The truth is they don’t matter, you can start. Two weeks + ammonia control + bottle bac is why we know it’s ready, testing accurately for nitrites is nearly impossible with today’s testers. Your nitrite is likely zero but it doesn’t matter if they’re not, nitrites simply don’t matter to reef cycling. I have a huge thread where we prove this endlessly by starting tanks when nitrites are indicating as preset, but to save the long read that’s the summary above. Nitrate reading also proves you have ammonia control. Your cycle is confirmed done in more than one way.
im not sure why nitrites are said to stall a cycle
perhaps on a glass slide, in a lab, under controlled experiments nitrites might matter, but they don’t in the actual aquarium.
the effect of the claim sure helps sell bottle bac, see this ad designed to capitalize on people caring about nitrite readings, never having been told by the bottle bac sellers that we can’t test accurately for nitrite:
-none of the cycles were stuck, cycles cannot stall in reefing.
-bottle bac is being resold by the thousands due to the notion
-how are they able to start 500 reef tanks at a reef convention on time? thats 500 reefs that didn’t stall, how are they causing that?
*****the sales industry wants you to think your tank runs differently than the 500, it doesn’t*** all cycles follow a predictable timeline for ammonia control considering boosters used. cycles always complete in a reef tank, they never stall. What the sellers claim is opposite from the truth.
nitrites matters to bottle bac sellers, but not aquarists with marine setups.
we simply do not have to test for nitrites in reefing.
bottle
Since adding life forms to an uncycled reef results in death overnight, the ultimate proof of cycle readiness is adding the first animals once ammonia is proven, after a big water change, and see if they live. Alive in 48 hours, more proof of completed cycle.
consider grabbing some starter corals, couple hermits/whatever cuc you like, some frozen reef food like rods, and add em. This is not crazy lol see Daniels reef
Hello all! My name is Daniel from Florida and I’m starting to get into the reef hobby. I have been cycling my tank for two weeks now and logging it into an app. I have recently been gifted a live rock with some good amount of coralline on it. I also got some water from and established tank. My...
www.reef2reef.com
if a huge reef convention featuring local tanks was starting on your block today, your tank could make it on time. Daniels tank made his on time
This makes a lot of sense, thanks for the reply always feel like I'm asking stupid questions on these forums lol
next time my ammonia is processed in 24hr il do a water change and get some sort of live stock you mentioned ☺... Another question for you my PH since starting hasn't been above 7... What do you reccomend to higher my pH.. I buy my saltwater ready mixed from the store my salinity is perfect but ph low? Everybody tells my not to chase ph but surely this low is a no go
Thanks again
Dean
