Bottle Cycling

[astiesi]

Just figured I'd ask a quick question. My cycling approach with my previous 3 tanks was centered around LR, die off, and maybe a raw shrimp to feed the cycle (pretty typical). This time, I elected to give Microbacter Start XLM a try along with their ammonia additive. It's a few weeks in and my question is this:

Has anyone used these products and never been able to detect nitrites? While I still have ammonia, I am starting to detect nitrates increasing however the nitrites are still undetectable. My observational theory is the mixture of bacteria have created a situation where both types are growing at about the same rate, thereby as fast as ammonia is consumed the nitrites are also being consumed.

Just curious if anyone has seen similar, as in my experience I have typically watched each spike before being driven to 0.

 

[ReefRusty]

I used this for my first tank with the ammonia, from memory I didnt see results on Nitrite, just let it go for 15 days and did a 70% WC and it was ready added fish that same day. Always had false readings, but nitrates were above 20 and were 5 after a waterchange.