Where in the cycle am I?

[janglez]

Hi reef2reefers,

I am cycling my first tank in a while and it seems like something is off on my cycle. I am reading .25 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and about 15 Nitrate. These results confuse me because in all the charts I see the ammonia should drop before the nitrates rise.

Here is what I have done over the cycle:
Started 2 weeks ago 4/17
All but a few live rocks
Live Sand
Dosed a bottle of Dr Tims bacteria
Added a Damsel 4/28 (have learned since about bottled ammonia)

 

[Dburr1014]

Your done.
API is a false positive.
Go slow adding fish.

 

[Cell]

With enough live rock and it sounds like you have enough, you skip the cycle. As noted, API is notorious for false 0.25 reading.

 

[janglez]

@Dburr1014 What test kit do you recommend? Also is it weird I never had any major algae outbreaks or detritus? I did have some green hair algae but that was also because I left the lights on at the start of the cycle. No detritus tho...

 

[Dburr1014]

Ugly stages are coming. Steady as you go.
I like salifert, and I like Hanna for alk.
I haven't tested for ammonia in probably 7 years. API are good for seeing trends not so much for an actual hard number.
Detritus is fish poop, no fish(or 1 fish) no poop.

 

[Screwgunner]

Hanna for phosphates and alk if you want to worry about nitrates salifert.

 

[islandstonashville]

You’re done and not stuck.