Cycle Stalled?

[Kasey Grohowski]

Wondering if high nitrites stalled my cycle. They have been at least 2 for 10 days and have not moved. Salifert is telling me my ammonia is at about .15 for the last week, but API and red sea both are showing at least 2. No movement and I also added a bunch of bacteria to my tank. Tank is kept at 79 degrees.

 

[MrObscura]

It's pretty much impossible to stall a cycle. slow down? Maybe, but stall? Nope.

Just let nature do its thing.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

It's pretty much impossible to stall a cycle. slow down? Maybe, but stall? Nope.

Just let nature do its thing.

I just dont know why ammonia isnt dropping either.

 

[MrObscura]

I just dont know why ammonia isnt dropping either.

Be patient.

 

[RandyC]

The time for nitrobacter (bacteria responsible for converting nitrites to nitrates) takes 2.5x the amount of time than nitrosomonas to double their numbers in optimal conditions (7 hours vs 15-20 hours). So getting rid of nitrites just seems to have "stalled" the cycle, but it's just that that particular bacteria takes longer to replicate. Be patient is good advice.

Source: http://www.bioconlabs.com/nitribactfacts.html

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

The time for nitrobacter (bacteria responsible for converting nitrites to nitrates) takes 2.5x the amount of time than nitrosomonas to double their numbers in optimal conditions (7 hours vs 15-20 hours). So getting rid of nitrites just seems to have "stalled" the cycle, but it's just that that particular bacteria takes longer to replicate. Be patient is good advice.

Source: http://www.bioconlabs.com/nitribactfacts.html

Yeah I heard nitrites take much longer, but what is also weird is my nitrates are at least 160ppm. So that means they're being converted but nitrites are still super high, which I don't understand. Also is nitrosomos the bacteria that turns ammonia into nitrites?

 

[RandyC]

Yeah I heard nitrites take much longer, but what is also weird is my nitrates are at least 160ppm. So that means they're being converted but nitrites are still super high, which I don't understand. Also is nitrosomos the bacteria that turns ammonia into nitrites?

Yes, nitrosomonas convert ammonia to nitrites. It could be that the nitrobacter are present, but are not in sufficient numbers yet to process all the nitrites in the water in a timely manner.

Are you continuing to provide some source of ammonia?

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Yes, nitrosomonas convert ammonia to nitrites. It could be that the nitrobacter are present, but are not in sufficient numbers yet to process all the nitrites in the water in a timely manner.

Are you continuing to provide some source of ammonia?

Yes fritz ammonium chloride

 

[RandyC]

Yes fritz ammonium chloride

I'd prolly stop adding the ammonium chloride for now. You have plenty to get the cycle going. Wait until all the ammonia is processed to nitrates. If you want to confirm cycle is complete after everything is processed to nitrates, dose ammonium chloride to 2ppm. Bacteria should be able to process that amount to nitrates in under 24 hours (usually under 18 hours actually).

 

[lapin]

After 2 weeks dosing ammonia, you have plenty of food in your tank for the growth of bacteria. You are dosing it, so expect to see it in your testing. You should stop dosing it. Let your Nitrite go to "0". Once it does, that follow Randy advice above. Ammonia to nitrite to nitrate in 24 hours.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

After 2 weeks dosing ammonia, you have plenty of food in your tank for the growth of bacteria. You are dosing it, so expect to see it in your testing. You should stop dosing it. Let your Nitrite go to "0". Once it does, that follow Randy advice above. Ammonia to nitrite to nitrate in 24 hours.

I stopped dosing 4 or 5 days ago. Still my ammonia is not dropping according to red sea, just tested again today and it's still at 2. Not dropping at all, something has to be wrong.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

I'd prolly stop adding the ammonium chloride for now. You have plenty to get the cycle going. Wait until all the ammonia is processed to nitrates. If you want to confirm cycle is complete after everything is processed to nitrates, dose ammonium chloride to 2ppm. Bacteria should be able to process that amount to nitrates in under 24 hours (usually under 18 hours actually).

Don't you agree though, the ammonia should be dropping at this point. Been at 2 ppm for 4-5 days with no drop. That can't be normal with all the bacteria/matrix I have in this tank.

 

[deadhead_45yrs]

Have you checked your pH? The Dr. Tims page below says that it is possible to stall a cycle if the pH goes below 7

http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/how-to-start

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Have you checked your pH? The Dr. Tims page below says that it is possible to stall a cycle if the pH goes below 7

http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/how-to-start

Yeah ph is 8.1

 

[deadhead_45yrs]

I am a newbie but have been going through this same process. The Dr. Tim's page also says that the cycle can stall if the ammonia level gets above 5 ppm. Since the Red Sea Kit only reads to 2 ppm max you may need to do a water change and see if that drops the ammonia and raises your pH.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

I am a newbie but have been going through this same process. The Dr. Tim's page also says that the cycle can stall if the ammonia level gets above 5 ppm. Since the Red Sea Kit only reads to 2 ppm max you may need to do a water change and see if that drops the ammonia and raises your pH.

Yeah I've read that high ammonia can stall, but at one point my ammonia was 8 and it dropped to 2

 

[deadhead_45yrs]

BTW - I had the same problem with a Salifert test kit (reading a low ammonia level for weeks). There may be a bad batch out there. Expiration on mine is 06-2020 got it from BRS.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

BTW - I had the same problem with a Salifert test kit (reading a low ammonia level for weeks). There may be a bad batch out there. Expiration on mine is 06-2020 got it from BRS.

Yeah I think I got mine from amazon, anyway I would just use the API, same results as red sea and also cheaper and easier to use

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

BTW - I had the same problem with a Salifert test kit (reading a low ammonia level for weeks). There may be a bad batch out there. Expiration on mine is 06-2020 got it from BRS.

Weird mine is also 06/2020

 

[RandyC]

Don't you agree though, the ammonia should be dropping at this point. Been at 2 ppm for 4-5 days with no drop. That can't be normal with all the bacteria/matrix I have in this tank.

Nothing is odd to me in this hobby. If you're concerned that ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates are too high and stalling your cycle, nothing bad will happen from a 50% WC. I've done a WC in the past when my nitrites shoot above 5ppm during a cycle. Whether it helped moved the cycle forward or not, who knows, but it definitely didn't harm it.