Stalled cycle?

[jeffrey psaros]

started cycling my tank about a month ago...
Used a raw shrimp for 3 days then pulled it out. After a week results from API were 0/0/5...bought dr Tim’s one and only and his ammonium chloride and dosed to 2ppm a week later results were 0/0/10ish
So I dosed again and ammonia day at 2ppm for along time nitrites are off the scale high, and nitrates are around 40.... 2 days ago I put another bottle of dr Tim’s one and only in. Doesn’t seem to be doing anything....
Ammonia is now 0 but nitrites still read off the charts. The picture was about a week ago before adding another bottle of one and only... nitrites are still off the chart

 

[14 foot reef]

In reality you're probably only a few days from finishing the cycle, nitrites will drop really fast once the nitrobactor bacterial takes off. I would also consider a different brand test kit, once your cycle is complete. You will not want to rely on this kit once you start adding livestock.

 

[jeffrey psaros]

Okay so just keep waiting? Don’t need to do a water change and dose to 2ppm ammonia again or anything?

I have the red sea test kit for nitrates, phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium in my shopping cart ready to be ordered.

Once the tank is cycled I plan on 2 bangaii cardinals and some CUC then waiting a few weeks for anything else

 

[NY_Caveman]

Okay so just keep waiting? Don’t need to do a water change and dose to 2ppm ammonia again or anything?

I have the red sea test kit for nitrates, phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium in my shopping cart ready to be ordered.

Once the tank is cycled I plan on 2 bangaii cardinals and some CUC then waiting a few weeks for anything else

Wait it out. It looks almost done. I water change throughout a cycle, but many wait until it is over. You have Nitrites to convert, so no need to dose more Ammonia.

When it appears to end, and Nitrites are 0 ppm, you could then add 2 ppm Ammonia and see if it is processed in a days time to be certain.

Good plan above on waiting after your first livestock. You want to wait as you said to let the system mature with each new addition. The cycle never really ends, it just gets to a safe starting point and then adjusts which each new addition.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Of it’s processing the ammonia to zero it is cycling.
The appearance of no3 confirms this.
The nitrites also confirm this.

The nitrites can be ignored.

You can put fish in the tank right now.

But I’m glad you’re willing to wait.

 

[jeffrey psaros]

Awesome, I will just keep leaving everything alone then. I’m trying to be patient but it is waivering haha

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I too would just wait and watch for a few days, but I also agree that the nitrite is not a concern.

FWIW, the nitrate reading is likely not accurate due to the nitrite present. So if nitrate declines, do not assume it was a real effect.

 

[jeffrey psaros]

That’s good to know about the nitrate...the nitrite has actually declined a lot about .25 now so another day or 2 probably, then I’ll check nitrates and do a water change if necessary before adding the 2 bangaii cardinals!

 

[jeffrey psaros]

So y’all were right, tank has cycled! I need to do a water change to get the nitrates down, what I can’t decide is what fish to ad first:

Long term plans
1 yellow tang
2 clownfish
2 bangaii cardinals
Starry blenny
Mandarine dragonette
2 peppermint shrimp
1 cleaner shrimp
1 emerald crab
Hermits and snails
Mixed coral mostly soft/lps

Would you ad the 2 clownfish or 2 cardinals first?