Need help with cycle.

[TheReefDiary]

Hey everyone have a few quick questions about my tanks cycle. Last Thursday I put in fritz turbo start and ammonium chloride. My amonia levels seem to be coming down quickly at this point, probably. 25ppm at this point and almost cycled out (they've dropped a lot the past 2 days after ramping up the first few). My nitrite level hasn't really moved in a few days though and seems to be stuck around .5ppm.

I'm using API testing kit. Yes I know there are better but couldn't justify the price (at the moment). Water parameters are key to successful tanks, but I won't have coral for months so didn't spend the money on a better kit yet.

Is there something I did wrong with the cycle? Do I just have to wait that out longer? I followed directions exactly for fritz and ammonium chloride dosing.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Usually a cycle takes about 3 weeks to complete...btw, what did you dose the ammonia to? Usually you dose it to 2 ppm.

 

[KrisReef]

What about nitrate? When the nitrates are rising the bacterial colonization is well underway.

Throw away the ammonia and nitrite tests, wait another week and do a massive (50%+) water change and add stuff slowly, and feed lightly. Speaking of light, keep those off while cycling they will only grow ugly stuff.

 

[TheReefDiary]

What about nitrate? When the nitrates are rising the bacterial colonization is well underway.

Throw away the ammonia and nitrite tests, wait another week and do a massive (50%+) water change and add stuff slowly, and feed lightly. Speaking of light, keep those off while cycling they will only grow ugly stuff.

Lights haven't been on once. Nitrate has been holding steady like the entire time. Really hasn't moved much. I have the droper tests coming tomorrow though for nitrate and nitrite.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Usually a cycle takes about 3 weeks to complete...btw, what did you dose the ammonia to? Usually you dose it to 2 ppm.

According to Dr Tim's packaging which I think is what you said 2ppm. Don't currently have the bottle in front of me. My doses for everything were according to the bottles.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

According to Dr Tim's packaging which I think is what you said 2ppm. Don't currently have the bottle in front of me. My doses for everything were according to the bottles.

Ok...just making sure that was a typo in your original post when you said 25 ppm...I assumed you meant 2.5 ppm but that made me wonder what you started at

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

So to answer your question, less than 1 week isn't going to be long enough to finish the cycle...think more like 3 weeks

 

[TheReefDiary]

So to answer your question, less than 1 week isn't going to be long enough to finish the cycle...think more like 3 weeks

Why would ammonia be dropping so quickly if the cycle wasn't ending in a few days? I've seen plenty of things online saying with fritz turbo you can cycle as quickly as a week.

 

[Jekyl]

The bottled fritz stuff works in like a day. People use it for hospital tanks all the time. Your ammonia reading is most likely false due to the API test.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Maybe that particular product can make it happen (I haven't used that one)...one of your questions was if you needed to wait longer so I assumed you were going through a typical cycle...when you're ammonia and nitrite are both 0 the cycle is done regardless of time

 

[KrisReef]

Why would ammonia be dropping so quickly if the cycle wasn't ending in a few days? I've seen plenty of things online saying with fritz turbo you can cycle as quickly as a week.

After ammonia processing bacteria grow, you need nitrite bacteria to show up and produce nitrate, to complete "the cycle."
What @Jekyl is saying is that fish are safe in a system once the ammonia is being processed by the bio filter.

 

[TheReefDiary]

The bottled fritz stuff works in like a day. People use it for hospital tanks all the time. Your ammonia reading is most likely false due to the API test.

I did a fishless cycle though. No fish immediately.

 

[Jekyl]

I did a fishless cycle though. No fish immediately.

You added ammonia which is the same thing. Check your nitrate level.

 

[Jekyl]

Why hasn't @brandon429 came in on a cycle thread yet?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone have a few quick questions about my tanks cycle. Last Thursday I put in fritz turbo start and ammonium chloride. My amonia levels seem to be coming down quickly at this point, probably. 25ppm at this point and almost cycled out (they've dropped a lot the past 2 days after ramping up the first few). My nitrite level hasn't really moved in a few days though and seems to be stuck around .5ppm.

I'm using API testing kit. Yes I know there are better but couldn't justify the price (at the moment). Water parameters are key to successful tanks, but I won't have coral for months so didn't spend the money on a better kit yet.

Is there something I did wrong with the cycle? Do I just have to wait that out longer? I followed directions exactly for fritz and ammonium chloride dosing.

Thanks in advance for your help!

You'll have to justify price for accuracy. Id hate to see you drop in fish and find toxicity is present. At least take a water sample to a trusted LFS that does Not use Api kits and see what readings they come up with and to compare with yours.
25ppm is extremely high - you want .025 or below and nitrate steadily at 20ppm or below
The purpose of a cycle is to create bacteria that will be consuming ammonia and nitrite from your livestock, but you have to get the bacteria from somewhere initially. Why is it called a cycle? Because the tank will go through three phases: ammonia will rise and fall, then nitrite will rise and fall even quicker, and lastly nitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia and Nitrite read 0 and Nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase with the new bioload, processing waste and converting it to nitrate rapidly.

 

[TheReefDiary]

After ammonia processing bacteria grow, you need nitrite bacteria to show up and produce nitrate, to complete "the cycle."
What @Jekyl is saying is that fish are safe in a system once the ammonia is being processed by the bio filter.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[TheReefDiary]

You'll have to justify price for accuracy. Id hate to see you drop in fish and find toxicity is present. At least take a water sample to a trusted LFS that does Not use Api kits and see what readings they come up with and to compare with yours.
25ppm is extremely high - you want .025 or below and nitrate steadily at 20ppm or below
The purpose of a cycle is to create bacteria that will be consuming ammonia and nitrite from your livestock, but you have to get the bacteria from somewhere initially. Why is it called a cycle? Because the tank will go through three phases: ammonia will rise and fall, then nitrite will rise and fall even quicker, and lastly nitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia and Nitrite read 0 and Nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase with the new bioload, processing waste and converting it to nitrate rapidly.

Thanks for explaining. And I plan on taking a sample with me the day I plan to go get a couple fish.

 

[KrisReef]

Why hasn't @brandon429 came in on a cycle thread yet?

I think he has gotten a little burned out on this battleground. He's still around just keeping a low profile. He mentioned something about trolls and I am thinking that hecklers always wanting to argue vs discuss wore him out. I miss his engagement in the topic but I have been trying to lower my profile, be nice, and curtail my evil humor with the idea I want the site to stay fun for everyone and not step on peoples toes.

IF I made anyone angry with my stoopid comments, please forgive. PSA for all REEF2REEF participants. Peace folks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I think he has gotten a little burned out on this battleground. He's still around just keeping a low profile. He mentioned something about trolls and I am thinking that hecklers always wanting to argue vs discuss wore him out. I miss his engagement in the topic but I have been trying to lower my profile, be nice, and curtail my evil humor with the idea I want the site to stay fun for everyone and not step on peoples toes.

IF I made anyone angry with my stoopid comments, please forgive. PSA for all REEF2REEF participants. Peace folks!

Were all here for fun, respectful argumen and to educate each other.

 

[fishmonkey]

You'll have to justify price for accuracy. Id hate to see you drop in fish and find toxicity is present. At least take a water sample to a trusted LFS that does Not use Api kits and see what readings they come up with and to compare with yours.
25ppm is extremely high - you want .025 or below and nitrate steadily at 20ppm or below
The purpose of a cycle is to create bacteria that will be consuming ammonia and nitrite from your livestock, but you have to get the bacteria from somewhere initially. Why is it called a cycle? Because the tank will go through three phases: ammonia will rise and fall, then nitrite will rise and fall even quicker, and lastly nitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia and Nitrite read 0 and Nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase with the new bioload, processing waste and converting it to nitrate rapidly.

Is it true nitrite doesn’t really effect saltwater fish?