Is it Normal for a Cycle to Run Long?

[Shy519]

My SO's 10g Innovative Marine has been running for about two and a half months now. The ammonia and nitrites keep spiking. We thought it was cycled as the parameters were level and consistent for a week. There's been an orchid dottyback, a green clown goby, 8 hermits, 2 turbos, star polyps, Yuma shroom, and zoas in there. Everything has been just fine until about last week when all the snails stopped moving and some began dying. I think I'll move the corals to another, older tank so they perk up. Is it possible that the tank is still cycling? What can I do about this?

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Running for 2.5 months total or since the cycle was complete?

How did you cycle the tank?

 

[Skydvr]

What are you using for top off water and to make water for water changes?

 

[Shy519]

Running for 2.5 months total or since the cycle was complete?

How did you cycle the tank?

2.5 months total. Bleached rock, live sand, and saltwater were added with seachem biomatrix then I ran tests every day afterward until all level were where they should be and stable for a week

 

[Bayareareefer18]

2.5 months total. Bleached rock, live sand, and saltwater were added with seachem biomatrix then I ran tests every day afterward until all level were where they should be and stable for a week

I started my tank with bleach cured rock and dry sand. I cycled with bottled ammonia and dosed MB7. It took me 2.5 months before tank was fully cycled and livestock was added.

When was livestock added and how quickly? Is it possible that maybe some of the inverts died prior thus causing/attributing to the ammonia and nitrite spike

 

[Shy519]

What are you using for top off water and to make water for water changes?

Ozarka for top off and premixed saltwater from a local LFS.

 

[Shy519]

I started my tank with bleach cured rock and dry sand. I cycled with bottled ammonia and dosed MB7. It took me 2.5 months before tank was fully cycled and livestock was added.

When was livestock added and how quickly? Is it possible that maybe some of the inverts died prior thus causing/attributing to the ammonia and nitrite spike

Hermits were added the week after the tank parameters were good for a week. Then fish came in two weeks later. It probably took about a month until it stabilized..

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Hermits were added the week after the tank parameters were good for a week. Then fish came in two weeks later. It probably took about a month until it stabilized..

Sounds like maybe you went too fast. Maybe have had a small bacterial population with live sand but wasn't enough to handle the bio load of what was added.

Prime is a good tool to detoxify ammonia and nitrite short term. Ammonia shouldn't bother the coral but would be worried about the fish and inverts. More death could exacerbate the problem. Bottle of bio spira, Dr Tims, or something similar may help to build up the beneficial bacteria

Ammonia is concerning. Nitrite won't necessarily be harmful. Seems the tank just isn't handling the load if the ammonia and nitrite are not being processed quickly enough