New cycle need advice

[cylon032]

Hi everyone on day 39 of a new cycle on a 20 gallon tall, do I still add ammonia with diatoms? Using the api test kit. Last few days of cycle are

10/6 added ammonia reading went up. from .25 to 2ppm, nitrite 0 , nitrate 40
10/7 Ammonia .50
Nitrite 2
Nitrate 80
10/8 Ammonia .25
Nitrite 5
Nitrate 160
10/9 Ammonia .50
Nitrite 2
10/10 Ammonia .25
Nitrite. 50
10/11 Ammonia. 25
Nitrite 0
Should I keep adding ammonia, read somewhere that api test kit isn't accurate with ammonia and I never get a reading of zero .25 is always the lowest I get

 

[Crabs McJones]

I would look into a better test kit. API is notorious for giving false ammonia readings. The salifert or red sea test kits are great. Keep dosing ammonia until you're able to confirm that the tank can process 2 ppm ammonia within 24 hours

 

[JumboShrimp]

I’ve never, ever, ever gotten what I would consider a true “yellow” with an API ammonia test kit; not even with freshly mixed RO salt water. It used to really bug me— but I had to just learn to chill. Lol.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

I agree with @Crabs Mcjones

 

[cylon032]

Gonna pick up the salifert kit, the nitrites have to drop within 24hrs also right? Even if the nitrite is at let's say 1 and ammonia is .25 do I still add the ammonia or wait till the nitrite drops to 0 to add . I'm using Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride also added one and only when I first started the cycle.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Gonna pick up the salifert kit, the nitrites have to drop within 24hrs also right? Even if the nitrite is at let's say 1 and ammonia is .25 do I still add the ammonia or wait till the nitrite drops to 0 to add . I'm using Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride also added one and only when I first started the cycle.

You could dose the ammonia again if the nitrites are less than 2 ppm. Just make sure that the nitrites have peaked, and are on their way down, otherwise you could potentially stall you cycle. If your tank processes the ammonia in 24 hours, and nitrites are decreasing, you could add a fish or two and or a small CUC.

 

[lapin]

Depending on what you did for the first 30 days. One and only plus ammonia source? Thats prob how you got to 80 nitrate. You processed all that ammonia. If so you are done with adding ammonia. Let it rest for a few days. The API kit will say .25 ammonia. Do a massive water change to get rid of the nitrates. Add live stock slowly. Let the uglies begin. When you see some green growing add some snails.

 

[cracker]

I use the Red Sea am kit. Mine cost 20 bucks. I haven't used Ammonia yet I just add a small piece of fish food. Usually frozen clam or oyster & wait /test for high AM reading. when No3 gets real high, a big water change. Keep ghost feeding & wait some more. I ghost feed pretty good. I don't know how big or how many fish will go in there. So I want a high bacteria concentration. So if the fish is bigger the filter won't have to catch up.
p s must say I pour a good amount of Dr T's a few days after starting .

 

[cylon032]

Depending on what you did for the first 30 days. One and only plus ammonia source? Thats prob how you got to 80 nitrate. You processed all that ammonia. If so you are done with adding ammonia. Let it rest for a few days. The API kit will say .25 ammonia. Do a massive water change to get rid of the nitrates. Add live stock slowly. Let the uglies begin. When you see some green growing add some snails.

Yes did one and only and Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride, water change should be 50%? sorry for the noob question first saltwater tank wanna try to get it right

 

[cylon032]

You could dose the ammonia again if the nitrites are less than 2 ppm. Just make sure that the nitrites have peaked, and are on their way down, otherwise you could potentially stall you cycle. If your tank processes the ammonia in 24 hours, and nitrites are decreasing, you could add a fish or two and or a small CUC.

Dosed ammonia again and it went down from 2 to .25 and nitrites went to .50 next day should I be good to add fish or cuc, which should I add first?

 

[lapin]

Dosed ammonia again and it went down from 2 to .25 and nitrites went to .50 next day should I be good to add fish or cuc, which should I add first?

Do not dose any more ammonia. What you now want to do it get rid of all the nitrates in your water. Starting off with nitrates of 5 or 10 is a lot better than nitrates of 50 or 80. Do a large water change or 2 to get them down. After that I think you are good to add a fish. It will take 14 days to do the Tank Transfer Method of QT to be sure your fish does not have ich before it goes in your tank. Go slow with adding fish. I would not add any clean up crew until you see some green starting to grow in your tank. They will have nothing to eat and starve.