added has no where to attach and is counter productive


you want a thin veneer of bacteria not a thick veneer which reduces surface area

this could advance your uglies stage, nothing is eating phyto

if you were adding bags of pods that would be different, phyto dies and sinks up

recommend no more additions only clean running, no bacteria, cycles can’t starve.

Got it!
Won’t add anything anymore!

Thank you !