Test ?

[Knoxjoelee]

Yesterday ammonia at 0 nitrite at 0 tday both at 0.25 is this normal haven't been feeding nothing becus I have nothing but live rock.thought I was cycled does it bounce around a lot like this?

 

[Tahoe61]

Are you using the API test kit, then yes it can be hard to distinguish between undetectable and 0.25. How many days, weeks has the tank been cycling?

 

[Knoxjoelee]

Three weeks an yes API.

 

[Knoxjoelee]

The nitrite peaked last week an shot down really quick.

 

[Tahoe61]

So if you're not in a rush just proceed as usual, if you want to be sure you can challenge the tank with some pure ammonia, or even feed the tank and test again within 48 hours. Not unusual to see this with the API.

 

[Knoxjoelee]

I'll just keep testing for a couple more days.thanks

 

[Knoxjoelee]

One more ? So when it is up an running should I worry about it jumping from 0 to 0.25?

 

[Tahoe61]

My thoughts on what is important on a newly cycled tank are, always have some SW made up for a water change, stock slowly and start with inverts like a few hermits, if you over stock or over feed initially, prime or better yet, microbacter7 are your friends, followed of course by a water change. Just keep testing, and yeah sometimes with the API it can be difficult to distinguish the value even after a cycle.

 

[glb]

Just start slow with adding any livestock. I would dose a little ammonia if I were you to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria and strengthen your biofilter. Once the water shows 0 ammonia and 0 nitrates for a few days you should be good as long as you don't add too many fish at first. A strong biofilter will never show nitrites. New tanks are unstable but just give it some time and you should be good.

 

[thereefkid]

I wouldnt worry too much if its API

 

[Knoxjoelee]

I did but a cocktail shrimp in there for a day that's when it spiked that was 2 weeks ago.

 

[kendavjac]

ghost feed and take API low end results with a grain of salt. take a water to sample to LFS or someone else and get them to perform a test (preferably with a different brand of test kit). see if their results are close to yours. Stock slowly and you will be fine. You may see a slight rise in your ammonia/nitrite when you add livestock, but it should go down very quickly. That is why I like to ghost feed, I put in about the same amount of food as I would feed a fish. Once you actually add a fish, then the nutrient load will not be much different.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

ghost feed and take API low end results with a grain of salt. take a water to sample to LFS or someone else and get them to perform a test (preferably with a different brand of test kit). see if their results are close to yours. Stock slowly and you will be fine. You may see a slight rise in your ammonia/nitrite when you add livestock, but it should go down very quickly. That is why I like to ghost feed, I put in about the same amount of food as I would feed a fish. Once you actually add a fish, then the nutrient load will not be much different.

This is very good advice. I hate API test kits. I prefer Seachem or Red Sea.

 

[glb]

This is very good advice. I hate API test kits. I prefer Seachem or Red Sea.

I hear you. I use a combination of Salifert and Hanna Checkers now.