Did my reef tank stall at nitrites?

[John A!10]

So I started my cycle around a month ago, without bacteria in a bottle, and about a week ago my nitrites went to 5+ppm, off the charts, 0ammonia, 0 nitrates. Did it stall? Should I add bacteria in a bottle? Should I do a water change. My lights were off, and I’m not running a filter sock. Others have told me that it hasn’t stalled but I just want to make sure. The real question is how can I boost the cycle, if it hasn’t stalled?

 

[Spare time]

You can get some ammonium chloride from dr tims or put some fish food it and let it sit. If you are worried about the bacteria, fritz is pretty cheap for some big bottles. Also, if you say that 5+ is above the charts, what test are you using?

 

[piranhaman00]

Cycled don’t stall.

Add biospira and it will be fully cycled in 24 hrs, alternatively you can just continue to wait.

 

[John A!10]

You can get some ammonium chloride from dr tims or put some fish food it and let it sit. If you are worried about the bacteria, fritz is pretty cheap for some big bottles. Also, if you say that 5+ is above the charts, what test are you using?

I use api tests. I no they are not very accurate, but that’s all I could afford when I got them.

 

[John A!10]

Cycled don’t stall.

Add biospira and it will be fully cycled in 24 hrs, alternatively you can just continue to wait.

I’ll see if I could get some bio spira.

 

[John A!10]

Cycled don’t stall.

Add biospira and it will be fully cycled in 24 hrs, alternatively you can just continue to wait.

It will probably take around 3 days for bio spira to arrive, is their a chance the cycle is done by then. Should I order some bio spira?

 

[splitting_lanes]

It will probably take around 3 days for bio spira to arrive, is their a chance the cycle is done by then. Should I order some bio spira?

if you’ve got animals waiting for the tank, you could order it. It will clear up on its own though.

 

[piranhaman00]

It will probably take around 3 days for bio spira to arrive, is their a chance the cycle is done by then. Should I order some bio spira?

I would order it

I use api tests. I no they are not very accurate, but that’s all I could afford when I got them.

API is great for cycling!

 

[NS Mike D]

most test kits for NO2 are useless. There are good threads with actual testing that conclude that NH3 and NO2 testing is waste of time. The affordable test kits will give false readings and the seneye is an overly expensive test kit that you can just call it cycled after 30 days (90 if you want to wear belts and suspenders).

hard evidence exists that API and Siefert will give you false readings that will convince you that a ghost exists (the stalled cycle).

Additionally, I have two years of first hand proof that API will read zero NO3 when in fact it was closer to 1-2 ppm. If I was using API to determine if my tank cycled (as opposed to just going with a time frame) the lack of NO3 from the API results would indicate the tank never cycled.


Get a good NO3 test (red sea, seifert, hanna etc). If you have NO3 the tank is cycled.

 

[John A!10]

most test kits for NO2 are useless. There are good threads with actual testing that conclude that NH3 and NO2 testing is waste of time. The affordable test kits will give false readings and the seneye is an overly expensive test kit that you can just call it cycled after 30 days (90 if you want to wear belts and suspenders).

hard evidence exists that API and Siefert will give you false readings that will convince you that a ghost exists (the stalled cycle).

Additionally, I have two years of first hand proof that API will read zero NO3 when in fact it was closer to 1-2 ppm. If I was using API to determine if my tank cycled (as opposed to just going with a time frame) the lack of NO3 from the API results would indicate the tank never cycled.


Get a good NO3 test (red sea, seifert, hanna etc). If you have NO3 the tank is cycled.

I understand, but if I have nitrate and nitrite wouldn’t the cycle still be going till nitrite is 0?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You can get some ammonium chloride from dr tims or put some fish food it and let it sit. If you are worried about the bacteria, fritz is pretty cheap for some big bottles. Also, if you say that 5+ is above the charts, what test are you using?

If he has more than 5 ppm nitrite, there’s no need that I am aware of for more ammonia or food to allow that nitrite to be metabolized. He just needs to add or wsit for the right bacteria to attain sufficient numbers.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Get a good NO3 test (red sea, seifert, hanna etc). If you have NO3 the tank is cycled.

Not true. A tiny bit of nitrite can show as a hundred times as much nitrate. It is not a reliable indicator of cycling by itself.

 

[NS Mike D]

Not true. A tiny bit of nitrite can show as a hundred times as much nitrate. It is not a reliable indicator of cycling by itself.

thank you, I saw your post in the other thread and now I am reading the cycling thread for the umpeenth time.


Every time I read it I am more convinced to throw away my test kits, use live cured rock and live sand, drop in a shrimp and walk away for a month.

I have concluded that cycled is a misleading term. The cycle is ongoing. The better question is it safe to add a fish.