Cycling Test Result Question

[warpdrvr]

Ok, so I've been cycling for a few weeks now. I have what I think are odd readings, and hope someone here can help me make sense of them. I test ammonia, and it reads >.15, which is pretty low, right? Anyway, I tested nitrites and they were about 5ppm. Nitrates were off the charts, 75-100ppm. I am doing water changes to get the nitrates down. My question is, how can I have such low ammonia, such high nitrates and still have 5ppm+ of nitrites? If ammonia so low, shouldn't nitrites be as well? Making this noob scratch his head.

 

[redfishbluefish]

My guess is you started with dry rock. The nitrates you are seeing is the old death leaching from the rock. This is the one time 100 percent water changes are possible.

 

[warpdrvr]

So, some rock was dry, but I had bleached it and rinsed it weeks before I put into tank. The majority of rock is CaribSea Life Rock that was sprayed with spores. In addition, I've used a couple of bottles of Dr. Tims as well.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Ok, so I've been cycling for a few weeks now. I have what I think are odd readings, and hope someone here can help me make sense of them. I test ammonia, and it reads >.15, which is pretty low, right? Anyway, I tested nitrites and they were about 5ppm. Nitrates were off the charts, 75-100ppm. I am doing water changes to get the nitrates down. My question is, how can I have such low ammonia, such high nitrates and still have 5ppm+ of nitrites? If ammonia so low, shouldn't nitrites be as well? Making this noob scratch his head.

You have to understand the cycle. Ammonia is first converted into Nitrite by bacteria that grows fairly rapidly. The Nitrite is then converted into Nitrate. This bacteria grows a lot more slowly than the bacteria that consumes the ammonia, therefore, the ammonia goes down to 0 ppm first.

As far as having high nitrate, most hobby test kits test for nitrate by first converting the nitrate into nitrite. These kits then test for total nitrite and tell you the reading is nitrate. So, if you already have nitrite in the tank, and then convert the nitrate into nitrite and measure total nitrite for a nitrate reading, you get a false high nitrate reading.

I hope this makes sense to you.

Your ammonia should be 0 ppm first. Then about a week or longer later, your nitrite will be 0 ppm.

I wouldn't do any more water changes until your cycle is complete. Just let it run its course.

Edit: Did you really mean that your ammonia is greater than 0.15 ppm? If you are using API test kits, an ammonia reading of LESS than 0.15 ppm can actually mean 0 ppm. Your readings seem normal to me.

 

[warpdrvr]

No, less than .15. That's the associated reading on the Salifert test card

 

[Bayareareefer18]

When I cycled my tank it took my nitrite a long time to come down. Was stuck over 5 for a long time. I did a large water change and added a bottle of bio spira. It came down quickly after that

 

[IslandLifeReef]

No, less than .15. That's the associated reading on the Salifert test card

OK. For future information, if it is less than, it should be written <.15. This will help you get better answers.

I still think your readings are fine.

 

[warpdrvr]

Ahh you're right. I meant to use the < sign but must have typed the > instead...
So, readings fine as ok to think about fish, or ok as in the cycle moving along as normal? Wifey is getting anxious and wants some fish to look at

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Ahh you're right. I meant to use the < sign but must have typed the > instead...
So, readings fine as ok to think about fish, or ok as in the cycle moving along as normal? Wifey is getting anxious and wants some fish to look at

Fine as in the cycle is moving along as normal. You need to wait until ammonia and nitrite are 0 ppm before you add fish. If you wanted to speed it along a bit, I would recommend adding Fritz Turbo 9000. It is the refrigerated bottle and seems to have the best performance reducing ammonia and nitrite.

Waiting is the safest option for the future health of your tank and for the fish.

Is this going to be a fish only tank or a reef of some type?

 

[lapin]

If you want to see fish, you might think about getting 2 small tanks and setting them up as QT tanks. You can read about the TTM method which uses both tanks and will help prevent Ich from getting into your main display tank. This takes 2 weeks. You can also make sure your new fish are eating and use some prazi-pro to rid them of some other parasites before they enter the main display.

 

[warpdrvr]

Hopefully a reef tank. I already have a QT brewing along.... I may have to try the Fritz product

 

[Qasimja]

i can attest to the nitrite to nitrate conversion being REALLY slow ammonia to nitrite happens very quickly it took my tank 3 weeks to finish the nitrite to nitrate part of the cycle

 

[BeejReef]

Those numbers are perfect.. textbook really.
You've managed to get some serious nitrate Have a good supply of fresh salt mix ready for when you are done processing your nitrite so u can water change out the nitrate and not start off fighting big algae.