Cycling Question.

VtecGuy88 · Apr 15, 2020

My tank has nothing in it but dry rock. I have been ghost feeding twice a day. I have been cycling for 20 days. My current readings are Ammonia 4.0ppm. Nitrite 5.0ppm. Nitrate between 10 and 20ppm. The ammonia seems high to me. My question is should I do a water change to bring the ammonia down or should I just keep cycling?

KTrevino · Apr 15, 2020

No water change needed if no livestock. Did you use live rock or bacteria in a bottle?

VtecGuy88 · Apr 15, 2020

KTrevino said:
No water change needed if no livestock. Did you use live rock or bacteria in a bottle?

I added seachem stability until I ran out. It didn't seem to do much. I have also been throwing a capful of prime in there every other day or so because its supposed to break down ammonia to a state that can be used by nitrite but all it seems to do is drop my orp and ph for about 12 hours and then everything comes back up. Unfortunately I got rid of all my live rock when I tore my 125 down because I didn't have a place to store it.

Rmckoy · Apr 15, 2020

Stop dosing prime and let the ammonia process ...

4ppm is good as long as there is no livestock .
It will slowly decrease as nitrite increases .
mad soon as there are 0ppm ammonia and nitritr that’s when your first water change happens .
Be patient ....... you’re on the right path .

KTrevino · Apr 16, 2020

Hmm. So stability looks like it is bacteria in a bottle but I'm not too familiar with it. The prime is not necessary as the bacteria will take care of the whole nitrogen cycle. Just wait till ammonia hits 0 then you are good. You have nitrates which shows the nitrifying bacteria are there.

Rmckoy · Apr 16, 2020

KTrevino said:
Hmm. So stability looks like it is bacteria in a bottle but I'm not too familiar with it. The prime is not necessary as the bacteria will take care of the whole nitrogen cycle. Just wait till ammonia hits 0 then you are good. You have nitrates which shows the nitrifying bacteria are there.

Isn’t prime for detoxifying ammonia and conditioning/removing chlorine from water ?