I am cycling a 13.5 Evo tank with Fritz Turbo Start and a shrimp. On day 10, the kit (API Saltwater) showed between 0-0.25 ppm, nitrites at 0.5 ppm, and nitrate at 40 ppm. Today, day 13, ammonia seemed to go back up to 0.5, while nitrite dropped to 0 and nitrate at 20 ppm. Is this normal? That ammonia would go back up? Any suggestions?
Still seeing ammonia?
- Thread starter dbstorm19
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you are done cycling. all you have to do is change out all water for new, and begin.
the reasons why that is a fact, and why your tests seem to indicate a confusing reading are easily covered here. you are 100% cycled:
www.reef2reef.com
changing out the mixed wastewater leaves a fully functioning biofilter below
how do we know it formed? the # of days on the bottle bac instructions, you're well past the depositional timeframe but your kits are messing up due to the mixed metabolites in solution. so just change it out and begin, see how that thread is 4 pages of issues like yours but each one was a false read
lastly, Fritz is 1-2 day cycling bacteria in test threads using different means of assessment than you're using. you can rely on being done from multiple angles, false ammonia readings cause lots of issues and false purchases in the hobby
your ammonia kit requires something called TAN conversion to get the reading correct. if .25 is what you're seeing, after TAN conv that's hundredths ppm and that's safe. Your test kits actually are working, depending on who is looking.
though the nitrates reported in reefing are sheer approximations, 50 ppm spread averages between test kits on a given sample, the fact you have any reported confirms your bottle bac were alive, so their known timeframe comes into play. 2 days max, you're cycled. you can see from the linked thread nitrite has no factor whatsoever, we don't use the measure any longer in updated cycling rules.
that changes your params into: ammonia: fine. nh3 in the hundredths, total ammonia in the stated tenths, we only care about nh3 post-TAN.
nitrite: does not factor. a reading of zero or 150 wouldn't matter, its not used any longer its neutral in marine cycling.
nitrate: you have some, therefore you are cycled having met two critical timelines: a common cycling chart for the ammonia side, and the date of directions on the bottle.
the reasons why that is a fact, and why your tests seem to indicate a confusing reading are easily covered here. you are 100% cycled:
How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle
non digital ammonia test kit readings (api, Red Sea, nyos, seachem badges) make you think you aren’t cycled when indeed you are if you owned a $200 expensive seneye meter, you’d never be doubting your cycle status. since .01% of the reefing population owns these, we need a way to help the...
www.reef2reef.com
changing out the mixed wastewater leaves a fully functioning biofilter below
how do we know it formed? the # of days on the bottle bac instructions, you're well past the depositional timeframe but your kits are messing up due to the mixed metabolites in solution. so just change it out and begin, see how that thread is 4 pages of issues like yours but each one was a false read
lastly, Fritz is 1-2 day cycling bacteria in test threads using different means of assessment than you're using. you can rely on being done from multiple angles, false ammonia readings cause lots of issues and false purchases in the hobby
your ammonia kit requires something called TAN conversion to get the reading correct. if .25 is what you're seeing, after TAN conv that's hundredths ppm and that's safe. Your test kits actually are working, depending on who is looking.
though the nitrates reported in reefing are sheer approximations, 50 ppm spread averages between test kits on a given sample, the fact you have any reported confirms your bottle bac were alive, so their known timeframe comes into play. 2 days max, you're cycled. you can see from the linked thread nitrite has no factor whatsoever, we don't use the measure any longer in updated cycling rules.
that changes your params into: ammonia: fine. nh3 in the hundredths, total ammonia in the stated tenths, we only care about nh3 post-TAN.
nitrite: does not factor. a reading of zero or 150 wouldn't matter, its not used any longer its neutral in marine cycling.
nitrate: you have some, therefore you are cycled having met two critical timelines: a common cycling chart for the ammonia side, and the date of directions on the bottle.
Last edited:
having a lump of rotting meat past the cycle time is likely to show as mixed readings in anyone's 13 gal, the full water change and removal of that item will be just perfect and you can begin reefing. this is the fastest bottle bac made, you gave it five times longer than required.
I figured (and hoped) the cycle was done based on the nitrites/nitrates. Couldn’t seem to find the right terms to search to confirm though. Thanks for helpful info. I’ll switch out the water and get started.
Excellent
we are on the hook for any bad calls in that thread, will quickly post and admit any losses caused and the goal is a 0% loss rate
in order to test science
we think the system is infallible. Post us some pics after you get started, can’t wait to see updates and we can check the prediction value after a few days.
in an uncycled 13, any added bioload will die in 48 hours max, 24 is most likely. There is no luck or halfway in marine cycles. The animals are so sensitive they will not last a day in an uncontrolled system, at this pH the ammonia is the most lethal compound our tanks will see. By rule the water will go cloudy along with total death of all animals if the cycle isnt ready, but that won’t happen
if rocks and sand are there as attachment points and for ten days fritz and meat has sat, I’m placing half a million in orange chips it’s cycled, the whole lot all at once. We will clean the cycling casino out and go home with the loot
once living animals hit day three after a water change, that’s literally testing only the surfaces for the bioslicks and it’s far more accurate than today’s ammonia tests. Since we have met the timeframes on the bottle, it’s not bad to begin. It’s on fritz and me if they die, but they won’t
acclimate carefully
b
we are on the hook for any bad calls in that thread, will quickly post and admit any losses caused and the goal is a 0% loss rate
in order to test science
we think the system is infallible. Post us some pics after you get started, can’t wait to see updates and we can check the prediction value after a few days.
in an uncycled 13, any added bioload will die in 48 hours max, 24 is most likely. There is no luck or halfway in marine cycles. The animals are so sensitive they will not last a day in an uncontrolled system, at this pH the ammonia is the most lethal compound our tanks will see. By rule the water will go cloudy along with total death of all animals if the cycle isnt ready, but that won’t happen
if rocks and sand are there as attachment points and for ten days fritz and meat has sat, I’m placing half a million in orange chips it’s cycled, the whole lot all at once. We will clean the cycling casino out and go home with the loot
once living animals hit day three after a water change, that’s literally testing only the surfaces for the bioslicks and it’s far more accurate than today’s ammonia tests. Since we have met the timeframes on the bottle, it’s not bad to begin. It’s on fritz and me if they die, but they won’t
acclimate carefully
b
Clownfish_Boy
Well-Known Member
I would replace the API test kit with a Salifert or Red Sea test kit, I have had problems with API before.
paul barker
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welcome to R2R api test kit are not good Salifert test kits been around longer then most of us and they work good just go slow good things happen 2 years to do this
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