Dumb cycle question

[kevinrf]

Okay, dumb question.
I used to do a cycle with a dead shrimp. This time, i used Instant Ocean Bio-Spira, Live Sand, & 3lbs of live rock. I also been throwing in fish pellets. Was this enough to start a cycle or should I have gone with a dead shrimp? I started it Last sunday (Innovative Marine Fusion 40g)



I took these results today. I have the ammonia strip in the tank, it's "safe". I don't think I ever had a spike of ammonia because it's been reading safe the whole time.

 

[saltyair]

I would take a sample to your lfs just to be sure on those readings - how long have you been cycling?
Ghost feeding works well but takes a little longer

 

[kevinrf]

I would take a sample to your lfs just to be sure on those readings - how long have you been cycling?
Ghost feeding works well but takes a little longer

It's only been since last Sunday.

Here are my ammonia results

with flash on

 

[saltyair]

Imo your cycle hasn't started yet
need a spike in nh and a spike in no2

 

[kevinrf]

I'm going to throw in a raw shrimp today!

 

[tomreefer]

let me get this straight you have a reading of 5.0 ppm of no3 and never had a test result of no2?

 

[shesacharmer]

Add the shrimp. API tests are a bit wonky on low level testing. You need more ammonia to figure this out and a shrimp with give you that.

 

[wooden_reefer]

The newbie might want to test ammonia.

Often, the amount of ammonia can actually be estimated without testing.

If you have very little LR, the decayable matters on it will not be large; then what you deliberately add will be the main source of ammonia. You can estimate the ammonia generated by the amount of protein you add.

For this purpose, you can assume that each gram of dry protein has 16% nitrogen, which will become ammonia. Moist lean meat is about 20% by weight protein. Each 10 grams of moist shrimp flesh has 0.3 gram of N-ammonia.

One small shrimp is about 10 grams and about 0.3 grams of N-ammonia. When such a shrimp decays completely in 25 gals of water, the ammonia will be about 3 ppm N-ammonia.

I often don't test for ammonia in cycling anymore, when it can be estimated.

It is better to have ammonia in the range of 2-3 ppm at least once during the cycle, especially if your interest is fish.

I often cycle with very small amount of water, several gals, when I cycle for QT. Then I add to 3 ppm several times during the cycle. The robustness of nitrification depends on the amount of ammonia, not so much the concentration, processed on a short time.

Test for nitrite; nitrite coming and going confirms nitrification.

 

[Dan_P]

Unless you see ammonia and nitrite levels climb then decrease, how are you suppose to ensure the tank cycled?

Add a ppm of ammonia (unscented) and monitor its disappearance.