1 week in

[sirclintler]

I have been cycling my tank for about a week now, thanks to everyone for providing the info needed to get me off the ground, I am using Elios test kits, pleas tell me all test kits are not this difficult. Here are my params everything seem normal. SG 1.025, cal 550, mg 1300, ph 9, amonia 4ppm. I am using used dry rock their was a bit of dried up algae on them which I beleven is caused my cycle?

 

[Sapelo]

Test kits (all of them) can be a pain until you get used to them.
For now, you need to be watching nitrite, nitrate and phosphate and not so much calcium and magnesium.
Did something dry on your rock cause a cycle? Maybe but probably not. Doesn't really matter either way, you're off to a good start so just be patient and let your tank do its thing.

 

[sirclintler]

Ok. Thanks for the info, I thought I should be looking for my amonia to fall, is 4ppm high enough?

 

[MichelleMas]

4ppm is plenty high enough

 

[full sinthetik]

What test kits are you using. The cheaper API ones are pretty inaccurate and most reefers dont trust their readings at all. Salifert is one of the best, Red Sea ones arent too bad, just more complicated that the salifert

 

[full sinthetik]

You want o ammonia.. Save yourself some $$ and aggrivation and Dont rush, only bad things happen fast in this hobby.Trust me, I hate waiting

 

[sirclintler]

Thanks for the info My test kits are Elios, I'm showing 2ppm nitrites, 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates,

 

[Sapelo]

It's just going to take a little longer.
Besides the dried algae, what have you provided to feed your cycle?

 

[sirclintler]

Nothing, there was a lot of what looked to be hair alg dried on the rocks and the occasional lady bug that crawled in while I was putting water in, I used new dry sand and new pluming, if it wasent the dry stuff then I have no idea, I am steady at 4 ppm amonia since the 16th

 

[Sapelo]

Lol, ladybugs for cycling...excellent!
Ok so you're going to have to put something in your tank (like a piece of shrimp or fish food...something) to start a cycle. You need to get bacteria growing and they can't grow without food.

 

[sirclintler]

I'll put a shrimp in right now, I thought it had started already because my amonia has been at 4ppm for a few days

 

[thomas.torode]

Oh dude, don't put anything in there until your ammonia is down to at least 1 ppm. Not even a shrimp. If you are, get bottled bacteria. That will make the cycle go much faster and keep ammonia down.

 

[sirclintler]

Is this a trick yall play on noobs? I'm more confused now that I was yesterday, per my research my amonia should spike and go down from bac growing and eating the amonia, I have amonia at 4ppm now , I haven't added anything except some dirty used dry rock, do I add a piece of dell shrimp even though my cycle has started it would appear? I have a small amount of nitrites and no nitrates

 

[CarrieB]

I think it's a matter of personal preference. I don't think you need to add anything since you already have seen ammonia. The shrimp will just add more ammonia that will end up as more nitrates, but that's not the end of the world if you decide to go that way.

 

[sirclintler]

Ok thanks for the info I have a while,

 

[Capt.Nemo]

Yeah, your just a week in. Everything should spike 1 after the other. Ammonia and then the Nitrates. Once both mine zeroed out, I did about a 25% water change. I was good after that. Mine did that after 3 weeks. I have used Bio Spiral with great results.