New 55g tank cycling question?

[Purgitory]

Have a new 55 gallon tank that has been cycling for a week. Added cured live rock, live sane and bacteria to the tank. been doing 1 feeding per day to kick start ammonia.

was reading:
ph 8.0
kh-8-12
Ca-380-400
Nitrate 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia .25ppm
Phosphate 0

tested 3 days later..
all the same stats just the ammonia jumped to .50ppm ..

tested yesterday..
Ph 8.0-8.2
kh 12
Ca 400
Ammonia 1.0ppm
Nitrate .25
Nitrite.50 ppm

so im trying to find out what stage in in on the cycling process and should i see the ammonia rise any more .. Also this is a fish less cycle..

 

[thegrun]

Your are started on the cycle but it is very difficult to predict how much higher if at all the ammonia will climb or when exactly it will start to fall. What are you feeding the tank? Once your ammonia gets to 2.0 I would stop feeding, there is no reason to try and get the ammonia level any higher than that.

 

[Purgitory]

Sorry for the late reply.
fish pallet is what i was feeding the tank once a day nothing major just a pinch or two to start the cycle. ammonia spike to 2.ppm , nitrite .50ppm and nitrate.25 ppm..
so i stopped feeding the tanks. yesterdays and today test were lower but they seem to be stuck and ammonia is not lowering but nitrites have disappeared..

3/30

PH 8.0-8.2
CA 440
DKH 15
Ammonia 1.ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate .25ppm
Phosphate .25ppm
Salinity 1.024

3/31
PH 8.0-8.2
CA 440
DKH 15
Ammonia 1.ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate .25ppm
Phosphate .25ppm
Salinity 1.024

 

[thegrun]

One week is certainly not a long time as far as being stuck. What brand of test kit are you using? API is notorious for showing ammonia at 0.25 when in fact the ammonia is at zero. In a normal cycle it takes two to three weeks for the ammonia to drop to zero. With the addition of the bacteria your cycle should be quicker, but every tank is going to be different.

 

[Purgitory]

API Saltwater Master Liquid Test Kit for saltwater tank and one for reef tanks..

 

[Purgitory]

Just curious if things are going to start lower from this point on or could i look forward to some spikes in all three. ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. sorry been a while so im re learning how this works..

 

[Purgitory]

Im going to be adding Chaeto + Pod into the sump and a clean up crew once ammonia lowers.. what should ammonia be at before adding any of these things?

 

[thegrun]

Your ammonia needs to be zero before you add any livestock. It is difficult to say if your ammonia will rise or fall, each tank's cycle is different.

 

[Sweitz1972]

I ran mine for a month with only sand in the tank. Had it cloud up twice in that time and then everything stabilized. I've learned very quickly to be patient and don't panic, it will stabilize, just give it time. It'll be worth it.

 

[boojumsnark25]

Dose some 100% ammonia in the tank, to 2-3 PPM, and if it's converted to nitrate in 24 hours you're fully cycled and ready to begin adding livestock (slowly)

 

[bat21]

this is the progression of what you should observe. the timing varies from tank to tank. ignore the numbers on the left. I dont think nitrite has shown up for real yet. It will be around longer before it disappears.