Cycling help!

[OceanBlue808]

I'm on week two of my cycle and two days ago, I tested with the API master kit with my parameters being:
Ammonia 2ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm

I tested today and I got:
Ammonia 1ppm
Nitrite 5ppm
Nitrate 160 ppm

I feel like I'm doing something wrong....... does anyone have any thought about this by chance?

 

[dbjonesjr]

Looks about right to me. API test kits will give false nitrate readings when nitrites get high. Everything sounds right to me. Nitrites take longer than ammonia to go away. Time is key!

 

[OceanBlue808]

Looks about right to me. API test kits will give false nitrate readings when nitrites get high. Everything sounds right to me. Nitrites take longer than ammonia to go away. Time is key!

That's a relief, I was getting worried. Is there a different test kit that you would recommend by chance?

 

[Mikedawg]

Salifert test kits are commonly used; good price point and about as valid and reliable as "home" test kits can be.

 

[dbjonesjr]

That's a relief, I was getting worried. Is there a different test kit that you would recommend by chance?

There’s better options out there but there is no use in investing in more expensive test kits for cycling. I find that personally I have no problem using API for ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, ph, and calcium. However to test for things such as phosphate, alkalinity, magnesium, and more it is best to use the old trustworthy Salifert kits. But like I mentioned you aren’t quite at that point yet so I wouldn’t worry about it. Just give the tank time.

 

[vetteguy53081]

As an assurance with your test results, take a water sample to your trusted LFS and see what they come up with for comparison. Then you’ll also know the accuracy if your API test kit.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

That's a relief, I was getting worried. Is there a different test kit that you would recommend by chance?

I would recommend that yo not test for nitrate until both ammonia and nitrite are 0 ppm. Most, if not all readily available test kits will give you a false high nitrate reading if there is nitrite in the tank.

 

[lapin]

Yes nitrites will effect your nitrate reading. Your API kit may show .25 ammonia when none is present. Once ammonia bottoms out, then you just have to wait until the bacteria that consumes nitrites can grow to a population enough to convert it to nitrate.

 

[Tom Giddens]

I am getting ready to start a tank, I am planning on using dry liverock I bought from someone, a protein skimmer, and the water. I want to leave the lights out until the cycle is over and then add my live sand and turn the lights on. Will this work?

 

[Synner Reef]

@Tom Giddens I cycled with my lights off with Live Sand and Dry Rock. Just add your Bacteria and some type of product to add Ammonia. IE, uncooked table shrimp,ghost feeding,Ammonia itself.

 

[dbjonesjr]

Would like to mention that if you leave the ammonia test kit (if there is doubt between 0.00-0.25) overnight it will be an obvious yellow the morning after the test if it is 0.00! Then it would be wise to ghost feed the tank as if there is fish in it even if there isn’t.

 

[Tom Giddens]

I was thinking of starting with this product https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/aquarium-supplies/bacteria/turbostart-live-nitrifying/

 

[dbjonesjr]

I was thinking of starting with this product https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/aquarium-supplies/bacteria/turbostart-live-nitrifying/

That is typically the go-to solution for a fast cycle. Personally I don’t mind waiting so I use cheaper options like Microbacter7 and Dr. Tim’s.

 

[lapin]

There is a thread here on bacteria in a bottle. I think the conclusion is Fritz Turbo start is one of the best at this. Most of them will work just fine. What the bacteria will need is a food source so they can grow to a big enough proportion to process the waste from our fish and excess food. These bacteria are all ready present in your live sand. A bottle or 2 wont hurt and may speed the cycle. What you have is bacteria that process ammonia into nitrite and bacteria that process nitrite into nitrate. The nitrite to nitrate bacteria take long to grow in our cycle

 

[Tom Giddens]

There is a thread here on bacteria in a bottle. I think the conclusion is Fritz Turbo start is one of the best at this. Most of them will work just fine. What the bacteria will need is a food source so they can grow to a big enough proportion to process the waste from our fish and excess food. These bacteria are all ready present in your live sand. A bottle or 2 wont hurt and may speed the cycle. What you have is bacteria that process ammonia into nitrite and bacteria that process nitrite into nitrate. The nitrite to nitrate bacteria take long to grow in our cycle

So if I put the Water, dry live rock,and circulation add the fritz turbo and some fish food? After the cycle I could add the live sand and turn the lights on?

 

[lapin]

If you want to cycle the rock in your tank and not outside the tank. Add the rock, live sand and then the salt water. Add the bac in a bottle. Turn on the pump and a heater. Add a food source for the bacteria. Old days it was no bottled bac or live sand. We just added a dead table shrimp and waited. For a food source you can use fish food, a table shrimp, or ammonia. Dr Tims sells a bacteria starter as well as the ammonia and has the instructions to use it. Its the more exact modern way. Both ways work.
I recommend rinsing your sand. There is some debate about removing too much of the bacteria. I think it is more important to get rid of the very fine dust particles that cause dust clouds in your tank then worry about losing some bacteria. The bacteria cling to the sand and would be very hard to remove all of them by rinsing. Unless you had a chemical in the water that would kill them.

 

[Salty Lemon]

There’s better options out there but there is no use in investing in more expensive test kits for cycling. I find that personally I have no problem using API for ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, ph, and calcium. However to test for things such as phosphate, alkalinity, magnesium, and more it is best to use the old trustworthy Salifert kits. But like I mentioned you aren’t quite at that point yet so I wouldn’t worry about it. Just give the tank time.

Ditto -- Every word of it.