Need advice on what my next step should be
- Thread starter Kross714
- Start date
How are those nitrites?
gone fishin
New member
Ammonia is being released from the decay process. I would speculate that you have some bacteria established that is processing the ammonia. At this point nitrite would be an indicator of this.
Reef Frog
New member
Since your LFS gave you such bad advice from the get-go on something as basic as cycling an aquarium, I advise you to be very careful on relying on their advice for anything in the future.
Bad advice can be devastating when it comes to issues like fish, coral & invertebrate compatibility, disease prevention, adding supplements etc. Like other posters here said, "Check here first".
Bad advice can be devastating when it comes to issues like fish, coral & invertebrate compatibility, disease prevention, adding supplements etc. Like other posters here said, "Check here first".
kmbyrnes
New member
My advice here is to test your cycle for completeness. Get a bottle of surfactant free ammonia from Ace Hardware. It's important that is says surfactant free.
Then go here to find out how much to add to your tank.
https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/AmmoniaCycling.php
Based on your posted info, it would be about 3/4 teaspoon
Wait 24 hours then test Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. If they are at zero, your cycle is complete.
If not, wait a few days and repeat.
When you tank can process 2 pmm of ammonia in 24 hours, you can safely begin stocking
Then go here to find out how much to add to your tank.
https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/AmmoniaCycling.php
Based on your posted info, it would be about 3/4 teaspoon
Wait 24 hours then test Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. If they are at zero, your cycle is complete.
If not, wait a few days and repeat.
When you tank can process 2 pmm of ammonia in 24 hours, you can safely begin stocking
Reefaholic1978
New member
Do not take advice from that fish store. You should never put fish in if you can detect ammonia. It goes ammonia nitrite nitrate then you can add fish when nitrates hit about 30ppm. Also damsels are very teritorial so they will fight any new addition to the tank so don't add them because they are inexpensive or you might have to chase the fish to get him out when it becomes a nuisance.
Reefaholic1978
New member
Yes time to take it out and wait for ammonia to fall. Nitrite will be the next parameter to watch.
I'm not sure this is good advice about the 30ppm nitrate. I wouldn't think you'd want to put fish in a tank with 30ppm nitrate... Seeing nitrate that high and no ammonia and no nitrite means the cycle most likely is completed however you'd want to do some water changes to get that nitrate down...I'm no expert just don't want him assuming he needs 30ppm nitrate before he can put fish in. Assuming all the ammonia has been broken down to nitrite then nitrate is the sign your nearing completion of your cycle.
ZeeSparrow
New member
Reefaholic1978
New member
30 ppm does not bother fish at all. Ideally you want it as low as you can take it. Corals on the other hand (especially sps) you want it undetectable or the most 5ppm. My tank is reading 0 on nitrate and phosphate because I'm carbon dosing but before that I was running between 30 - 40 ppm when things got busy with no ill effects on lps or fish. I only got it ultra low when I lost a lovely acrapora. You can wait until you get lower readings but your fish won't know the difference.
Ok so took my water to two different well know fish stores and they tested it and said I am fully cycled, picked up 2 gobies , a cleaner shrimp and a couple snails and crabs . I acclimated them by trickling in tank water to a holding bowl with the fish in it. Been 26 hours and they are all doing amazing!
