Help with cycling

[Average joe the reefer]

I am using the Red Sea nature kit to cycle my tank and I have dosed all the correct things and I just measured the ammonia nitrite and nitrate and the kit says the reading should be:
Ammonia - 1ppm
Nitrite - 0.1ppm
Nitrate - 10 - 15ppm
But the readings I got were:
Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 8.5ppm
Nitrate - 40ppm
So I was just wondering is this a problem or is my nitrifying bacteria just working overtime

 

[Big G]

As the cycle continues, the ammonia will lower and the nitrites will increase. When they both drop to zero, then it's time to do water changes to lower the nitrates which should be pretty high.

 

[Captain Quint]

@Average joe the reefer welcome to R2R and @Big G for the spot on info. You're well on your way Joe and thanks for the parameter info.

 

[furcifer208]

My impression from my cycle is that when the nitrites and ammonia are high the nitrate reading is inaccurate so depending on how much ammonia you add you may or may not need a water change.

 

[Average joe the reefer]

My impression from my cycle is that when the nitrites and ammonia are high the nitrate reading is inaccurate so depending on how much ammonia you add you may or may not need a water change.

The kit says to do a water change on day 7 but do you think I should just do one when the ammonia and nitrites are at 0

 

[Slim64684]

If you do a water change before ammonia and nitrite drop to zero you a delaying the full cycle and your bacteria colony wont be built up as strong.

 

[Captain Quint]

...........I should just do one when the ammonia and nitrites are at 0

Yes, sir, I would not do as a w/c on day 7 as the kit says.

You are on the right track. Good job.

 

[Average joe the reefer]

Yes, sir, I would not do as a w/c on day 7 as the kit says.

You are on the right track. Good job.

If the ammonia and nitrites reach 0 before day 7 should I do a water change earlier than the kit says

 

[Captain Quint]

Joe, kind of depends... if you are at zero on ammonia and nitrites and now reading high nitrates...really high I start a WC... you would probably get different answers because there is no true set answer and so many do different approaches which work for them...if your nitrates are not high, and everything else is at zero, personally I would do minimal if any...the water doesn't hold much bacteria so if you do a WC, it could affect the cycle once again being so new.

IMO/IME High nitrates on a newly established tank is a prominent sign that the tank hasn't quite finished cycling.

I'd personally wait until your nitrates bottom out. This means the cycle is finished. Then a partial WC would be cool.

The nitrates will always creep up a little after adding a new fish, but them come right back down the next week if the good bacteria is holding up.

Of course, I do a 10 to 20% water change weekly afterward on a new tank.

Hope this made sense.

 

[Average joe the reefer]

Joe, kind of depends... if you are at zero on ammonia and nitrites and now reading high nitrates...really high I start a WC... you would probably get different answers because there is no true set answer and so many do different approaches which work for them...if your nitrates are not high, and everything else is at zero, personally I would do minimal if any...the water doesn't hold much bacteria so if you do a WC, it could affect the cycle once again being so new.

IMO/IME High nitrates on a newly established tank is a prominent sign that the tank hasn't quite finished cycling.

I'd personally wait until your nitrates bottom out. This means the cycle is finished. Then a partial WC would be cool.

The nitrates will always creep up a little after adding a new fish, but them come right back down the next week if the good bacteria is holding up.

Of course, I do a 10 to 20% water change weekly afterward on a new tank.

Hope this made sense.

Thanks for the information I have just one question though how high is high nitrates

 

[Captain Quint]

Thanks for the information I have just one question though how high is high nitrates

I've seen some tanks at ~80. But that requires many water changes.

Anything above 20 to me is pretty dang high. I try to keep my tanks at ~5

 

[Rjukan]

As @furcifer208 mentioned above, until your ammonia and nitrites are at 0, your nitrate reading is going to be questionable.

I think it's best not to even bother testing nitrates until nitrites are at zero, cant do anything until then anyway. Same thing with nitrites and ammonia, unless ammonia is at 0, nitrite doesn't really mean anything to you.

 

[Captain Quint]

As furcifer mentioned above, until your ammonia and nitrites are at 0, your nitrate reading is going to be questionable.

I think it's best not to even bother testing nitrates until nitrites are at zero, cant do anything until then anyway. Same thing with nitrites and ammonia, unless ammonia is at 0, nitrite doesn't really mean anything to you.

Absolutely agree.

EDIT: Guess I should have stated it that way instead of writing 'I'd personally wait until your nitrates bottom out. This means the cycle is finished. Then a partial WC would be cool.' Might have been more clear.

 

[Average joe the reefer]

Thanks guys for all the information