New tank cycling

Sammi Mi · May 3, 2017

Ok, so I've tested my tank twice since getting the rocks in the tank which was about a week and a half ago. I've not tested it a lot since I was still messing with the LR and trying to get my aquascape just right. I also cleaned my filter after I was done moving the rocks around. (there was a good bit of sand inside) I tested once about 5 days after the rocks were in the tank and then yesterday. Anyway, the ammonia levels were at about .50ppm the first time, nitrite was 5.0ppm and nitrates were about 40ppm. Yesterday when I tested the ammonia was about .15ppm, nitrite was still 5.0ppm and nitrates were about 30ppm.
Is this normal? I thought ammonia was supposed to be a little higher to start with in the nitrogen cycle? Thoughts and advice please.

Cory · May 4, 2017

Ammonia will start higher then be reduced as bacteria convert it to nitrite then nitrate. Its normal

Jason mack · May 4, 2017

+1 is normal .. cycle can take Anything from 2-10 weeks depending on how you start LR/DR .... but nature needs To take its course ..and that takes time .. test once a week .. patients is everything .. nothing good happens fast in a reef tank ... happy reefing !!!

jeff williams · May 4, 2017

How are cycling your tank ? Did you add ammonia? Or did you just add live rock and its producing ammonia because it's curing

Sammi Mi · May 4, 2017

jeff williams said:
How are cycling your tank ? Did you add ammonia? Or did you just add live rock and its producing ammonia because it's curing

Just added LR to my tank. No chemicals at all.

Sammi Mi · May 4, 2017

Cory said:
Ammonia will start higher then be reduced as bacteria convert it to nitrite then nitrate. Its normal

Thank you

Sammi Mi · May 4, 2017

Jason mack said:
+1 is normal .. cycle can take Anything from 2-10 weeks depending on how you start LR/DR .... but nature needs To take its course ..and that takes time .. test once a week .. patients is everything .. nothing good happens fast in a reef tank ... happy reefing !!!

Thanks! I guess I just expected the ammonia levels to be higher

Sammi Mi · May 4, 2017

My tank is going to be a FOWLR tank. Do I still need to test for Alk, Ca, and P04?

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 4, 2017

If you want coralline, I'd monitor alkalinity. If it is not getting low enough to need dosing, then neither is calcium or magnesium.

jeff williams · May 4, 2017

Sammi Mi said:
Just added LR to my tank. No chemicals at all.

Ok do a dilution test on your nitrite 5.0 ppm is at the max of most scales it could actually be much higher than 5 ppm but your test kit only reads 5 ppm. 5 ppm of ammonia or nitrite can stale a cycle , your only a few weeks in so it's still early but if it were me I would add some nitrifying bacteria and get the party started. If ammonia or nitrite get over 5 ppm you could wait and eventually the bacteria will catch up or you could do a WC and add some bacteria

Sammi Mi · May 4, 2017

jeff williams said:
Ok do a dilution test on your nitrite 5.0 ppm is at the max of most scales it could actually be much higher than 5 ppm but your test kit only reads 5 ppm. 5 ppm of ammonia or nitrite can stale a cycle , your only a few weeks in so it's still early but if it were me I would add some nitrifying bacteria and get the party started. If ammonia or nitrite get over 5 ppm you could wait and eventually the bacteria will catch up or you could do a WC and add some bacteria

Good info! Thanks! I'll have to look into getting some nitrifying bacteria. The color of my readings for nitrite is very purple and has been both times, but I saw a change in both ammonia and nitrates... I know this part takes time and patience, but I dont want the cycle process to go any slower than normal.

jeff williams · May 4, 2017

Sammi Mi said:
Good info! Thanks! I'll have to look into getting some nitrifying bacteria. The color of my readings for nitrite is very purple and has been both times, but I saw a change in both ammonia and nitrates... I know this part takes time and patience, but I dont want the cycle process to go any slower than normal.

Ya for sure on takes time. I'm no aquaria guru so this statement might not be rite but I think sometimes the bacteria for the nitrite populate slower and the ammonia gets working so fast the nitrite gets behind and then the nitrite builds up to a point you get a stall. I your nitrite dilution test comes back still showing 5 ppm I would do a WC to help lower it, however if you continue seeing an increase in nitrate then you should be fine good luck

Jason mack · May 4, 2017

I would only do a water change when your nitrites have gone down and your nitrates are high and your reading 0 ammonia.. then do a water change .. adding a Bactria dr tims .. or something similar now is a good idea ...

Sammi Mi · May 15, 2017

UPDATE!

I dropped a shrimp in my tank for a day, and then waited....

Checked it Today:
Ammonia & Nitires both at 0ppm, pH 8.0, and nitrates 30ppm. I believe my tank has fully cycled.
I have a question though...I had my protein skimmer unplugged until last week. The first few days it was producing foam, but now it has stopped. Is that because the tank has cycled and there's no fish in the tank?
Oh, and one more thing... I'm using a marineland 360 canister filter and it keeps producing micro bubbles from the return flow. Any suggestions on how to stop that?

jeff williams · May 16, 2017

Sammi Mi said:
UPDATE!

I dropped a shrimp in my tank for a day, and then waited....

Checked it Today:
Ammonia & Nitires both at 0ppm, pH 8.0, and nitrates 30ppm. I believe my tank has fully cycled.
I have a question though...I had my protein skimmer unplugged until last week. The first few days it was producing foam, but now it has stopped. Is that because the tank has cycled and there's no fish in the tank?
Oh, and one more thing... I'm using a marineland 360 canister filter and it keeps producing micro bubbles from the return flow. Any suggestions on how to stop that?

How long did you wait? Did you measure for ammonia and nitrite? And yes the skimmer will foam up during a cycle and then probably stop skimming until you get something in the tank for it to skim

jeff williams · May 16, 2017

Also are you sure the filter is making the micro bubbles? It's pretty common when you break in a new skimmer to get excess micro bubbles until a bio film is produced on the new skimmer

Sammi Mi · May 16, 2017

jeff williams said:
Also are you sure the filter is making the micro bubbles? It's pretty common when you break in a new skimmer to get excess micro bubbles until a bio film is produced on the new skimmer

The skimmer is making micro bubbles as well, but I found out that was pretty much "normal". But the filter is also pumping out micro bubbles.

Sammi Mi · May 16, 2017

jeff williams said:
How long did you wait? Did you measure for ammonia and nitrite? And yes the skimmer will foam up during a cycle and then probably stop skimming until you get something in the tank for it to skim

In total its been a month since I added the LR and started the cycling process. My Nitrite levels got up to 5ppm, and stayed there for about a week and a half. It was suggested on here that i get a nitrifying bacteria, when I went to my lfs to get some, I was talking to an employee, who also has about 5 sw tanks himself; he suggested trying a shrimp before using chemicals. I liked the idea of a more natural way, so I gave it a shot. I tested 2 days after I pulled the shrimp out, my ammonia levels were raised, (ammonia was at about .15ppm before the shrimp, but raised up to .25ppm after the shrimp) nitrite levels lowered (they were at 5ppm or higher, since the scale stops at 5, but after the shrimp they lowered to 1.0ppm) (maybe I'm saying that backwards, technically ammonia levels went downwards on the scale and nitrite levels went upwards on the scale, but I saw a change) Then just tested again yesterday evening (same time of day as the previous tests) and yes I tested pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and nitrate.

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 16, 2017

Skimmer foaming has nothing to do with the nitrogen cycle.

it is based on organic matter in the water. A dead shrimp will be adding organic matter, but once you remove those organics, skimming will slow until you add more.