Fishless cycling question.

[AdamW0611]

Sorry if this has been asked, but I didn't find an answer searcing. I'm at 3 weeks now and my ammonia is getting back to 0ppm in 24 hours, Nitrites are still between 2 and 4 ppm with the API test kit. Do I continue using the ammonium chloride daily, or let the Nitrites come down first? Nitrates are also about 40ppm if that matters.

 

[Scotty Buttons]

Best way to tell if your system is ready would be to dose that ammonia until your tank water reads 2ppm then wait 24hrs and test ammonia again. If it reaches zero within that 24 hours then your cycled and can start slowly adding fish. 40ppm nitrates are no problem, you can lower those with a water change. Hope this helps and good luck

 

[Auquanut]

^ Yep. What he said.

 

[MnFish1]

@brandon429 will have an answer. Many people would say 40 PPM nitrates is a problem (but that it suggests that your cycle is good). And - depending on the stocking levels - I assume you're adding so that your tank is at 2 ppm each day? - IMHO - there is no reason to add more - Nitrite is not a big deal in salt water tanks.

FYI - it would take a LOT of stocking to get a tank to produce 2 PPM ammonia/day (so it seems your good)

 

[AdamW0611]

Ok I am going to change water before adding fish, I was just curious about the Nitrites still reading 2 or 4ppm. I assumed they have to go to 0 as well as ammonia before adding fish.

 

[EmdeReef]

Yes wait until ammonia is at 0 before adding fish. Do a water change to bring nitrates down too. Good advice from @Scotty Buttons. Good luck!

 

[AdamW0611]

Ok, thanks for the answers guys

 

[Ocean thompson]

good info, thanks guys....

 

[Idoc]

Ok I am going to change water before adding fish, I was just curious about the Nitrites still reading 2 or 4ppm. I assumed they have to go to 0 as well as ammonia before adding fish.

No, don't worry about the nitrites in saltwater tanks when cycling. Just be able to reduce 2ppm ammonia to zero in 24hrs.

 

[lion king]

Nitrites are a big deal, and they also need to zero out in 24 hours before you are officially cycled. Go to the source, Dr Tims website for clarification. Once cycled you do a water change to bring down your nitrates. Although some believe high level of nitrates are no concern, they can be very concerning to corals and contribute to other negatives such as excessive algae growth. High nitrates can also effect certain fish, 40 would be considered high, very high in a reef.

 

[brandon429]

I agree with MN, and I'd also add we needed a backup vote mechanism just in case your tester said not zero (the majority will not indicate zero when it is, .25-.5 based on how we see subjective color is more common)

It's the three weeks. That long with any bottle bac at all + ammonia is enough time to cycle all tanks. If for some reason more proofing was needed in the presence of an enduring .25 then this tank can do a 100% water change, retest ammonia for ANY movement down, and that's the same proof. We'd use any movement down as the reference for suspect kits out there who might not can read zero like yours does. The nitrate you measure is more proof but even that varies, ammonia can be proven here + submersion time so we're good.