what to do next for cycling

[theMeat]

Did your nitrites or nitrates ever go up?

 

[sergifed91]

Did your nitrites or nitrates ever go up?

i'm testing my nitrates and nitrates now.

 

[sergifed91]

Did your nitrites or nitrates ever go up?

ph - 8.2
NO2 - 2.ppm
NO3 - 10 PPM

 

[theMeat]

Well then your cycle is close to complete

Once your nitrites come down to zero, if your nitrates are higher than 15, do a water change

 

[sergifed91]

I guess I need a CUC.

 

[sergifed91]

Well then your cycle is close to complete

Once your nitrites come down to zero, if your nitrates are higher than 15, do a water change

Do I need to do anything. at this point just ghost feed the tank and what for NO2 to go to 0 and NO3 to 0 also. at one point my nitrates where really high but then all of a sudden it all when from 0 ammonia to NO2 - 5.0 and NO3 160PPM. then 8 hours later. Ammonia - 0 NO2 and NO3 -0. but I don't think I have diatoms or life on my rock. will take a few pics and send them in a post.

 

[theMeat]

Something is odd. Nitrates didn’t go away on their own that fast

 

[Bayareareefer18]

It took me about 2 weeks to show nitrite. Bow I am just sitting with nitrite around 2 and nitrate at 20

Nitrite is taking some time to drop for me

 

[sergifed91]

It took me about 2 weeks to show nitrite. Bow I am just sitting with nitrite around 2 and nitrate at 20

Nitrite is taking some time to drop for me

I haven't seen donations show up at all. I haven't even been to the ugly stage of the cycle yet. I took some pics there below.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I haven't seen donations show up at all. I haven't even been to the ugly stage of the cycle yet. I took some pics there below.

I am on full diatom bloom almost a month in.

You shouldn't see nitrates fall but should be waiting for nitrite to fall.

What test kit are you using ? Api? If so follow directions very closely and try your test again.

Sorry I didn't go back and read. Are you using dry rock? Did you cure it?

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Somebody linked this in another thread. Great info

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?posts/4668959

 

[sergifed91]

A mix of live and dry. I did cure it. I am using API. I'm gonna retest again when I get home from work tomorrow. I'm gonna take some water to my legs Saturday to be tested to verify my tests results.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

A mix of live and dry. I did cure it. I am using API. I'm gonna retest again when I get home from work tomorrow. I'm gonna take some water to my legs Saturday to be tested to verify my tests results.

Api is notorious for user error with all that shaking and such

I currently am using the same but have always found the seachem to be way easier.

You may not see a nitrite spike if there was a lot of bacteria on your live rock.

Also if you cured your rock well you may not get that nutrient explosion

Read the link I posted it explains it very well

 

[Idoc]

I had 0 ammonia this morning when I woke up. so I dosed it with ammonia with 1 ppm. tested the water for ammonia after that and it showed 1 ppm before I left and then when I got home. it showed I had no ammonia when I tested it. not sure where to go from here dose it with another 1 ppm or 2 ppm

How many total gallons are in the system? If you can process 1ppm ammonia in 24 hrs, then you are easy for a small bioload...ie, 1-2 fish. If you go 30 days, then you're definitely cycled, but it seems like you are now! I kept dosing ammonia until my 100g total system could process 2ppm in 24 hours.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

How many total gallons are in the system? If you can process 1ppm ammonia in 24 hrs, then you are easy for a small bioload...ie, 1-2 fish. If you go 30 days, then you're definitely cycled, but it seems like you are now! I kept dosing ammonia until my 100g total system could process 2ppm in 24 hours.

Question...

Sorry in the same process as the opp. My rabk can process 2 ppm ammonia in 24 hours but still high nitrite. Doesn't nitrite need to 0 also?

 

[sergifed91]

Api is notorious for user error with all that shaking and such

I currently am using the same but have always found the seachem to be way easier.

You may not see a nitrite spike if there was a lot of bacteria on your live rock.

Also if you cured your rock well you may not get that nutrient explosion

Read the link I posted it explains it very well

first thing I did when I got the rock cleaned it with a per wash. Then I let it cure.

 

[sergifed91]

Question...

Sorry in the same process as the opp. My rabk can process 2 ppm ammonia in 24 hours but still high nitrite. Doesn't nitrite need to 0 also?

I have it fixed to 2 ppm right now. Gonna see what happens the next 24 hrs. If all good I'll get a Vic or maybe wait and get 1 to 2 fish and then wait 2 weeks and see what happens then. But I'll see what happens in 24 hrs and retest after work tomorrow. And post those results here.

 

[Idoc]

Question...

Sorry in the same process as the opp. My rabk can process 2 ppm ammonia in 24 hours but still high nitrite. Doesn't nitrite need to 0 also?

Nitrites present shoes that those bacteria are still populating, so the tank is still kind of cycling. But if you can process 2ppm ammonia in 24hrs, then you are well on your way and the system should be safe for a fish. Nitrites aren't harmful to marine fish like freshwater fish. Check nitrates as well... which should test higher (nutrate test kits usually combine bith nitrates and nitrites into the results). If really high, a big water change might help before introducing fish.

 

[User1]

I thought I read somewhere that you shouldn't test for Nitrates until Nitrites are 0.

Also once you think the cycle is complete the 2 ppm Ammonia dose to check if it processes in 24 hours is solid advise.

 

[Idoc]

I thought I read somewhere that you shouldn't test for Nitrates until Nitrites are 0.

Also once you think the cycle is complete the 2 ppm Ammonia dose to check if it processes in 24 hours is solid advise.

I think the reasoning to wait to test for nitrates until nitrites are zero is because most nitrate test kits also count the nitrites as part of the nitrate result.