High ammonia first 36 hours

[Rookieofsalt]

Greetings reefer.

So I am in the first 36 hours of cycling period. I did the initial test today and ammonia is rocket high.

I bough the tank used (Red sea max s500)and I cleaned any where I possibly could before I re-started my cycling. However, there were areas I couldn't get to, right under the over flow. So The tank has some ditrius left. All rocks were clean and bleached as well.

So I am not sure where ammonia came from. My only explanation that ammonia came from the old stuffs in the tank that I didn't pull out during cleaning.

Thanks

 

[Blitzer]

How high, what's your reading?

 

[Rookieofsalt]

How high, what's your reading?

I am using API test (exp. 2020). Over 4.0 on the color chart.

 

[mcgyvr]

Whats the problem?
tank is cycling.. you want a decent amount of ammonia to kickstart it..
see ya in 4 weeks or so when its done cycling..

 

[Rookieofsalt]

Whats the problem?
tank is cycling.. you want a decent amount of ammonia to kickstart it..
see ya in 4 weeks or so when its done cycling..

I initiated the cycle period with a raw shrimp. I keep it the aquarium about four days. After two weeks I can see a dip in ammonia, and Nitrate is high, over 60 ppm that part of the cycle.

My concerns is Nitrite, it still very high. I read that Nitrite will drop as Nitrate increases. My Nitrite has been over 5 ppm since Nitrate spiked on day 11th.

Did I do anything wrong or it just take sometimes for Nitrite to go away.



Thanks

 

[Blitzer]

Ammonia becomes Nitrite
Nitrite becomes Nitrate

Hence the corresponding dip of ammonia and spike in nitrite. You're still cycling. Loads of great resources out there that explain the nitrogen cycle, give em a read

 

[mcgyvr]

You didn't do anything wrong..
Welcome to a cycle..
Its done when both nitrite and ammonia are zero...
At that point you do water changes to bring nitrates down to a decent level.. then start adding "critters,etc..."..

Your chart shows nitrite decreasing too.. All is good.. Another 3 weeks and good to go

 

[Rookieofsalt]

Thank you!

 

[mcgyvr]

And I said another 3 weeks because IMO any tank should cycle for 4 weeks (just my rule of thumb)... No matter what bacteria in a bottle or whatever product you use in it.. It might be zero am/nitrite before that but just let it go and start going through the "ugly stages" before you start putting anything into it.. Just makes taking care of the "uglies" and ensuring parameters stay stable/acceptable,etc...

Nothing good happens fast in this hobby... Patience makes a great tank..