Day 4- Has my tank begun to cycle?

[kiteski14]

I'm very new to this and have only had water in my tank (Fluval Evo 13.5) for 4 days so far. I started the tank with some live rock and some sand (unsure if it was live or not, it came from a bag so I'm assuming it was not live sand).

Since the first day I've been monitoring the levels, the second day I went and bought API Quick start and added the recommended 20mL for my tank. My levels don't seem to have changed much at all over the past couple of days and I'm wondering if this is normal. The ammonia levels have went from .75 to 1 to .5 which doesn't make much sense to me. I'm assuming the '1' isn't the spike people talk about.

Just wanted to see if this is normal. Looking back on it I'm wishing I did the shrimp method to assure the ammonia levels would rise, but I thought having live rock and API quick start would help that.

I'm also curious if it's too soon to introduce a hermit crab or two, and if that would help the process.

I attached some photos so you can see the tank/setup and the readings.

Thanks!

 

[DanH86]

I would just let it do it’s thing. 4 days is nothing in the cycle - 30 is the typical number, mine was 41. The ammonia will drop pretty quick but nitrite will take ages to drop.

You can also save on test kits - there’s no need to test for ca/mag/alk during cycle, and also the presence of nitrite will screw with nitrate test results so leave testing nitrate for a few weeks. (I did exactly the same as you during my cycle, testing for everything, every day, but quickly learned to just leave it to do it’s thing)

 

[kiteski14]

Thanks. During those 41 days, did you have any crabs or anything? Did you do anything? Dose?

 

[DanH86]

Nope I didn’t add anything until 0 amm, 0 nitrite and a 50% water change had been done. I then added 2 clowns and some red legged hermits.

Some people dose ammonia during the cycle, but it’s been shown that the bacteria can survive without dosing. I guess it’s down to personal preference.

 

[bjc451]

My tank took 23 days. I did 3 water changes after 50% 40% 10% 2 weeks in between. Then added small cuc and 2 weeks later 1 fish and 1 coral... the ugly stage is a monster

 

[piranhaman00]

Pick up some bio spira and a few drops of ammonia, it will be cycled in a week.

Do not add anything during the cycle, it will be in a cesspool of ammonia, not nice.

Your results going up and back down are testing error, with API I would just say present or not, you will have ammonia then nitrite then ammonia will go away and then nitrite will follow.