Questions regarding cycling new tank

[RonnieSimmonz]

I used Dr Tims all in one and dosed ammonia to cycle my tank.

My tank has been cycling for around a month now and I thought it was finished. All of my readings were indicative of a finished cycle (ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: through the roof) and so I decided to get two clownfish. Its been a few days and I am seeing weird results in my testing. My Ammonia levels seem to be nominal (hovering around 0 - .25) and my Nitrate levels have not breached 10 ppm. However, my nitrite levels are through the roof (at least 5.00 ppm). I'm wondering what steps I should take to both ensure nitrifying bacteria will strengthen as well as not harming my two clowns. It seems that my nitrites are not going down.

 

[NatureHold]

I used Dr Tims all in one and dosed ammonia to cycle my tank.

My tank has been cycling for around a month now and I thought it was finished. All of my readings were indicative of a finished cycle (ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: through the roof) and so I decided to get two clownfish. Its been a few days and I am seeing weird results in my testing. My Ammonia levels seem to be nominal (hovering around 0 - .25) and my Nitrate levels have not breached 10 ppm. However, my nitrite levels are through the roof (at least 5.00 ppm). I'm wondering what steps I should take to both ensure nitrifying bacteria will strengthen as well as not harming my two clowns. It seems that my nitrites are not going down.

Did you dose any bacteria to the tank to begin the cycle? If not, I would recommend adding something like Frtiz turbo start or microbac 7 to get an instant boost in beneficial bacteria.

 

[NatureHold]

Also, which test kits are you using to test the parameters? Hopefully not API. They are not very in sensitive low level testing.

 

[RonnieSimmonz]

Did you dose any bacteria to the tank to begin the cycle? If not, I would recommend adding something like Frtiz turbo start or microbac 7 to get an instant boost in beneficial bacteria.

I dosed with Dr Tims All in One. And unfortunately I am using API test kit. Everything looks normal other than Nitrite. I have tested against fresh RO water to confirm it is not a completely effed test kit

 

[Jekyl]

You don't have to be worried about nitrate and it sounds like you're using API tests. Do a large water change and get your nitrates down. Usually this is done before adding fish. 75 or 100% change. Get them in order now before they cause issues down the line.

 

[RonnieSimmonz]

You don't have to be worried about nitrate and it sounds like you're using API tests. Do a large water change and get your nitrates down. Usually this is done before adding fish. 75 or 100% change. Get them in order now before they cause issues down the line.

I did a few 50% water changes in order to get Nitrates and Nitrites down prior to adding fish but now that I have added fish my Nitrites have spiked and my Nitrates seem to only be increasing slowly. My ammonia levels are still really low though.

 

[Jekyl]

API test for ammonia? If so it's probably zero. Nitrite will have no effect on your fish. You can pretty much throw the test away.

 

[RonnieSimmonz]

API test for ammonia? If so it's probably zero. Nitrite will have no effect on your fish. You can pretty much throw the test away.

lol you mean to tell me I have been losing sleep over nothing? That is good news though...im new to the hobby but given what I have read it seemed odd that both ammonia was going down and Nitrate was going up all the while Nitrite was staying high.

 

[Jekyl]

Yup, order some salifert tests and take a nap.

 

[brandon429]

agreed, reef on nothing is wrong here.

We should use the collective power of the chem forum to prove or deny the possibility of sustained .25 ammonia in reefing

Why does it matter if reef tanks can have stuck cycles? Because when you move homes you don't want to lose animals, cycling science needs precision and predictability in order to protect our tanks. perhaps an emergency setup is needed, no wait time permitted or If you are invited to show...

www.reef2reef.com

if you want to see a funny read, I think this is the most nitrite-positive reef starts ever collected in one thread. and not one single entrant was harmed by the nitrite. we collect those so we can verify outcomes by messaging folks vs just making claims. accountability

when we heard nitrite didn't matter any longer, we wanted to test that claim. it dang sure does not matter lol at least in safe starts, but I've learned from chemistry forum friends it affects nitrate readings as things stabilize.

but that's of no consequence to the overall system or safety of fish.

 

[RonnieSimmonz]

agreed, reef on nothing is wrong here.

We should use the collective power of the chem forum to prove or deny the possibility of sustained .25 ammonia in reefing

Why does it matter if reef tanks can have stuck cycles? Because when you move homes you don't want to lose animals, cycling science needs precision and predictability in order to protect our tanks. perhaps an emergency setup is needed, no wait time permitted or If you are invited to show...

www.reef2reef.com

if you want to see a funny read, I think this is the most nitrite-positive reef starts ever collected in one thread. and not one single entrant was harmed by the nitrite. we collect those so we can verify outcomes by messaging folks vs just making claims. accountability

when we heard nitrite didn't matter any longer, we wanted to test that claim. it dang sure does not matter lol at least in safe starts, but I've learned from chemistry forum friends it affects nitrate readings as things stabilize.

but that's of no consequence to the overall system or safety of fish.

So from the sounds of it as long as my Ammonia levels are dropping and my nitrate levels are being manages via water changes i should not worry about Nitrite?

 

[Jekyl]

So from the sounds of it as long as my Ammonia levels are dropping and my nitrate levels are being manages via water changes i should not worry about Nitrite?

If using API tests you probably don't have any ammonia. Nitrate is the only one you need to worry about now.

 

[brandon429]

Agreed and from that soapbox we were against redundant retail supports (not against initial cycling doses)


we simply trust it’s ok not as a random claim, but because every entrant there meets certain submersion time criteria factored against their known source of bacteria, and they show ammonia down but no zeroes needed.

safe zone ammonia is indeed required but we are accounting for misreading tests in the change to down motion vs full yellow zero, only a few kits show that.