Ammonia Spike after Bacterial Bloom

[j.Zero]

Hi, I just started cycling my 20gal AIO tank a week ago.

For the first few days, I strictly followed the directions for MicroBacter7, ~4 drops per gallon of water. Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates stayed at 0.50ppm, 0ppm, and 0ppm respectively for 5 days until I decided to pour the whole 250mL bottle into my tank. I learned through my previous research that I can't overdose nitrifying bacteria and I want to see some results.

A few hours after doing so, Ammonia dropped to 0.25ppm while Nitrites and Nitrates stayed at 0ppm. Also, the water became cloudy. A quick google search told me that it was bacterial bloom and it will be gone in a few days. Before sleeping, I made a test again and all of them were 0ppm.

The next morning, water is clear. Ammonia spiked to 0.50ppm, Nitrites and Nitrates are still 0ppm. Today is the 2nd day, same results this morning.

Did I do anything wrong? My test kit is API Saltwater Master Test Kit.

 

[mdrieder]

Firstly, the API master test kit leaves a lot to be desired IMO, secondly what did you use start the cycle? .5ppm Ammonia wont really fire up the cycle all that much.

 

[j.Zero]

Firstly, the API master test kit leaves a lot to be desired IMO, secondly what did you use start the cycle? .5ppm Ammonia wont really fire up the cycle all that much.

For some unknown reason, the water started out with 0.5ppm ammonia. I originally planned to dose liquid ammonia when ammonia becomes 0ppm. But since I can't get it to stabilize at 0, I never did.

Do you have suggestions for a test kit? I heard Salifert Test are good but finding them in my area could be hard.

 

[mdrieder]

I mostly use salifert with the exception of phosphate (i have a hana ULR for that) and I'm very happy with my gear. Your observation that the water started with .5 ppm ammonia could be one of two things. The source water has slight ammonia or the more likely option, the Test Kit is giving you false results/ misinterpretation of results. Even so, .5 ppm Ammonia would only convert to about 1.3 nitrite and 1.8 nitrate witch would again not be super obvious on your test kit. Even if you did get the tank to cycle on that, when you actually have fish in there producing far more ammonia the cycle would just start over again since it will not be able to convert such a bio-load. My recommendation is to dose a more significant amount of ammonia which will be extremely obvious on your test kit, (maybe 4 or 8 ppm (I think that's the last read-out on your kit)) that way the cycling process will be easily identified as it goes through its respective processes. That way you can get started now instead of waiting for your kits to arrive.

 

[j.Zero]

Thank you! I will try that. Never thought API would be so inaccurate.

 

[mdrieder]

I think to be fair, its not that its inaccurate but rather poorly designed. Most people can easily recognize when water is crystal clear, which for most tests equals a result of zero. But API made the weird choice of making all zero readings a gradient of a color, which is much harder to read. Its unfortunate but their bread and butter is mostly fish only and freshwater where close enough is more than okay. Good luck OP, let me know how it gos!