Cycling Question

Bluemon

Member
All right so ive been cycling my 5 gallon dwarf SH tank for 3 weeks now.
i had my ammonia spike, and i have to get my seahorses quick, cuz i cant wait for them. :lmao: When do you think the cycling would end? :rolleyes:
here are my tank parameters:

pH: 8.1
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0.5
Nitrate: 20-100 (low range to high range)

i havent changed my water in a week
and i just added 1 ml of prime.

also, my salinity is 1.020 and temp varies

i also have 3 sexy shrimp, 4 nerites, 4 cerinths, and 5 nassariuses.

Thank you :rollface:
 
A 5g tank is going to be hard to keep water parameters in check. To answer your question ... the nitrogen cycle can take up to six weeks depending on weather or not you are using LR or LS. It sounds like you are at the end of your cycle with the nitrate reading. You need to get your salinity up to 1.025. That is alot of inverts for a sm tank.
 
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Heater is need for sure. Salinity at 1.020 is way to low. 1.023 to 1.026 is needed. Being perfectly consistent is going to be your key with the tank though. Make sure and feed the sexy shrimp every day. Since you have that many sails you can get away with it. Sexy shrimp are prone to picking at Zoe's if not fed every day. They also will eat the tips of anemone tentacles. So a little pellet a day keeps mine happy and fed.
 
salinity is low and cycle is not done yet. if u are seeing nitrites ur still cycling. i would also research on nitrate levels for sea horses as well. some livestocks can not handle nitrates either.
also note: there is only one thing in this hobby that happens fast CRASH
 
slow down there sailor! rushing will get you nowhere but trouble! Take your time, make sure your parameters all say 0... add some fish food, wait a week and if they say 0 still, you should be ok. there will always be seahorses available so take your time and enjoy the ride of this hobby :)
 
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