Starting the 3rd week of cycling

[Jcuozzo17]

Hello,

I am going into my 3rd week of cycling a 29 gallon tank. I was curious if I can started adding some clean up crew into the tank.

 

[FLAdaboy]

Have you tested at all? Post your levels if you have as well as current pics of what your tank looks like.

 

[Jcuozzo17]

This is the current picture of the tank. My levels ph is 7.8 nitrate,nitrite, and amonia are 0

 

[GoVols]

This is the current picture of the tank. My levels ph is 7.8 nitrate,nitrite, and amonia are 0

Did you see your ammonia and nitrites spike up and come down?

 

[Jcuozzo17]

Did you see your ammonia and nitrites spike up and come down?

No i tested twice and both have been the same.

 

[Jcuozzo17]

But I also tested once a week

 

[GoVols]

But I also tested once a week

If you have cycled you should be reading some nitrates.
What test kits are you using?

 

[Jcuozzo17]

If you have cycled you should be reading some nitrates.
What test kits are you using?

Api master saltwater kit

 

[Jcuozzo17]

Should I wait until I see some levels?

 

[GoVols]

Api master saltwater kit

I'd get the Salifert nitrate test kit.
Those API's can be buggy.

 

[GoVols]

Should I wait until I see some levels?

When you cycle, you should see the ammonia get high and drop to zero. Then the nitrites go high and drop to zero and when you see nitrates with no ammonia or nitrites then the cycle is complete.

 

[GoVols]

Did you add ammonia to the tank to start the cycle?

 

[Jcuozzo17]

Did you add ammonia to the tank to start the cycle?

No I did not add anything, any preference on the brand ?

 

[jrwoltman]

A lot of ammonias have fragrances and/or other chemicals in them that you don't want in the tank. Ace hardware store brand does not and is the way to go. It's what I used to cycle my tank.

 

[GoVols]

No I did not add anything, any preference on the brand ?

Some people but in table shrimp or fish food and let it rot to make ammonia and you can buy bottles of it too.

If you want to keep a pair of clown fish long term. They will start and be able to handle the cycling process too.

 

[GoVols]

@Jcuozzo17
How many gallons is your tank?

 

[thaitopher]

You really should keep your lights off while the tank cycles to reduce your algae levels

 

[GoVols]

@Jcuozzo17
How many gallons is your tank?

Sorry, ;Sorry
You got a 29g.

 

[FLAdaboy]

Definitely introduce something to assist the actual cycle.

 

[brandon429]

I have a totally different take on this cycle based on pics that show purple rock

You take two completely different actions regarding ammonia depending if that coralline is real or if it's painted on/simulated rock kind

Ask the seller

True purple coralline means already cycled rock. You can't have true coralline rock that is missing any needed bac

Insert scenario "what if someone medicated it and didn't tell"

Doesn't happen

It's either aquarium cured (cycled elsewhere transported to you, cycled) or its fake painted rock that you must cycle

Solely off the coralline we need no test info so far

If that was live rock you moved from some other tank into your house, you could add a coral frag and get going lightly. If it's painted, then you take opposite action and add ammonia, wait, and add some bottle bac too

That much coralline right off the bat too good to be true. I bet that's a product called real reef rock which is painted coralline and in most cases, precycled see their website.