Cycling Frag system

[BillB83]

20 Gallon Long Tank with 10 Gallon Sump

3 weeks ago i started a cycle with dr tims. Was unable to add fish due to the high ammonia levels in the tank. After 2 weeks I did a 5 gallon water change to lower ammonia levels but they still seem kinda high. I have been daily dosing with Stability for about 10 days now trying to balance this out. The tank has a frag rack in it with 1 rock and the sump is filled with a ton of Marine Pure Blocks along with a bunch of bio media from an existing cycled tank.

Any suggestions ? should I do another water change or should I just let it sit?

 

[Troylee]

Stop the stability and let the tank do its thing… I’m sure it’s cycled by now.. api test kit? Throw it away.. test your nitrates that will answer your question if it’s good to go or not.

 

[BillB83]

no i dont use api, i use all the hanna testers. If the nitrates are good to go how should i go about lowering the ammonia levels before adding fish ? just large water change ? or let it lower itself over time ?

 

[Troylee]

It will go away on its own or you can make it faster with water changes.. if you used existing media blocks from a display and a rock you shouldn’t have added any dr Tim’s, the tank should have been fine from day 1 for inhabitants.

 

[BillB83]

oops oh well thanks for the tips i appreciate it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What is the ammonia level?

 

[BillB83]

What is the ammonia level?

I stopped all stability and Just checked everything again and I'm showing

Ammonia 1.05 & Nitrate 14.9 !

The algaebarn rock blocks I put in were brand new and not from a cycled tank the only thing that was from a cycled tank was a small bag of media I had in the back of an AIO and a bag of chemipure. About a week ago I also tossed some pods into the sump and they have clearly reproduced and are in the display on the glass muchin.

Seems to me like I'm 100% cycled i just need to do a water change and drop these Nitrates a little bit maybe another 5 gallons or so.

 

[Cell]

Your nitrate reading is not accurate when cycling due to elevated nitrite. Test ammonia again tomorrow and see if it's dropping.

 

[BillB83]

Your nitrate reading is not accurate when cycling due to elevated nitrite. Test ammonia again tomorrow and see if it's dropping.

alright thanks, sounds good I didn't know that.

 

[BillB83]

Your nitrate reading is not accurate when cycling due to elevated nitrite. Test ammonia again tomorrow and see if it's dropping.

Ammonia at 0, should I water change now ? to reduce some of the nitrates or just let it sit ?