Nooby cycling new tank help please

[joec]

API test kit

Started cycle 12/11/17 with one dose of ace ammonia to 4.0ppm

Yesterday, nitrites finally came down to zero, I didn't specifically test ammonia but ammonia alert badge has been safe/yellow for weeks.

Added ace ammonia to around 2.0 ppm

24 hours later (30 minutes ago) I tested for ammonia and nitrites. Ammonia is between 0 and .25 ppm. Nitrites are pretty high, greater than 2.0 ppm and less than 5.0ppm.

What is my next step? When should I test again? I assume I need to wait until ammonia and nitrites are zero, then add ammonia again to 2.0 ppm and keep doing this until after raising ammonia to 2.0ppm, ammonia and nitrites get to zero in 24 hours, and then I'm cycled, correct? Then do large water change and I can add cuc, correct?

Thanks!

 

[joec]

23 views and nobody can help??

 

[tankstudy]

What is my next step?

Wait for ammonia and nitrite to hit zero again

When should I test again?

If you started everything in December and it's only finally zero for ammonia and nitrite, I wouldn't test every day yet. I'd check every couple days.

I assume I need to wait until ammonia and nitrites are zero, then add ammonia again to 2.0 ppm and keep doing this until after raising ammonia to 2.0ppm, ammonia and nitrites get to zero in 24 hours, and then I'm cycled, correct?

Yes, keep repeating this process of waiting for ammonia and nitrite to zero out and then redosing ammonia until your system can consume it in 24 hours.

Then do large water change and I can add cuc, correct?

Thanks!

Yes, do a water change to adjust the nitrate to your liking once your cycle is done. I generally prefer to add a CUC once stuff starts growing in the tank. Adding them early means, they will starve while waiting for algae and etc. to grow.

 

[joec]

Wait for ammonia and nitrite to hit zero again



If you started everything in December and it's only finally zero for ammonia and nitrite, I wouldn't test every day yet. I'd check every couple days.



Yes, keep repeating this process of waiting for ammonia and nitrite to zero out and then redosing ammonia until your system can consume it in 24 hours.



Yes, do a water change to adjust the nitrate to your liking once your cycle is done. I generally prefer to add a CUC once stuff starts growing in the tank. Adding them early means, they will starve while waiting for algae and etc. to grow.

Perfect, thank you!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

23 views and nobody can help??

Patience is a virtue. Some of us chemists sleep at night. lol

IMO, nitrite measurement is not necessary. It is really only ammonia processing that is important in a marine system.

If you have shown that ammonia drops rapidly twice, then I think it is good to go.

In general, I'd only bump to 2 ppm. 4 ppm is unnecessarily high.

 

[joec]

Patience is a virtue. Some of us chemists sleep at night. lol

IMO, nitrite measurement is not necessary. It is really only ammonia processing that is important in a marine system.

If you have shown that ammonia drops rapidly twice, then I think it is good to go.

In general, I'd only bump to 2 ppm. 4 ppm is unnecessarily high.

Thanks Randy, I keep trying to tell myself that this not the hobby to be impatient. It will eventually sink in through my thick skull, lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Good luck!

 

[Idoc]

Sounds like you are on the right track and have an excellent plan of attack already! Your plan is exactly the same as mine was when I cycled my tank several months ago... and the cycle worked out very well. Ikept dosing my ammonia up to 2ppm until it could completely process it in 24hrs... then considered it cycled.

You can get your cuc ready now in a small quarantine tank... just feed them some seaweed or algae wafers so they don't starve. But your DT won't have enough to support their living until the algae hits... which will come quickly once you turn on the white lights!!!

As for cuc...I started with nerite and cerith snails, then added astraea turbos later when the algae really started picking up. Don't add nassarius snails until later...LFS will try to sell them to you! They are scavengers in the sand only and don't eat algae... they eat meat. If you don't have any corals in the tank, just keep the white lights to a minimum or else the algae will overwhelm you before you are ready to handle it.

 

[joec]

Sounds like you are on the right track and have an excellent plan of attack already! Your plan is exactly the same as mine was when I cycled my tank several months ago... and the cycle worked out very well. Ikept dosing my ammonia up to 2ppm until it could completely process it in 24hrs... then considered it cycled.

You can get your cuc ready now in a small quarantine tank... just feed them some seaweed or algae wafers so they don't starve. But your DT won't have enough to support their living until the algae hits... which will come quickly once you turn on the white lights!!!

As for cuc...I started with nerite and cerith snails, then added astraea turbos later when the algae really started picking up. Don't add nassarius snails until later...LFS will try to sell them to you! They are scavengers in the sand only and don't eat algae... they eat meat. If you don't have any corals in the tank, just keep the white lights to a minimum or else the algae will overwhelm you before you are ready to handle it.

Thanks!