Water change during cycle needed?

[revheat21]

Im on day 8 of cycling a new tank using Dr Tims and ammonia. Testing with Red Sea. Caribsea Life Rock as well as Caribsea Fiji Pink sand.

Current readings:

pH-8.4
Ammonia-1.2...down from 2+ for the past 3 days
Nitrite-OFF THE CHART. I mean PINK!
Nitrate- Even more off the chart
dKH- 8.5

Should i stick it out and keep my mitts off the tank, or should i do a water change now?

Im sure there are several different opinions out there....I just want to start this tank off on the best foot possible.

Thanks!

 

[Shmollica]

Im on day 8 of cycling a new tank using Dr Tims and ammonia. Testing with Red Sea. Caribsea Life Rock as well as Caribsea Fiji Pink sand.

Current readings:

pH-8.4
Ammonia-1.2...down from 2+ for the past 3 days
Nitrite-OFF THE CHART. I mean PINK!
Nitrate- Even more off the chart
dKH- 8.5

Should i stick it out and keep my mitts off the tank, or should i do a water change now?

Im sure there are several different opinions out there....I just want to start this tank off on the best foot possible.

Thanks!

I changed my water weekly once I set it up. I’d change it in your situation to get the nitrates down then dose back up to 2ppm ammonia. The thinking with that is you want the tank to process the ammonia into nitrate in 24 hours. With as much nitrate and nitrite you have I’d think there was another source of ammonia in there lol

 

[Azedenkae]

Im on day 8 of cycling a new tank using Dr Tims and ammonia. Testing with Red Sea. Caribsea Life Rock as well as Caribsea Fiji Pink sand.

Current readings:

pH-8.4
Ammonia-1.2...down from 2+ for the past 3 days
Nitrite-OFF THE CHART. I mean PINK!
Nitrate- Even more off the chart
dKH- 8.5

Should i stick it out and keep my mitts off the tank, or should i do a water change now?

Im sure there are several different opinions out there....I just want to start this tank off on the best foot possible.

Thanks!

Water changes during a cycle is needed if parameters accidentally get way too high. Normally they are not necessary. Dr. Tim says 5ppm nitrite is too high: https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/. However, I have yet to find peer-reviewed articles specifying that level specifically, although there are plenty that does affirm too high nitrite concentrations can inhibit nitrification.

Can I ask your ammonia dosing schedule, as in if you are dosing daily or once ammonia hits 0 or something? For nitrite to get that high though, there must be more nitrite being produced than being consumed (over a period of time), which is also why personally I would only dose ammonia when both ammonia and nitrite has dropped to 0, rather than just ammonia.

To clarify, my version of 'cycling' is to ensure the nitrifiers can handle a certain amount of ammonia (generally 2ppm) per day. Other people has different schools of thought on what cycling entails.

 

[brandon429]

all you do is ride this current mix to day 12 and change all the water, and refill w new and its cycled.

this works by allowing long enough for deposition (the dates on the bottle instructions) and then changing out all the mixed wastewater that would otherwise test badly.

what's leftover is a functioning reef filter, adhered to all surfaces but under totally clean water. ready for a start.

 

[revheat21]

Im on day 8 of cycling a new tank using Dr Tims and ammonia. Testing with Red Sea. Caribsea Life Rock as well as Caribsea Fiji Pink sand.

Current readings:

pH-8.4
Ammonia-1.2...down from 2+ for the past 3 days
Nitrite-OFF THE CHART. I mean PINK!
Nitrate- Even more off the chart
dKH- 8.5

Should i stick it out and keep my mitts off the tank, or should i do a water change now?

Im sure there are several different opinions out there....I just want to start this tank off on the best foot possible.

Thanks!

Water changes during a cycle is needed if parameters accidentally get way too high. Normally they are not necessary. Dr. Tim says 5ppm nitrite is too high: https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/. However, I have yet to find peer-reviewed articles specifying that level specifically, although there are plenty that does affirm too high nitrite concentrations can inhibit nitrification.

Can I ask your ammonia dosing schedule, as in if you are dosing daily or once ammonia hits 0 or something? For nitrite to get that high though, there must be more nitrite being produced than being consumed (over a period of time), which is also why personally I would only dose ammonia when both ammonia and nitrite has dropped to 0, rather than just ammonia.

To clarify, my version of 'cycling' is to ensure the nitrifiers can handle a certain amount of ammonia (generally 2ppm) per day. Other people has different schools of thought on what cycling entails.

I dosed the ammonia on day 1 and day 3. Prior to dosing, I tested the water to make sure I wasn’t overdosing. I skipped the ammonia on day 6 because the level was elevated.

 

[Azedenkae]

I dosed the ammonia on day 1 and day 3. Prior to dosing, I tested the water to make sure I wasn’t overdosing. I skipped the ammonia on day 6 because the level was elevated.

Yeah that does not sound like much ammonia at all, surprised both your nitrite and nitrate tests are unreadable. I mean you did say 2+ ppm ammonia, so it is not unexpected that nitrite would be higher than expected, but not unreadable.

This is why I normally suggest checking all three parameters before dosing, after dosing, and then daily. It is good to know how the parameters are changing, and if anything at any point seems wonky, which may indicate something else is contributing to the readings and/or issues when testing. If you have any additional readings, let us know, would be good to see the progress.

Anyways, (irrespectively,) I would suggest doing a serial dilution test to see what the exact nitrite reading is. If it is way, way, way high, then a water change is necessary. Otherwise you can just ride it out. Don't add anymore ammonia and wait until both ammonia and nitrite read 0, then dose ammonia again.

That is what I would do anyways, for my method of cycling.