Where Did The Ammonia Go?

[reeftankdude]

I started my tank using the API Quick Start product. I added ammonia and the tank cycled showing no ammonia. However, the water had no nitrite nor nitrate in it. How is that possible?
Thanks all

 

[Spare time]

How much ammonia did you add? What test kits? For reference, I think 1ppm ammonia is about 3.6ppm nitrate so it could have been processed rapidly and then now rests below what your nitrate test kits easily reads. If you started with live rock, that number could be lower as other things like algae could have consumed some of it.

 

[reeftankdude]

How much ammonia did you add? What test kits? For reference, I think 1ppm ammonia is about 3.6ppm nitrate so it could have been processed rapidly and then now rests below what your nitrate test kits easily reads. If you started with live rock, that number could be lower as other things like algae could have consumed some of it.

No big deal, just curious. I put in about 4ppm ammonia. After it cycled I put in 2pmm ammonia and it stalled at .25 ammonia. Perhaps the API bacteria was exhausted. I added the Fritz bacteria and things moved quickly showing nitrite and then nitrate with complete cycle.

 

[Aiptaisia anemone]

You probably did the test wrong? have you test it twice?

 

[reeftankdude]

You probably did the test wrong? have you test it twice?

Yes I did. No biggy, just curious. Thanks

 

[Hans-Werner]

Ammonia does not have to be oxidized in nitrification to "disappear". There is no automatism between adding ammonia and appearance of nitrite and nitrate.

Ammonia may be taken up and used by many organisms, algae, bacteria + archaea and also corals. They simply use it for growth, for the formation of amino acids, proteins and other biological N-compounds.

Nitrification competes with these growing organisms for ammonia. Especially in the beginning nitrification may be a very minor pathway for ammonia, most may be used for growth processes.