RedSea Mature Pro - Cycle Stall?

TheBirdsNest

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 29, 2023
Messages
25
Reaction score
26
Location
Reading
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey folks!

I'm sure these questions are a regular thing so I apologise if its been talked at length before..
I am not new reef tanks, I've had a 50L Nano for 3 years but only recently got my first decent size tank (RedSea Reefer 250)...

I'm trying to cycle it using the RedSea Mature Pro kit and I think I've gone wrong..
I'm on day 11, just started to see blooming so a few days behind what is expected in the guide, however, my levels are crazy high.. According to the guide, Ammonia should be 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm and Nitrate around 10ppm..

I'm currently: Amonia: 0.25ppm, Nitrite: 2ppm, Nitrate 40ppm... Nitrate seems to fluctuate between 40 and 80 but the others are consistently high.

Have I stalled my cycle somehow? Should I just be more patient? I guess avoid adding any additional Bacto-Start etc.?
FWIW; I did do a 5% change the night prior..

Other parameters:

PH - 8.0
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 26.3
KH - 6.2 (added Coraline-GRO to get it to 8.4).

Any advice appreciated, thanks in advance! :)

Lawrence
 

kbnh

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 14, 2021
Messages
182
Reaction score
143
Location
Los Angeles
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Some cycles take longer to complete, give it a few more days before doing water changes or adding anything else. My tank did not follow “normal” timelines but it’s been thriving for almost two years now. The less you do the better it is.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,766
Reaction score
23,739
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This cycle is done, not stalled. Running reef tanks are at .25 on the kit you’re using, do a search to see

by day ten, ammonia drops on a cycling chart as well

post pics of the growth you’re seeing, that’s visual benthic verification of cycle status as well, when new growths appear

ammonia isn’t supposed to be zero in a cycle, the cheap ammonia tests we use can’t go that low you will see on the searches

the number of days lead up in wait is the measure. Post a tank pic, the cycle is done, not stalled. Old cycling science makes incorrect rules and the impact is people buy more bottle bac to remedy a false stall, that’s under way here but we can intercept it

I have a forty page cycle analysis thread of cycles just like yours, they’re all done we show.
 

Jedi1199

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 16, 2021
Messages
4,597
Reaction score
10,234
Location
Mecred, CA.
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey folks!

I'm sure these questions are a regular thing so I apologise if its been talked at length before..
I am not new reef tanks, I've had a 50L Nano for 3 years but only recently got my first decent size tank (RedSea Reefer 250)...

I'm trying to cycle it using the RedSea Mature Pro kit and I think I've gone wrong..
I'm on day 11, just started to see blooming so a few days behind what is expected in the guide, however, my levels are crazy high.. According to the guide, Ammonia should be 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm and Nitrate around 10ppm..

I'm currently: Amonia: 0.25ppm, Nitrite: 2ppm, Nitrate 40ppm... Nitrate seems to fluctuate between 40 and 80 but the others are consistently high.

Have I stalled my cycle somehow? Should I just be more patient? I guess avoid adding any additional Bacto-Start etc.?
FWIW; I did do a 5% change the night prior..

Other parameters:

PH - 8.0
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 26.3
KH - 6.2 (added Coraline-GRO to get it to 8.4).

Any advice appreciated, thanks in advance! :)

Lawrence

OK, since there is no way to "stall" a cycle, the simple answer is no.

What test kit are you using to get these numbers? If I don't ask, someone else will so let's just cross that bridge right now.

What livestock is in the tank?

What is your definition of "blooming"?

What else are you adding to the tank?

A water change will bring levels down, not raise them up, so... big question there.

Can you give us some details?
 
OP
OP
TheBirdsNest

TheBirdsNest

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 29, 2023
Messages
25
Reaction score
26
Location
Reading
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks everyone.

I'll get a photo when I get back from work but some more details:

* Using API SaltWater Master Test Kit and API Reef Master Test Kit
* No Livestock / Live Rock
* Skimmer, Lights and Powerheads running
 
OP
OP
TheBirdsNest

TheBirdsNest

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 29, 2023
Messages
25
Reaction score
26
Location
Reading
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So the last few days my Amonia has been at 0.25 still but nitrites remain at 5.00… I did a 20L water change and now my amonia is 0 but nitrites is still reading 5.00… do I need to do more? Or re-add ammonia?

I’m getting conflicting info online..
current,ly on day 4 of diatom bloom and day 2 of green algae.

Thanks!
 

Reefing threads: Do you wear gear from reef brands?

  • I wear reef gear everywhere.

    Votes: 30 15.8%
  • I wear reef gear primarily at fish events and my LFS.

    Votes: 11 5.8%
  • I wear reef gear primarily for water changes and tank maintenance.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
  • I wear reef gear primarily to relax where I live.

    Votes: 25 13.2%
  • I don’t wear gear from reef brands.

    Votes: 111 58.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 12 6.3%
Back
Top