Very high nitrate while cycling

MA.Bolduc

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2019
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I started cycling a new 65 gallons tank 2 or 3 weeks ago. I'm doing it fishless so I first added some ammonia (4ppm) and waited a while... Nothing was happening for more than a week so I bought a bottle of BIO-Spira. Before I added the bottle, I had 4ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite and 0ppm nitrate. Less than 48h later, my ammonia was 0ppm, 0ppm nitrite, and 40 ppm nitrate. I added 2ppm ammonia to keep thing going... 24h later, I had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and about 80 ppm nitrate!!! :O I did a 20% water change (RO water of course, 0 nitrates...), and added 2ppm ammonia again. Now I'm at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and more than 80 ppm nitrate!!! Is it normal than my nitrates goes that high that fast?! I would do a bigger water change to lower nitrates but at that speed, i'll be doing 50% water change almost every 24h to keep up with that rise of nitrates!!!! And if I stop adding ammonia, won't my bacterias starve? What should I do?
 

redfishbluefish

Stay Positive, Stay Productive
View Badges
Joined
Mar 22, 2012
Messages
11,701
Reaction score
25,694
Location
Sayreville, NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
First off, welcome to R2R! #WelcometoR2R

The nitrate you are seeing is most likely for the rock you are using. I'm going to guess you started with dry rock. What happens is that as it cures, the old death within decays and leaches out. That is what you are seeing. Water changes is the way to reduce nitrates (and phosphates) while the rock cures.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
M

MA.Bolduc

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2019
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
First off, welcome to R2R!

The nitrate you are seeing is most likely for the rock you are using. I'm going to guess you started with dry rock. What happens is that as it cures, the old death within decays and leaches out. That is what you are seeing. Water changes is the way to reduce nitrates (and phosphates) while the rock cures.

Thanks for the welcoming and quick reply! You are right, I started with dry rock only. Seems odd that I only had nitrate after adding bacterias and not before if nitrates are coming from rocks... Do you think I'll need to make a lot of water changes before it stabilize? 30 gallons water change will cost me a lot if I have to do them every 24-48 hours! :O Should i continue adding ammonia?
 

redfishbluefish

Stay Positive, Stay Productive
View Badges
Joined
Mar 22, 2012
Messages
11,701
Reaction score
25,694
Location
Sayreville, NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'd stop adding ammonia. Curing can take a month of more. I'd first look at weekly water changes, and as large as possible. This is the only time you can get away with 100 percent water changes. You will eventually start to see nitrates dropping. A proper cure will minimize the chances of an algae bloom within a month or two.....typical to those that skip the cure.
 
OP
OP
M

MA.Bolduc

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 18, 2019
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'd stop adding ammonia. Curing can take a month of more. I'd first look at weekly water changes, and as large as possible. This is the only time you can get away with 100 percent water changes. You will eventually start to see nitrates dropping. A proper cure will minimize the chances of an algae bloom within a month or two.....typical to those that skip the cure.

Thanks again for you time and quick response... I think i've been mislead by that post... tought dry rock needed no curing... :( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/do-i-need-to-cure-clean-dry-rock.287346/
 
Back
Top