QT Cycle help

[pdiehm]

So for over 3 weeks, my QT tank has been cycling and ammonia tests at 0ppm. My nitrites haven't gone down, if anything have gone up. Red Sea only gives color to 1ppm, but I'm fairly certain that I'm well above 2ppm nitrites based on how deep the red is, and how quickly it turns deep red (within 20-30 seconds after shaking for 10 seconds following reagent B powder).


I have an AquaClear 20 with the ceramic thingers, the sponge, and some carbon trying to clear up the water (very hazy). I haev a small piece of pukani rock in there since this will not be a medicine tank, but rather the observation tank, and 2 pieces of pvc.


Water temps is 80. Salinity last night was 1.025.


With how long the nitrites have been this high, I'm wondering if I have enough space to house the amount of bacteria needed to consume the nitrites.


Would I be better served giving a few more days, and if nitrites still don't drop by say thursday, do a 50% water change to get them at level that can be consumed? I think Thursday would be 4 weeks since Nitrites first showed up.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Cycles usually take 6-8 seeks.
How big is the tank? How big is the filter? If the filter is meant to be used for that sized tank, you should be ok.
What did you use for ammonia source? How many times did you dose it?\
Don't do any water changes during your cycle, you'll just dump bacteria.

 

[pdiehm]

It's a 20 gallon long. Aqua clear 20.

I used pure ammonia and I followed the advice of some who said when ammonia drops, continue to dose ammonia. I am fairly certain that is the cause of the nitrites, so I probably fed it 2ppm ammonia 3 times

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

For me when I set up a QT, I take a little bit of a different approach. I will keep some filter floss or a sponge in my DT to seed it with the beneficial bacteria. Then, I will set up the QT with fresh saltwater and keep enough saltwater on hand to be able to do daily water changes. I also keep an ammonia badge in the tank so I can quickly get a gauge of the ammonia level. I will have Prime on hand to treat the water as well. The reason that I am saying all this is that I do not think your tank has enough porous surface area for the beneficial bacteria to colonize and continue the cycle.

 

[Mike&Terry]

For me when I set up a QT, I take a little bit of a different approach. I will keep some filter floss or a sponge in my DT to seed it with the beneficial bacteria. Then, I will set up the QT with fresh saltwater and keep enough saltwater on hand to be able to do daily water changes. I also keep an ammonia badge in the tank so I can quickly get a gauge of the ammonia level. I will have Prime on hand to treat the water as well. The reason that I am saying all this is that I do not think your tank has enough porous surface area for the beneficial bacteria to colonize and continue the cycle.

Agree.

My QT is a 20 long as well. I run an AquaClear 70 on it so that I can use two sponges and a bag of ceramic media or a bag of carbon. If you don't have a seeded sponge, adding beneficial bacteria such as MicroBacter 7, Special Blend (go easy on this one as it's highly concentrated), Dr Tim's Nitrifying bacteria, or Stability will work quite well in a pinch. I keep new saltwater on hand in case it's needed. With the larger filter, one water change a week is normally sufficient. I rinse the sponges (gently) during the water change in saltwater to remove any excess detritus that accumulates. I've never had ammonia issues doing it this way.

 

[pdiehm]

I added a 2nd power filter that I had laying around to it.

Will see how this goes. I may have to get a bigger filter, like a bio wheel. If I do, any recommendations?

 

[pdiehm]

I used my amazon points from my credit card to get an Aquaclear 70 for the QT tank.

Question: Should I use the sponge and then just fill the rest of the compartment with ceramic biomax material? Or will what they provide to me be sufficient?