I just finished my cycle last week. Nitrites and ammonia are steady at zero. I have a few ghost shrimp in my tank to get my bio load started per my LFS. My nitrate is at about 80ppm right now after I did a roughly 40% water change. How low do I need to get my nitrates before I add my fish? And should this be done through more water changing?
Cycle over, question on nitrates
- Thread starter Rcj520
- Start date
Land_shark067
New member
Please go double check your test and check the expiration date on your test!!!! (yes they expire) or maybe thats a typo??? 80ppm is off the charts high for a fresh and crazy off the charts for saltwater. SO..
1) if they are actually that high: do 30% water changes every 3 days tell its gets down to at least 10ppm. probably 5 or so water changes (saltwater tanks depending on type of corals you will want require max nitrates to be 0ppm to 20ppm depending on the coral.
2) figure out how they got that high? where you dosing ammonia to cycle tank?? and stop doing what ever you did to get that high. over feeding maybe?
also try watching this it might help:
https://youtu.be/UbLF1zgw8oQ?list=PLBaMLrfToJyybUT18OE3fMomFb9XU0ffC
before adding fish get it down to below 20ppm.
1) if they are actually that high: do 30% water changes every 3 days tell its gets down to at least 10ppm. probably 5 or so water changes (saltwater tanks depending on type of corals you will want require max nitrates to be 0ppm to 20ppm depending on the coral.
2) figure out how they got that high? where you dosing ammonia to cycle tank?? and stop doing what ever you did to get that high. over feeding maybe?
also try watching this it might help:
https://youtu.be/UbLF1zgw8oQ?list=PLBaMLrfToJyybUT18OE3fMomFb9XU0ffC
before adding fish get it down to below 20ppm.
scooter31707
New member
What size is your tank and are you using rocks/how much? IME of setting up 3 tanks, my nirates during the cycle went high and came back down on their own. How did you cycle your tank?
Honestly I would make a 100% water change and start off on the right foot rather than chance battling algae due to the nitrates. I would want the nitrates below 10 for algae control, but if this is going to be a fish only tank anything below 40 would be fine and nearly all fish could handle nitrates at 80.
MichelleMas
New member
Do you guys mind if I bounce off of Rcj520's question....I was thinking that if your nitrates haven't dropped than your tank isn't done cycling yet and you shouldn't do a water change?
My scenario: My ammonia was down to 0 for about a week while Nitrates were off the API test kit chart. Then about 4 days ago it started dropping every two days when I check it is getting lower. last night it was down to 20.
So I thought when it finally gets super low and either hits 0 or stays at a certain level for a week without changing then the cycling period is over and you should do a water change.
Maybe I answered my own question because he said his level was steady on 80 for a week. So his cycle is over?
My scenario: My ammonia was down to 0 for about a week while Nitrates were off the API test kit chart. Then about 4 days ago it started dropping every two days when I check it is getting lower. last night it was down to 20.
So I thought when it finally gets super low and either hits 0 or stays at a certain level for a week without changing then the cycling period is over and you should do a water change.
Maybe I answered my own question because he said his level was steady on 80 for a week. So his cycle is over?
It's a 40g Breeder with about 60 pounds of rock. 50 dry, 10 live, and 40lbs of live sand. Cycled the tank with ace ammonia dosing. Haven't had nitrites for about a week and a half, but the nitrates have stayed steady. And the plan is for a reef tank. I also am already getting some small spots of green hair algea as well as a good amount of purple coralline
Aero175
New member
If you are getting 0 for the ammonia and nitrites your cycle should be over. The end result of the nitrogen cycle is nitrates. Doing a large warter change, say 50% should bring them down. One way to be sure is to dose the ammonia one more time to 2ppm. If your cycle is in fact complete you will get the same results you are seeing. The nitrates will probably even go up slightly.
I would get that hair algae out of there before it really starts to spread. Just use a clean toothbrush, and syphion it out when you do your water change.
Are you running a skimmer? Or are you planning on one?
I would get that hair algae out of there before it really starts to spread. Just use a clean toothbrush, and syphion it out when you do your water change.
Are you running a skimmer? Or are you planning on one?
I've already dosed the ammonia multiple times to make sure it goes down. I'll make sure to scrub the hair algea.
I was worried about doing that big of a water change since my LFS says it would deplete too much of my good bacteria.
Also I am already running a tunzee 9004 in my tank n
I was worried about doing that big of a water change since my LFS says it would deplete too much of my good bacteria.
Also I am already running a tunzee 9004 in my tank n
RayAllen3422
New member
I had high nitrates at the end of my cycle. Did as close to a 100% water change as possible. Nitrates went from over 100 to under 10.
Land_shark067
New member
Adding more ammonia will only create more nitrates not help them do down. the bacteria living on the surfaces in the tank eat (over simplification but you get it) the amonia and poop nitrites. another bacteria eats nitrites and poops nitrates. these bacteria live on the surfaces of your tank not in the water. you LFS often advises against 100% changes because it can be a deadly shock to any fish in the tank. since you dont have fish yet.. 100% change will be fine but dont let your rocks or filter or sand get completely dry.. (that would kill bacteria) . the skimmer will help but its role in filtration is to take organic matter (fish poop) and remove it before it ever breaks down to ammonia which would become nitrates. you already have nitrates so just do water changes and stop adding amonia its just making more nitrates.
travis9791
New member
Interesting. My nitrates never went above 15 during my cycle.
