Cycle, Ammonia has gone to zero, Nitrite never went up

[jvmesle]

Hi, I am a new saltwater hobbyist and have recently started a 75 gallon saltwater tank. I started my cycle on 3/5 with Ammonia at 1ppm, Nitrite at 0 ppm, and Nitrate at 10 ppm. I began the tank with dry rock and dead sand used from a previous tank of my relatives. I added 3 pounds of live rock to seed the other rocks.

On 3/6 I added a table shrimp and also added Bio Spira to the tank. 2 days after that on 3/8, I tested my water and Ammonia was then at 0ppm, Nitrite at 0 ppm, and Nitrate still at 10 ppm. I figured that I would soon see Nitrite increase but to this day, Nitrite has remained at 0. I thought maybe the Nitrite phase was sped up because of the Bio Spira but my Nitrates remained at 10 ppm. I have tested everyday since 3/8 and the water parameters have remained the exact same.

Where did the ammonia go? The shrimp is about half decomposed in the water, and I am still phantom feeding some fish food every night. I still have yet to see any diatoms or algae also. Is it safe to assume the cycle is over?

 

[texdoc77]

I think its unlikely your tank has completely cycled. Do the ammonia test to 2ppm and then test in 24 hours.

Also read this

 

[JUNBUG361]

Diatoms or algae doesn't happen in couple of days. Patience is a big role in this hobby,especially during the cycle period

 

[Sambo107]

Something could of consumed the ammonia other than nitrifing bacteria or it was coverted from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate faster than you can test

 

[scooter31707]

I am a little confused. You started the cycle on 3/5, right? How did you get ammonia and nirates on the 1st day with everything being dry (rock and sand)?

 

[jvmesle]

I am a little confused. You started the cycle on 3/5, right? How did you get ammonia and nirates on the 1st day with everything being dry (rock and sand)?

I don't know to be honest, I assume its from die off from my 3 pounds of live rock. But it definitely started like that before I even added the shrimp

I just brought up my water to 2ppm with ACE Pure Ammonia so in 24 hours I will test again to see

 

[scooter31707]

I don't know to be honest, I assume its from die off from my 3 pounds of live rock. But it definitely started like that before I even added the shrimp

I just brought up my water to 2ppm with ACE Pure Ammonia so in 24 hours I will test again to see

Ok. With this statement ^, where did you water source come from? I am leading to believe that the water source may have some of this toxics in it already.

 

[jvmesle]

Ok. With this statement ^, where did you water source come from? I am leading to believe that the water source may have some of this toxics in it already.

I made rodi water using the BRS RODI unit

 

[jvmesle]

I think its unlikely your tank has completely cycled. Do the ammonia test to 2ppm and then test in 24 hours.

Also read this

So it's been about 24 hours after I added enough ammonia to get 2 ppm. I tested everything again and ammonia is now at .25 ppm after 24 hours. Nitrite is at 0. And Nitrate is at 0, I believe I had user error when I first tested nitrate the initial day because of lighting, so nitrate has actually been 0 this whole time most likely.

I also tested my rode water and ammonia came out as 0, nitrite at 0, and nitrates at 0.

It is obvious that my cycle is not over since it has been 24 hours and I am not at 0 ppm. But I am still lost. Ammonia went from 2 ppm to .25 ppm in 24 hours, but nitrite and nitrates are both still at 0. Why could this be?