Trouble Cycling

[saltysailor]

Hi I was wondering if I can get some insight from some people that know what's good. I am currently trying to cycle my bare-bottom 25 Lagoon. I had my (20lb) rock pre-cycling before I set up my tank but it wasn't fully cycled when I pulled it out and added it to my new setup. The tank has been running for 14 days. I dosed ammonia-chloride to 2ppm and then poured 2x recommended dose of fritz turbo start. I also added 2 already cycled 4"x4" marine blocks in there to help with the biological filtration. I then also added microbacter-7 about a capful 4 or 5 days ago. The ammonia has gone down to essentially 0 but the nitrite has remained stagnant at about .25 ppm for a week. Also the nitrate is not that high maybe about 15-20 ppm. Any advice on what to do or if I'm just being a nut would be helpful! Thx.

 

[saltysailor]

Please help!

 

[Difrano]

Looks like your tank is cycled if it can process ammonia to 0

 

[K7BMG]

Yes I feel your cycled, and using an API test kit set.

If you want to test it.
Perform a Ammonia test note the color and level of.
Add ammonia until the test notably changes color from your first test. This does not mean bring it up to a high level of 2ppm, just enough to be able to see a difference in test color.
From yellow to a greenish yellow.

Test again in 24 hours. if Ammonia is 0 (.25 if using API) do a 60% plus water change wait another 24 hours test Ammonia and Nitrate.
Ammonia will be at 0 (.25 if using API) and Nitrate will be lower because of the water change.
If this is the case then add a critter.

 

[Uncle99]

Did them same as you.....didn’t even cycle.....just processed the ammonia right away.

 

[saltysailor]

Shouldn’t I have higher nitrates then? So confused. So should I dose ammonia more to see if it’s cycled?

 

[ichthyogeek]

Follow what K7BMG said. The point of cycling, is that you want ammonia levels to be 0 (or .25 if API) after dosing ammonia, nitrites to be 0, and nitrates to be greater than 0, changing water accordingly to manage nitrates.

Please help!

Felt like you should know that waiting for ~45 minutes and then posting again to ask for help isn't really gonna help ya in the long term. You kinda have to wait and be patient until people answer your question. Sometimes it takes hours, but in this forum, it's usually no less than 24 hours before somebody comes along to help.

 

[saltysailor]

Follow what K7BMG said. The point of cycling, is that you want ammonia levels to be 0 (or .25 if API) after dosing ammonia, nitrites to be 0, and nitrates to be greater than 0, changing water accordingly to manage nitrates.


Felt like you should know that waiting for ~45 minutes and then posting again to ask for help isn't really gonna help ya in the long term. You kinda have to wait and be patient until people answer your question. Sometimes it takes hours, but in this forum, it's usually no less than 24 hours before somebody comes along to help.

Thanks for the advice! Just excited! Just trying to get some help and advice.

 

[K7BMG]

Shouldn’t I have higher nitrates then? So confused. So should I dose ammonia more to see if it’s cycled?

Don't know the test kits your using.
Yellow ammonia test on the left looks like a API.
The result without the card comparison chart and in a pic can be deceiving.

There are no specific results or outcomes.
What we think vs what is are two different things.

You had Ammonia up to 2ppm. The test was quite green yes.
Now the Ammonia is at or close to 0 so Nitrite grew and consumed the Ammonia.
And you now have Nitrates in the 20 to 30 range according to your first post.

Nitrites can be missed as this stage is or can be lightning fast.

This cant be anything other than a completed cycle.

Yes to test the theory you can add another dose of Ammonia concentrate.
Just not all the way up to 2ppm. Just add a few drops until the ammonia test kit shows a difference, from the previous one.

 

[saltysailor]

Don't know the test kits your using.
Yellow ammonia test on the left looks like a API.
The result without the card comparison chart and in a pic can be deceiving.

There are no specific results or outcomes.
What we think vs what is are two different things.

You had Ammonia up to 2ppm. The test was quite green yes.
Now the Ammonia is at or close to 0 so Nitrite grew and consumed the Ammonia.
And you now have Nitrates in the 20 to 30 range according to your first post.

Nitrites can be missed as this stage is or can be lightning fast.

This cant be anything other than a completed cycle.

Yes to test the theory you can add another dose of Ammonia concentrate.
Just not all the way up to 2ppm. Just add a few drops until the ammonia test kit shows a difference, from the previous one.

API test kit just different tubes. That’s great news I was just concerned about the stagnant nitrites. It was quite green initially. Nitrates honestly look to be in the 5-15 range. I will add more ammonia to get it back up to 2 ppm to test.

 

[Uncle99]

2 fully cycled marine pure blocks! Just that would be enough, these have a massive surface area.
Fritz, some partially cycled rock, Microbactor.........Instant Cycle!

Just did same, 2 day, Amm 0....Nitrite 0.05ppm.....Nitrate....2ppm.......
30 days later, same numbers...

 

[Cell]

Cycled like 3x over probably. Nitrites are not harmful in reef tanks. Nitrates cannot be read properly in the presence of nitrites.

 

[K7BMG]

API test kit just different tubes. That’s great news I was just concerned about the stagnant nitrites. It was quite green initially. Nitrates honestly look to be in the 5-15 range. I will add more ammonia to get it back up to 2 ppm to test.

DO NOT BRING IT UP TO 2PPM EVER AGAIN.
Just ADD ONLY enough to change the color of the previous test.

Take an ammonia test now.
Note and clean the vial.
Add a few drops of the ammonia and test again.
If its visibly darker your done. that's it, maybe up up to but no more than 1ppm.

 

[K7BMG]

Tomorrow at this time, if the ammonia is back to a 0 reading, test your nitrates.
They should be the same or SLIGHTLY higher. If so then do you 60% or more water change.
Wednesday check Ammonia and Nitrate
Ammonia should be 0 and Nitrate should be lower due to the water change.
Then your done.

 

[saltysailor]

Tomorrow at this time, if the ammonia is back to a 0 reading, test your nitrates.
They should be the same or SLIGHTLY higher. If so then do you 60% or more water change.
Wednesday check Ammonia and Nitrate
Ammonia should be 0 and Nitrate should be lower due to the water change.
Then your done.

Ok cool. Just dosed to 1-1.5ppm so we will see what It comes out to in the am.

 

[saltysailor]

What happens if I accidentally put too much ammonia

 

[K7BMG]

99% of the time it just delays the situation.
I don't know if it will kill off anything or something catastrophic, but you are cycled.
This is just confirming, so why push the envelope.

Most of the time in the reefing world less is more.

 

[saltysailor]

99% of the time it just delays the situation.
I don't know if it will kill off anything or something catastrophic, but you are cycled.
This is just confirming, so why push the envelope.

Most of the time in the reefing world less is more.

I actually just tested it ended up being 1ppm give or take so should be a good indicator

 

[K7BMG]

I actually just tested it ended up being 1ppm give or take so should be a good indicator

Sounds good. Tomorrow it should be back down to 0.
With the same or a bit more nitrite.

 

[saltysailor]

Last night in the mirror compared to this morning. Seems to have gone down marginally but too green now.