Ammonia 0, Nitrite 2.0ppm, Nitrate 0

[gapgawwd]

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 2.0ppm, Nitrate 0.

Tank was started late November with dry rock and live sand. I used shrimp to start the cycle process and dosed stability per instructions. All levels spiked and have went down to 0. But I’m still getting high levels of Nitrite. Any reason why? This is the first tank I’ve seen cycle like this personally. I haven’t seen the Nitrite go down at all in over 10 days.

 

[T-J]

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 2.0ppm, Nitrate 0.

Tank was started late November with dry rock and live sand. I used shrimp to start the cycle process and dosed stability per instructions. All levels spiked and have went down to 0. But I’m still getting high levels of Nitrite. Any reason why? This is the first tank I’ve seen cycle like this personally. I haven’t seen the Nitrite go down at all in over 10 days.

Any chance you can get a second test kit, or take it to your LFS to verify your numbers?
That's where I'd start.

 

[schuby]

I just read a little about Stability. It doesn't seem like its for a brand-new tank. You may be missing sufficient amounts of some of the nitrifying bacteria. There are two different bacterias in play: ammonia-to-nitrite bacteria and nitrite-to-nitrate bacteria. If you just wait, it'll probably convert all the nitrite to nitrate, but it may take 30+ days.

I used Dr Tim's One and Only and was fully cycled with both Ammonia and Nitrite at zero after a week. Nitrite conversion takes the longest as that bacteria multiplies much slower than the other bacteria.

Note: you shouldn't measure Nitrate while your Nitrite is not zero or near-zero. The Nitrate test will read falsely high due to the Nitrite.

 

[gapgawwd]

Any chance you can get a second test kit, or take it to your LFS to verify your numbers?
That's where I'd start.

I tested some tap water with the kit and it’s showing Nitrite @0ppm. Not sure if the API test make different Nitrite kits for salt and fresh water. But I’ll grab a second kit tonight when I’m running errands.

 

[T-J]

I tested some tap water with the kit and it’s showing Nitrite @0ppm. Not sure if the API test make different Nitrite kits for salt and fresh water. But I’ll grab a second kit tonight when I’m running errands.

If you're out running errands, just take a sample of your tank water to a fish store. They should test it for free for you.
Save you from buying another kit.

 

[schuby]

I was just re-reading your initial post. Can you elaborate on "All levels spiked and have went down to 0"? Did you see positive test-values (for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate), they later all measured zero, and then Nitrite went back to positive? That seems quite unusual as Nitrate should always remain as the end-product.

 

[brandon429]

Your cycle is done. We no longer factor nitrite in cycling.

source: all macna conventions since 1998 and every other reef convention worldwide totaling a million reefs.

a cycling chart shows you your real levels. Or digital Hanna but not a color kit. and if this is the one reef not conforming to cycle charts for nitrite, it has no bearing for us anyway. You paid for bottle bac designed to be ready now, if you followed it’s directions for feeding timeframes etc.

 

[brandon429]

Change out your reef water since it’s full of algae fuel, and begin. Post pics and update when life is in the tank we want to link it to our thread that says no reef tank cycle has ever stalled.

stalled= take longer than the known time frames for the source of bacteria. That ranges product to product, and whether or not active surfaces (anything wet) were used at the start. For example, if someone dosed fritz into a sand and rock reef tank and couldn’t handle nh3 in a day or two, thats stalled.

remove the degrading shrimp, change water, you can begin as you planned.

 

[jjencek]

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 2.0ppm, Nitrate 0.

Tank was started late November with dry rock and live sand. I used shrimp to start the cycle process and dosed stability per instructions. All levels spiked and have went down to 0. But I’m still getting high levels of Nitrite. Any reason why? This is the first tank I’ve seen cycle like this personally. I haven’t seen the Nitrite go down at all in over 10 days.

How late November? Has it been little over 2 weeks? My understanding is that Stability is not the best for starting a tank. But that said two weeks is about right if the only thing at the start was live sand (and Stability). Give it another week or two. It should move.

 

[gapgawwd]

I just read a little about Stability. It doesn't seem like its for a brand-new tank. You may be missing sufficient amounts of some of the nitrifying bacteria. There are two different bacterias in play: ammonia-to-nitrite bacteria and nitrite-to-nitrate bacteria. If you just wait, it'll probably convert all the nitrite to nitrate, but it may take 30+ days.

I used Dr Tim's One and Only and was fully cycled with both Ammonia and Nitrite at zero after a week. Nitrite conversion takes the longest as that bacteria multiplies much slower than the other bacteria.

Note: you shouldn't measure Nitrate while your Nitrite is not zero or near-zero. The Nitrate test will read falsely high due to the Nitrite.

I have cycled 3 tanks over the last 6 years using this method. I wonder if they changed the ingredients in the last 3 years. Never this issue. No one stocks Dr. Tim’s around me, but they do stock the Instant Ocean Bio-Spira. Do you think I should give that a try, or order the Dr. Tims product?

 

[brandon429]

Can your tank move ammonia down when you dose it?

right now you are missing the proof test. It’s not the rotting shrimp in there that tells you

remove it, run the proofing below before you buy more bacteria after already buying live bacteria

100% Water Change

So in my previous thread, I had an ammonia issue that was out of hand. As suggested, I did a 100% WC and now i’m wondering when I should start adding fish back. If anyone has suggestions, let me know!

www.reef2reef.com

 

[gapgawwd]

If you're out running errands, just take a sample of your tank water to a fish store. They should test it for free for you.
Save you from buying another kit.

sadly the nearest store is a 40 minute drive.

I was just re-reading your initial post. Can you elaborate on "All levels spiked and have went down to 0"? Did you see positive test-values (for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate), they later all measured zero, and then Nitrite went back to positive? That seems quite unusual as Nitrate should always remain as the end-product.

thats what I’m throw out do about. Levels started to go down at the beginning of last week, then ammonia spiked again and went back to 0 on Wednesday. There was a point where Nitrite and Nitrate were off the charts. Nitrate is reading 0ppm now but Nitrite is reading 2ppm

 

[gapgawwd]

Can your tank move ammonia down when you dose it?

right now you are missing the proof test. It’s not the rotting shrimp in there that tells you

I haven’t dosed pure ammonia. I’ve always let my tanks cycle by putting a piece of shrimp in a mesh bag.

 

[brandon429]

But now you want to test it, to see if it worked. Posted the link above

having nitrate proves you are done change the water


having met the ammonia control time on a cycling chart is proof, you have a water water and guess test issue but not a cycling one.

another proof thread, specifically written for your type of testing challenge.

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

Updated Cycling Science in Action This is a testless reef tank cycling thread, the only one from any board. If you ever had trouble with reef tank cycling in the past, you won't any longer after working some jobs with us. chances are you are using/about to use a method of reef tank cycling...

www.reef2reef.com

you can begin due to that work shown. But if you want proof you are cycled after meeting these criteria, then you need jacks thread posted before. You don’t need more bacteria, your cycle is done. Change wastewater for new, add life add pics we update page nine with another

 

[gapgawwd]

Change out your reef water since it’s full of algae fuel, and begin. Post pics and update when life is in the tank we want to link it to our thread that says no reef tank cycle has ever stalled.

stalled= take longer than the known time frames for the source of bacteria. That ranges product to product, and whether or not active surfaces (anything wet) were used at the start. For example, if someone dosed fritz into a sand and rock reef tank and couldn’t handle nh3 in a day or two, thats stalled.

remove the degrading shrimp, change water, you can begin as you planned.

Do a 100% water change?

 

[schuby]

The Bio-Spira could help, or just more time. I wanted my Ammonia and Nitrite to be zero because I was adding my first group of fish that had been in QT tank for a month.

My highest Ammonia-level was 2ppm. I did that twice by manually adding a measured amount of ammonia. The second dose was not really measurable at the full level with a test because the bacteria start acting on it very quick.

I'm with @brandon429 that if you've detected 1-2ppm of Ammonia and it it now zero, then your tank is sufficiently cycled for salt-water. The Nitrite will go away with more time.

 

[brandon429]

Check the threads posted before the water change, see if you buy those claims or if bunk

i know some strains are very slow, brightwell takes a long time to ever move but you’d mentioned the rise and drop plus time plus we are assuming rocks and sand are there for attachment points, that meets our not stuck criteria


if you buy more bottled bac it will not harm but I might cry a little for having not written convincingly enough

 

[schuby]

If your Nitrite was off the chart and now is is at 2ppm, then it is going down. You don't need more bacteria, just some patience. We grow our reef tanks.

 

[gapgawwd]

If your Nitrite was off the chart and now is is at 2ppm, then it is going down. You don't need more bacteria, just some patience. We grow our reef tanks.

So no water change?

 

[schuby]

A water-change is up to you and how you plan to manage your nutrients. It will not affect your tank's cycle.

My plan was to use 2-part dosing for Calcium and Alkalinity (after water-changes became inadequate), chaeto in refugium for phosphate and nitrate, skimmer for organics, and daily water-changes for any other trace elements (Apex DOS).