Fishless cycle - concerned about stalling

[capito2007]

Hey all! New here and new to the hobby.
I’m currently cycling my biocube 32 tank using the dr.Tim’s one and only fishless cycle w/ his ammonia chloride.
Today is day 11...
For three days my ammonia has been at or around zero.. but nitrites have been high (between 3-4) for two days now while my nitrates are around 20-30...

My question here is... is it normal for my nitrites to not be dropping and should I add some source of ammonia for the bacteria? Or just let it go until I see my nitrites fall?

TIA!

 

[ReefRusty]

Number of days would suggest you are cycled. Could wait till day 15 and you will be ready to add life!

Additionally Nitrites are not toxic for saltwater really only freshwater you need to worry about.

 

[Azedenkae]

Hey all! New here and new to the hobby.
I’m currently cycling my biocube 32 tank using the dr.Tim’s one and only fishless cycle w/ his ammonia chloride.
Today is day 11...
For three days my ammonia has been at or around zero.. but nitrites have been high (between 3-4) for two days now while my nitrates are around 20-30...

My question here is... is it normal for my nitrites to not be dropping and should I add some source of ammonia for the bacteria? Or just let it go until I see my nitrites fall?

TIA!

Yes it is normal for nitrite to not yet really be dropping, nitrite oxidizers reproduce slower than ammonia oxidizers. Or so the general consensus goes.

You don't need to add ammonia until nitrite falls. Ammonia oxidizers can go for a long while under ammonia starvation.

 

[capito2007]

Yes it is normal for nitrite to not yet really be dropping, nitrite oxidizers reproduce slower than ammonia oxidizers. Or so the general consensus goes.

You don't need to add ammonia until nitrite falls. Ammonia oxidizers can go for a long while under ammonia starvation.

Thank you! My biggest concern was starving out the bacteria. Guess I’ll just keep grinding. Patience isn’t my strong suit

 

[Azedenkae]

Thank you! My biggest concern was starving out the bacteria. Guess I’ll just keep grinding. Patience isn’t my strong suit

It ain't mine either. XD So totes understand.

 

[Jekyl]

Thank you! My biggest concern was starving out the bacteria. Guess I’ll just keep grinding. Patience isn’t my strong suit

Dose to 2 ppm ammonia. Once it goes from 2 to 0 in 24 hours that is all you need. Do a large water change and get fish

 

[capito2007]

Number of days would suggest you are cycled. Could wait till day 15 and you will be ready to add life!

Additionally Nitrites are not toxic for saltwater really only freshwater you need to worry about.

Dose to 2 ppm ammonia. Once it goes from 2 to 0 in 24 hours that is all you need. Do a large water change and get fish

So if I take the advice of the two of you, It's fair to say that if I dose 2ppm of ammonia, and within 24hours my ammonia levels are around 0ppm... I'm cycled... and NOT TO WORRY about my nitrites because they have no true effect in a saltwater based environment.. Assuming then, that the 25% water change (or so) will reduce the nitrates (and nitrites for that matter) in addition to me running my skimmer.

Although, the advice of Azedenkae suggests just let time take its toll and just wait for the nitrite to drop on their own.

 

[Jekyl]

So if I take the advice of the two of you, It's fair to say that if I dose 2ppm of ammonia, and within 24hours my ammonia levels are around 0ppm... I'm cycled... and NOT TO WORRY about my nitrites because they have no true effect in a saltwater based environment.. Assuming then, that the 25% water change (or so) will reduce the nitrates (and nitrites for that matter) in addition to me running my skimmer.

Although, the advice of Azedenkae suggests just let time take its toll and just wait for the nitrite to drop on their own.

Usually a larger water change is better. 75% or so, but yes.

 

[jaganshi066]

Thank you! My biggest concern was starving out the bacteria. Guess I’ll just keep grinding. Patience isn’t my strong suit

In this hobby I don’t think patience is anyone’s strong suit

 

[Shaina Carey]

Glad I read this thread. I was waiting for my nitrites to fall before I got life in my aquarium. I don't have to worry as much as I do in my freshwater

 

[Azedenkae]

So if I take the advice of the two of you, It's fair to say that if I dose 2ppm of ammonia, and within 24hours my ammonia levels are around 0ppm... I'm cycled... and NOT TO WORRY about my nitrites because they have no true effect in a saltwater based environment.. Assuming then, that the 25% water change (or so) will reduce the nitrates (and nitrites for that matter) in addition to me running my skimmer.

Although, the advice of Azedenkae suggests just let time take its toll and just wait for the nitrite to drop on their own.

Yes. Personally I like to see nitrite be fully handled as well, but most others will say not to worry about it. Because it is true that nitrite is non-toxic to marine fish short term until it reaches very high levels as far as we know.

 

[capito2007]

Yes. Personally I like to see nitrite be fully handled as well, but most others will say not to worry about it. Because it is true that nitrite is non-toxic to marine fish short term until it reaches very high levels as far as we know.

That's where my mind is with this... With all the research I've done... In this hobby, slow and steady wins the race... So too does an endless cash flow - HAH! (the wife isn't too happy about that last part.)

 

[Jekyl]

That's where my mind is with this... With all the research I've done... In this hobby, slow and steady wins the race... So too does an endless cash flow - HAH! (the wife isn't too happy about that last part.)

Everything is on sale and only costs $1

 

[capito2007]

So I’m going on day five with my nitrites not changing.. still at that range of 2-5ppm (can tell the difference with the api test)... still he patient or take action?

 

[capito2007]

Can’t tell*.

 

[Azedenkae]

So I’m going on day five with my nitrites not changing.. still at that range of 2-5ppm (can tell the difference with the api test)... still he patient or take action?

It's still within the realm where no action is needed, nitrite oxidizers reproduce slower than ammonia oxidizers so not surprising (yet) that they are taking a while. If you want to track your parameters better, you can always do a serial dilution to get a better estimate of where your nitrite is at.

 

[TerraFerma]

Hey all! New here and new to the hobby.
I’m currently cycling my biocube 32 tank using the dr.Tim’s one and only fishless cycle w/ his ammonia chloride.
Today is day 11...
For three days my ammonia has been at or around zero.. but nitrites have been high (between 3-4) for two days now while my nitrates are around 20-30...

My question here is... is it normal for my nitrites to not be dropping and should I add some source of ammonia for the bacteria? Or just let it go until I see my nitrites fall?

TIA!

Just throw a frozen prawn in there.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I wouldn't sweat the nitrites, and at that low of a reading I wouldn't trust that api test kit. If your ammonia is gone and your nitrates are up you're cycled.

 

[capito2007]

It's still within the realm where no action is needed, nitrite oxidizers reproduce slower than ammonia oxidizers so not surprising (yet) that they are taking a while. If you want to track your parameters better, you can always do a serial dilution to get a better estimate of where your nitrite is at.

Serial dilution?

 

[Azedenkae]

Serial dilution?

So you have some vials In the first vial you have 100% tank water. In the second you have 1/2 tank water, 1/2 fresh water. In the third you have 1/4 tank water, 3/4 fresh water. So when you measure nitrite in each vial, the reading will be lower and lower, and you can multiply it up to estimate where you are at.

So say in the first vial it is purple and you have no idea if it is 2ppm or 5ppm. In the second it is less purple, then the third you can actually read as 0.5ppm. You can multiple the third by 4x to get an original reading of 2ppm. Expectedly, the fourth vial would be 1/8 tank water, 7/8 fresh water, and may read around 0.25ppm. So that multiplies 8x to get 2ppm. Through this, you can kinda verify your reading. I do that often because I am unable to differentiate across the higher ammonia and nitrite readings. XD

Here, this should be a good diagram: http://www.fao.org/3/ac802e/ac802e0o.jpg