Fishless cycle test 2weeks in, help

[Vadafallon]

So here are my test after two weeks. Should i continue to dose Ammonia or let it roll like it is for a while? What are my next steps?

Nitrates have shown up pretty good now

Ph looks good i think

I think i am seeing Nitrite now

Ammonia seems to be pretty low now

 

[ryan_ferguson25]

I'm 12 days into a fishless cycle while using Stability. My Ammonia is now zero...but Nitrite and Nitrates are high...I'd say let it be..let yr ammonia come to zero and the rest shud follow

 

[mcgyvr]

Let it be.. No need to add more ammonia IMO..
A couple more weeks and you should be ready to slowly add things..

You can start to do water changes if you want now as nitrates start to rise to keep them from getting out of control..

 

[Vadafallon]

Thanks for the info guys. I kinda thought that but wanted to make sure.

 

[ryan_ferguson25]

How high did ur ammonia get?

I took mine to about 3ppm, fed Seachem stability as per instructions and took 4 days for Nitrite to show...I got nitrates at the same time as nitrites...

 

[Vadafallon]

Per the new Dr. Tim's instructions i only took it up to 2ppm. 1 drop per gallon in my tank. Mine did not show that quickly, and i even added live rock from my 7 year old tank. I expect that now that its showing it will drop fairly quickly.

 

[ryan_ferguson25]

I would expect to see zero ammonia in a day or 2 and ur nitrites and nitrates to rise...mine are still high...and have been for about 4 days now...hoping they start start coming down soon.

I used pure ammonia...but heard good things about Tim..!

 

[lg2725]

Just give it time. It took me awhile too. My ammonia dropped to 0 but then my nitrates spiked. I did 20% water changes every 3 days until I got them to a decent level. It just takes time. I've been ghost feeding since my cycle ended and added inverts before the 72 day ich fallow period ends.

 

[Vadafallon]

I actually added inverts in a week ago, only a few hermit crabs. I did this so they would continue to add ammonia to the tank to feed the bacteria. They seem to be fine, but hopefully the rise in nitrites wont hurt them. Should i take them out and put them back in the old tank?

 

[Joshua I.]

They should be ok but i would stop dosing and in about 2 weeks add a resiliant fish

 

[Vadafallon]

This is what i have in my old tank that i will be moving over. A clown, a Cardinal, a Wrasse, a Bicolor Blenny, a Scooter Blenny and a Mandarin. Should i move any of these or is there another type fish you would recommend? I do want to stock some more fish. Maybe a few cheap Chromis?

 

[Joshua I.]

Chromis are fine but to start sometimes tanks can be tempermental and have a crash her spikes in things like nitrites from how it sounds your doing fine but maybe add a fish your not to attached to and is hardy first wait awhile then add the others slowly so if worst case you won't lose them all

 

[Vadafallon]

Ok so today my Ammonia is zero as is my Nitrites. Nitrates are around 20-40ppm. Cycle should be done right?

 

[Joshua I.]

sounds right

 

[Sk8r]

Chromis are having a major problem with uronema, which you don't need, and are 1 per 50 gallon 3 per 100 gallon, to be safe. I'm worried about your mandy: if you don't have a pod population in the new tank, it will starve, and past a certain point of not-eating, it won't eat.

 

[Vadafallon]

Yeah i am worried about my Mandy too. I have rock from my other tank that i am going to make into crumbles so i can have some pod hotels down in the sump area. Hopefully that will kick it off.

 

[Joshua I.]

go to algae barn.com its really helpful